Il Pastaro Marchigiano

The Marchigian Pasta Maker by Francesco Conti is all about rediscovering the flavors of the traditional Marchigian cuisine. His special pasta called i Fini Fini is an egg pasta naturally dried, produced in the area of Piane di Montegiorgio in the Marche region.

The Marchigian Pasta Maker: the story of I Fini Fini

I Fini Fini have their origins in antiquity. According to the earliest documents, this pasta was made for the first time around 1400 inside an abbey in Campofilone, a small village in the Marca Picena. Subsequently, i Fini Fini, thanks to their artisanal processing and unique shape that distinguishes them, spread to neighboring countries as a symbol of the local culinary tradition.
The term Fini Fini originates from the XIV century, when the Marchigian bishops brought their favorite dish, hair of angels, to the Council of Trent, so slender that at the moment they ate them, they said “they are so fine fine that they melt in the mouth”.
I Fini Fini can also be found cited between the 1700s and 1800s in the cooking notebooks of some noble Marchigian families. Moreover, a manuscript by Giacomo Leopardi has recently been found, in which he included them among the 45 dishes he desired the most.

The Marchigian Pasta Maker: 100% Marchigian centuries-old preparation

The Marchigian Pasta Maker produces this egg pasta with the peculiarity that the hot dough at the end of kneading is placed on cold marble. This thermal excursion causes the gluten to set, allowing the pasta never to overcook. It is then naturally dried.
As for the cooking of this special pasta, in ancient times, it was sautéed on hard wood from cherry or beech trees to maintain the cooking and not absorb the sauce. Today, this traditional processing is maintained: they are cooked in water for 90 seconds, prepared on this special wooden board with the sauce underneath, drained onto the board, and finally oxygenated. This last procedure is essential and involves lifting the Fini Fini into the air with two giant forks so as to perfectly dress them.

The Marchigian Pasta Maker evokes these flavors and showcases the centuries-old preparation in historical and technical show cooking with the Marchigian Fini Fini throughout Italy and abroad.