Primo grano meaning “first grain” in Italian, was the idea of pastamaker Gianluigi Peduzzi, who wanted to bring back the flavors of authentic pasta made with 100% Abruzzo-grown wheat like those that his grandfather, Gaetano Sergiacomo, made at his mill in the town of Penne at the turn of the last century. Through a research study sponsored by Rustichella d’Abruzzo, the Istituto dei Cereali di Foggia identified local heritage wheat varieties including San Carolo, Varano, and Mongibello, which proved ideal for pasta making.
