In 1848, French immigrant Antoine Zerega opened first pasta factory in USA on the Brooklyn waterfront. The company, A. Zerega's Sons Pasta Factory, stayed in the family for over 172 years until it was recently acquired by Philadelphia Macaroni.
In 1901, Felice Maldari started F.Maldari Manufacturers of pasta dies. At that time, the dies were made by hand by immigrants from his hometown of Bari, Italy. Because of the special skills involved, pasta die manufacturing has always been a small industry.
During the late 19th century, when a large group of immigrants relocated from Italy to America (most from Naples), pasta became a common food in the states.
Early pasta machines were found in Naples in the 17th century. One pasta legend tells us that the first pasta machine was made by Spadaccinni in 1833, and commissioned by King Ferdinand. The King reportedly asked Spadaccinni to invent a pasta machine after witnessing peasants kneading pasta with their feet.
Acknowledging that there was a faster way to make pasta, the hand-crank pasta machine was patented in Cleveland by Italian immigrant Angelo Vitantonio in 1906.
In 1914 I. DeFrancisci & Son of Brooklyn, New York, built their first pasta machine. I. DeFrancisci & Son, under its current name of DEMACO remains today as the only industrial pasta machine manufacturer in America.
History of pasta in America
