Israel Romero / Thursday, February 23, 2023 / Categories: Spanish Brands Pastes Sanmartí: a gourmet tradition since... 1700 Sanmartí Pastas At Made in Spain Gourmet we have the honor of featuring a nationally renowned reference. With more than 300 years and nine generations behind it, they have known how to evolve and adapt over time. Their quality and handmade production make them unique. Noodle-makers since 1700 Our Sanmartí Pasta selections Noodle-makers since 1700 The Sanmartí family has a historical background that goes back as far as the 18th century. In 1700, Isidre Sanmartí was the first to experiment with the properties of transforming wheat into flour and mixing it with hot water. This produced a dough that, if properly made, was suitable for immediate consumption. The problem was that it did not keep for long because it became hard after a few hours. Thus, the Sanmartís began to work the dough in terms of shape and texture, inventing a wooden device with exit holes through which, by pressing the dough very hard, it came out in the form of strips — what today are tagliatelle or spaghetti. These strands, when properly dried, had a very long shelf life since once dry the pasta could be stored and later, when placed in hot water and boiled, it would soften and be ready to eat. From that came the Sanmartí noodles of Caldes de Montbui (Barcelona). Later generations — specifically the sixth — realized that pasta had a very good commercial future. Jaume Sanmartí i Samsó "l'Avi" (the grandfather) began a new development, which his son Josep Sanmartí i Casabayó and his wife (who took over the business as a widow) pushed forward by incorporating the latest technology of the time and the necessary facilities to make the company, between 1940 and 1975, a competitive production line for that era. Starting in August 1998, Eulàlia Rifé i Catafau, widow of Josep Sanmartí i Casabayó, put the business in the hands of her son Carles Sanmartí i Rifé, who continued the family's conservative line while incorporating new machinery and technology to make the business profitable, without forgetting the very costly artisanal processes of production and drying. A whole history that now spans nine generations, and we are proud to share them within the Made in Spain Gourmet family. Their pastas are excellent and will help us conquer the international market. When you enter their facilities, it is like taking a step back in time. The manual processes, the old facilities, the wood… it is impressive that a company in 2021 can successfully use such old-fashioned processes. But they do it! Production begins in a mixer (which is 68 years old) that mixes wheat semolina with the thermal water of Caldes de Montbui — the only two raw materials used. Yes — there are no other secret ingredients here than wheat semolina and thermal water. Afterwards they dry in wooden drying cabinets for 48 hours, and finally they are packaged. The human element is fundamental in their production. And it will always remain so. To give a distinctive example, the noodles or the spaghetti are still packaged by hand. The production is limited, and that is what guarantees the quality of the product, which really cannot be compared with brands that use industrialized production. They were pioneers in pasta manufacture. Although state-of-the-art technology is now used in pasta making, the spirit of the artisanal and costly production and drying process has not been lost. Our Sanmartí Pasta selections For our online gourmet shop we have selected several of their products that are cornerstones of Mediterranean cuisine — not only Catalan and Spanish — such as cut fideo, pearl fideo and galet for soups or other broth-based recipes; but also Italian-style pastas such as tagliatelle, penne, spirals and squid-ink spaghetti. We have also added vegetable pasta made with tomato and vegetables (tagliatelle and spirals) for those who like to include vegetables in their pasta dishes. Sanmartí Tagliatelle Sanmartí Galets Sanmartí Squid-Ink Spaghetti At Made in Spain Gourmet, we recommend them for your tomato-based pasta dishes or with whatever sauce you prefer. Also spectacular with Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Calaveruela butter. Spirals and penne are also ideal for salads, and for soups and broths in general, the cut fideos No. 1 and the pearl fideos. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/embed/8lW97JsMcLg[/embed] Spanish extra virgin olive oil. Why does Italy buy it from us and sell it as its own? The Pistachio: The Fruit of Love Print 5 Rate this article: No rating Tags: gourmetEVOO Please login or register to post comments.