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Is French pasta the best pasta? 

epi et toque panzani
Buying local

Today, the trend towards “made in France” and “buying local” is booming. The Covid-19 pandemic has turned our consumption habits upside down. Consumers are increasingly turning to short distribution channels and local products, a trend that existed before the pandemic, but which has now gained momentum. In fact, “during lockdown, French people increasingly turned to products of French origin (45%), fresh produce (37%) and products from short distribution channels (37%)”*. This growing trend towards “eating and consuming locally” has turned into a genuine commitment on the part of consumers. 

The consumer who buys local is also a restaurant-goer who expects a similar requirement from the restaurateur when he eats out. To meet this growing demand, restaurateurs must now focus on buying French, regional, local and “short food supply chain” products, in addition to selecting their products on the basis of organoleptic quality. More and more of them are highlighting their “selection of artisans or farmers” on the menu or displaying them in the restaurant. 

It may seem complex to set up, but we’re lucky to be in France. A land of agricultural cultivation and processing, it boasts excellent agricultural chains, excellent products, among which we can find excellent 100% French pasta. 

It all starts with durum wheat

soft wheat & durum wheat 

First of all, it’s important not to confuse soft wheat with durum wheat. 

Soft wheat is the leading cereal grown in France, with approximately 37 million tonnes produced every year. It is one of the main ingredients in bread, biscuits and cakes. 

Durum wheat, on the other hand, is used to make pasta and couscous. It’s a “minor cereal” in terms of the volume produced in France and worldwide. However, France is a major producer, ranking second among durum wheat producers and second among semolina exporters in the European Union. Some 2 million tonnes of durum wheat are produced in France every year. 

In France, durum wheat production is mainly concentrated in 4 areas: South-East, South-West, West Ocean and Centre. As a winter cereal, it takes nine months from sowing to harvesting. 

French durum wheat is renowned for its high vegetable protein content, which makes it ideal for the production of high-quality pasta. It is mainly harvested in the south-east of France – a hot, dry region.

So how is our French  pasta made? 

From durum wheat to semolina

The transformation of durum wheat grain into semolina takes place in a semolina plant, following a specific protocol.
The first stage is called grinding. During this stage, the durum wheat kernels are wetted and then go through large fluted cylinders, grinding them into small particles.
Next is sifting. This is used to sort the different fractions of the grain (the bran – the protective envelope – and the endosperm) by passing them through machines called plan sifters. The plan sifter is a large, square, closed box containing a dozen sieves, one on top of the other, with increasingly fine mesh. The result is semolina with a little bran.
The next step is sieving, which separates the bran from the semolina.
At the end of this process, we obtain a high-quality semolina, which will be transformed into pasta. 

From semolina to dough

The semolina is mixed with water and kneaded into a homogeneous dough.
This is kneading.
There are several techniques for shaping the dough, extrusion being the most widely used. It consists in pushing the dough into a vacuum chamber to remove the air, then passing it into a mould before cutting it into the desired shape: spaghetti, tortellini…
For other types of pasta – such as farfalle – the dough is laminated and punched.
Finally, the pasta is dried gradually. It is then ready to be cooked. 

Thus, the manufacture of “dry” pasta available in grocery stores is seemingly quite simple, but at each stage, the know-how of the farmers, semolina makers and pasta makers makes all the difference – a whole chain that contributes to the final quality of the product that the cook will be working with!

did you know?

durum wheat vs. soft wheat

Durum wheat vs. Soft wheat… Unlike soft wheat kernels which, when ground, are reduced to flour (for bread, pastries, etc.), the endosperm in durum wheat kernels resists crushing and fragmentation. When ground, it is reduced to “small particles”, known as semolina. It can be used as is or processed into pasta or couscous. 

At Panzani...

we cultivate French  know-how! 

To guarantee the highest quality, we manufacture our pasta in our Marseilles and Nanterre plants, drawing on years of Panzani know-how! 

But how is our 100% French wheat pasta made? 

First of all… by selecting durum wheat on various criteria such as protein content and colour. As soon as the wheat arrives in our laboratories, it is carefully checked and selected by our Experts. 

Following this, the different varieties are blended using a know-how that is closely guarded by our R&D department. It is precisely this blend of varieties that creates the rare, harmonious balance that gives our pasta its unique taste and texture. 

Our blend of grains is then ground into semolina in our semolina plants in Marseilles and Gennevilliers, close to the farms where they were harvested. 

Finally, the semolina is transformed into pasta in our plants near our semolina plants! 

Recipe, extrusion (moulding), drying: Panzani’s know-how is expressed at every stage of production. 

At Panzani, we pay particular attention to our pasta’s ability to withstand cooking: providing a texture that is both firm and melt-in-the-mouth has always been one of our top priorities. 

Responsible
French wheat
agricultural chain

By supporting French durum wheat growing through our Responsible French Wheat agricultural chain, we are acting for a more sustainable agricultural chain and for quality food. At Panzani, we work alongside farmers and cooperatives to preserve the agricultural chain and prepare it for the challenges of tomorrow, while maintaining optimum durum wheat quality. 

We promote 
a local 
French network! 

Did you know that Panzani was ahead of its time? 

Even before it became so “trendy”, Panzani always favoured local ingredients to manufacture its pasta, with 2 semolina and pasta plants – one in the Marseilles region, the other in the Paris area. 

For instance, let’s take our new range of Sélection Panzani Professionnel pasta, made with wheat from an HVE-certified farm – High Environmental Value. 

The durum wheat at the heart of their production is selected from farms in the South of France. It is taken to our Bellevue, Saint-Just and Littoral semolina plants, where it is assembled and transformed into semolina. It is then processed in our Marseilles workshop, which is located less than 10 miles from the semolina plant. 

Overall, there are less than 250 miles from the HVE-certified farms where our durum wheat is grown to our pasta factories. 

So, by choosing our HVE pasta, restaurateurs in Marseilles, Toulon, Aix, Nîmes, Montpellier and many other restaurateurs in the South of France are choosing a quality product, developed with respect for the environment in France. Choose French quality.
Pasta, yes… but Panzani! 

Focus on the HVE label

This certification, which is regulated by French authorities, applies to farms and can be granted if the whole farm meets strict specifications: 
– Integrating and developing biodiversity in farm management. 
– Designing agricultural production systems to reduce pressure on the environment and reduce inputs. 
With the HVE* certification, farms are able to show their commitment to practices that are more respectful of the environment and biodiversity. 

*Buying local: will the trend, which is being taken up by supermarkets, last? (bfmtv.com)