Let's explore the fascinating history of the pasta extrusion press, already used in the Renaissance and now an essential machine in pasta factories. A journey that will even bring us to America with Thomas Jefferson and his macaroni machine. The pasta extrusion press is a machine used to perform the delicate phase of shaping pasta and is for the domestic, artisan and industrial production of pasta through drawing. The dough was manually placed inside the “chamber” of the extrusion press and pushed under the pressure of the screw through the die plate, which allowed the desired shape [...]

In 1911, Pastificio Fabbri passed from using a marble wheel with a horse to electricity, offering its customers what was known as “hygienic processing” in Italy. To accompany this change, the historic mechanical construction plant Pietro Veraci [1] of Florence proposed a quote accompanied by a plan for the future Pastificio plant and the drawings of future machinery. Let's examine these exceptional items from the archive: Design plan of the electrical system of Pastificio Fabbri, Stabilimento Società Veraci – Florence, 20 March 1911 Quote of the electrical system of Pastificio Fabbri, Stabilimento Società [...]

For generations, the Fabbri have used Florentine terms for their pasta shapes, which in other pasta factories take on more classic names: "pater rigati” and “ave marie” for ditali and ditalini, “grandine” for corallini, etc. These terms are even defined in the Contemporary Florentine Vocabulary of the prestigious Accademia della Crusca. These (very) Florentine names are listed here. We would like to especially thank the Accademia della Crusca and all the editorial staff of the Vocabulario del Fiorentino Contemporaneo (Contemporary Florentine Vocabulary), which kindly allowed us to quote these lexicographic sheets. Ave Marie, Pater Nostri and Semesanto [...]

In 1959-1960, Pastificio Fabbri permanently moved to its current headquarters at no. 18 in Piazza Emilio Landi, where the stables were once located. The works lasted two years and the company reopened in 1961. In 1965, Giovanni (great-grandson and namesake of the founder of the family business) began working at the Pastificio alongside his father Renzo, at the age of 16. To this day, Giovanni Fabbri continues to monitor the correct production of the pasta and its drying process.  Owner of the Pastificio: Renzo Fabbri (grandson of Giovanni, the company founder) together with his [...]

During the 1950s, the Pastificio was located at no. 6-7 of Piazza Emilio Landi, that is, just a few metres from the original headquarters (no. 1-2-3-4) where the mill, bakery and grocery store were also located. From that moment on, the family business focused only on pasta making. To support this development, Renzo Fabbri (third owner of the Pastificio) purchased an improved model of the company's first continuous “Cantini” press in 1958, which still allows the company to produce pasta with an ancient flavour today. Renzo hired three new employees to replace the first generation of pasta-makers and to [...]

At the end of the war, the bakery, mill and all the machinery had been mined and blown up: the Fabbri family moved the Pastificio to no. 6-7 in Piazza Emilio Landi, right next to the ancient headquarters (no. 1-2-3-4). On 11 September 1949, Lionello Fabbri died, the second son of the founder Giovanni: the Pastificio became the exclusive property of his brother Livio. The mill, bakery and grocery store were given to his wife (Dani Dina, maiden name Ceccanti) and the deceased's two daughters, Rita and Giovanna. In the end, the mill was closed in the [...]

Founded in 1893 at number 33, Piazza Emilio Landi in Strada in Chianti, Pastificio Fabbri moved to numbers 1-2-3-4 of the same square in the early 20th century, where the “Electric Pasta Factory" was built. In the 1930s, the Fabbri family also owned a mill, bakery and grocery store. And so we also find the professions of miller and baker next to the pasta-maker in the employee register of 1937. Owner of the Pastificio in 1937: Giovanni Fabbri (founder and first owner) accompanied by his sons Livio and Lionello [...]

From the past to today, a long technological journey has led to the creation of increasingly sophisticated machines and tools to unburden pasta-makers' work. Here is a summary of the essential pasta production phases, explained through a selection of items from our collection Fig. 1: Heavy mixer, Fratelli Costa & Figli Bologna (approx. 1910) Mixing The first stage of the production process consists of mixing semolina and water to create a smooth mixture called dough. In ancient times this was done using the hands and feet, before being replaced by a mechanical device: the [...]

On 10 February 1394 in Florence, a resolution of the Republic established that the Councillors of Mercanzia (Merchandise), the University of Merchants, the Proconsul and Consuls of all Craftsmen should offer “torchiettos de cera” (a sort of wax formed with the union of four long candles) every year, in perpetuity, for the feast of San Lorenzo on 10 August. Coat of arms of the Art of Bakers in Florence The members of the Craftsmen of Bakers of Florence (before the end of the 16th century, the pasta-makers were part of the bakers' and bread-makers' [...]