Food
August 1, 2007
Pasta has always been a staple in every Filipino occasion. No celebration is complete without a serving of our re-invented spaghetti laden with ground pork, hotdog, sweet and spicy sauce and other ingredients to suit the distinct Filipino taste. The Philippines is the biggest consumer of pasta in Asia, amounting to four plates for every Filipino a year.
Recently new variety of pasta was introduced in the Philippines straight from Spain. Gallo, the 100-year old food company in Spain offers a whole line of healthy pasta varieties called Pasta Gallo.
Café Ysabel, the venue for the launch teamed with distinguished personalities from the Spanish Embassy, food and catering business, food experts and the media who were invited to witness the event. Premier Philippine chef Gene Gonzales treated the guests to a new line of Rene Barbier wines during the event.
The business of pasta
Gallo, established in 1946, was originally a flour factory in Barcelona started by Señor Jose Espona, also the first person who used durum wheat in producing what we call as Semolina flour.
Business of pasta
Through out the years, Señor Espona discovered the potential of the pasta business, thus created Pasta Gallo. Because they also owned the wheat field, Gallo was involved in the whole production of pasta, allowing them to bring not only high-quality but also affordable pasta dishes to tables all over the world. Utilizing this advantage, Gallo is now the leading pasta company in Spain and among the five biggest producer of pasta in Europe. They are also supplying to some of the biggest companies worldwide including America and Africa. According to Antonio Salinas, regional sales director of Gallo, Pasta Gallo is still a family owned company up to this day.
Fiber and veggies
First in the line of healthy produced pasta offered by Gallo is the Fiber Up range. According to Felicidad Velandrino, vice president of the Nutritionists and Dieticians Association of the Philippines, its better to load up on carbohydrates and fiber enriched pasta. Made from real oat containing three times more fiber than the usual pasta, the Fiber Up variety contains no cholesterol, no calories and fat, making it best for people who are on a strict diet. Available in spaghetti and macaroni, it also regulates weight and helps decrease cholesterol level, so the not-so-young ones would not have to worry about heart problems while savouring their macaroni.
Pasta Gallo also thought of incorporating veggies in spaghetti. Gallo’s V200 line is made of 40 percent all-natural vegetables and is an excellent source of vitamins A, B, and C, iron and magnesium. Adding to V200 Spaghetti and Penne range, Gallo also came out with Gallo Y Sus Amigos, (Gallo and Friends) especially made for kids. It gives the same 40 percent of daily recommended intake of vegetables in fun and delicious taste which children and parents alike would enjoy eating.
Meanwhile for a more classic taste, Gallo has the Classic Durum Wheat variants which come in spaghetti, linguine and penne. It is made from 100 percent Semolina flour and contains vitamin B complex, iron and folic acid. It is also low in fat, sodium, calories and sugar and is a good source of complex carbohydrates.
Stress test
Before Aaron Palileo, marketing manager of ADP Industries Corp. decided to venture in the distribution of Pasta Gallo, he, together with Chef Gene put the pasta under a three-day stress test. After stuffing cooked Pasta Gallo in the freezer for three days, chef Gene re-sautéed the pasta and surprisingly it still came out good. This, according to chef Gene, is because of the high content of durum wheat in the pasta.
Durum wheat also makes make Gallo Pasta easier and faster to cook and with less breakage. It has a superior mouth feel and texture that holds on the sauce flavors, making it ideal for any pasta recipe. Gallo also made their pasta available in 250-gram packs for those who prefer smaller servings.
Pasta Gallo will be available to Filipino pasta lovers very soon.
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