Pastificio Chelucci

Hand-​crafted pasta since 1912, the owner Giuseppe has been in the family business since 1950, is extremely friendly and informative, and made us feel welcome for our free, private tour.
During World War II, the Nazis took over the building, a villa, making it their headquarters in 1944. The family had to walk for two days to Florence while the Germans occupied their home. Once the Nazis fled from Allied Forces, they returned home and were the first pastificio (pasta factory) of 36 in Pistoia to resume operations after the war. They are the only remaining pastificio of the original 36.
The factory has been somewhat automated since 1950, but many of the pastas are still handmade. They have numerous varieties of pasta, including their signature brands, made with only Tuscan flour from the Pisa area. They recently unveiled a pasta in the shape of Pinocchio characters called «Le Bugie» («the lies»), the result of a scholarship competition in the local schools.
The factory employs only six people, but they produce a wide variety of pastas using old family recipes and processes. The small river behind the factory once spun the turbines beneath the building which allowed them to resume operations so quickly after the war. Special drying units maintain constant temperatures between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius (90 – 95 Fahrenheit), ensuring that the pasta does not break, reducing waste, and resulting in quality products. Pastas take from 24 hours to six days to dry depending on the shape.
The bronze pasta forms used to give the pastas their various shapes result in a special consistency not found in mass produced brands (De Cecco, Barilla). Their pastas take much less time to cook because the pasta from the brass forms allow the boiling water to saturate the pasta instead of cooking it from the outside. The water they are boiled in also has much more starch then that of the mass produced brands, allowing the water to be used to thicken sauces before serving.
The valley in which the villa sits is quiet, green, lush, and much cooler than smoldering Florence, so it was a breath of fresh air, literally, after a month in 100 degree Florence and its wall-​to-​wall tourists. Giuseppe is working on adding a small gift shop and café, culinary demonstrations, and possibly pasta making and cooking classes in the near future, but in the meantime a tour of their operation is a must if visiting Tuscany and tell him CombatCritic sent you!
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