Artisan egg pappardelle from Italy's "Prince of Pasta."

The tiny medieval town Campofilone (1,800 residents) is considered the birthplace of egg pasta in Italy. An ancient fort town in the province of Ascoli, it is home to the Abbey of San Bartolomeo, which first reported the existence of “maccheroncini” in the 15th century. Long considered a noble dish, Campofilone’s favorite local dish is now celebrated in a famous local feast - a Sagra dei Maccheroncini - each August.

Vincenzo Spinosi is rapidly gaining acclaim as the world’s “Prince of Pasta” and is carrying on a family tradition that began in 1933. He uses locally raised fresh whole eggs and carefully selected durum wheat semolina. From his humble roots in his family’s pastificio, Vincenzo has become something of a celebrity in international culinary circles and his pasta is now served in fine restaurants around the world, including several in the Far East and Asia. His egg pasta has been praised as the best available and closest to fresh, homemade egg pasta by a bevy of food reviewers, writers and chefs, including our own Michelin star chef Gianluca Guglielmi and Nigella Lawson. In 2000, he was rewarded with the International Five Star Diamond Award by the American Academy of Hospitality and Sciences. Previous recipients of this award were Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Margaret Thatcher.

Vincenzo recommends pairing his silky, soft wide cut pappardelle with hearty ragus and thick vegetable sauces.