Just outside the walls of the juvenile prison of Casal del Marmo, in Rome, a project was born for the job placement of young prisoners. Is called "Pastificio Futuro” and aims at social reintegration for the children detained in the Roman prison which already boasts a pastry shop, a pizzeria, a carpentry shop and a hairdresser.
The idea for the laboratory was born after the first visit of Pope in the structure, on the occasion of Holy Thursday in 2013 when he told the children "Don't let yourselves be robbed of hope". Words that have not fallen into oblivion and which led to the creation of this significant program. From 2013 to today, the Gustolibero cooperative, with the support of CEI and Caritas Italiana, has followed the project which also included the complete renovation of the building that houses the pasta factory.
Future pasta factory: pasta as a symbol of freedom
With its 500 square meters of surface area, a press that can produce up to 220 kg of pasta per hour and four dryers, Pastificio Futuro is a company that could employ up to 20 boys and girls prisoners in prison or who are serving their sentence outside, at home or in other facilities. But the initiative will start with three employees: a prisoner who enters and leaves prison for work thanks to article 21 of the Penitentiary Law, a twenty-year-old entrusted to social services and another who lives in the community. “They start with three because they have to be introduced slowly to the world of work,” explains Don Nicolò Ceccolini, chaplain of Casal del Marmo for 12 years.
“The pasta will be sold in some chains supermarkets with whom we have made contact - explains Don Nicolò Ceccolini - as well as served in some restaurants level, because it is a high quality pasta. Giving future prospects to these kids is very important, it can also encourage other children of their age who are in prison to follow a path, give them a goal. It's a great opportunity because they still have to leave the prison, as the laboratory is outside the detention area, albeit within the city walls." When it is fully operational, “the laboratory could produce 2 tons of pasta, around 4 thousand 500 gram packets every day”, underlined Alberto Mochi Onori, manager of Gustolibero Società Cooperativa Sociale Onlus, which was responsible for the implementation of the project.
Three great chefs at the inauguration
For the occasion, Luigi Cremona, food and wine journalist, invited three chefs from the capital to presently prepare three iconic recipes of Roman cuisine: the "gricia", created by Andrea Pasqualucci chef at Moma; the “carbonara” of Luciano Monosilio, of the restaurant da Luciano; the “fake matriciana” of Arcangelo dandini, owner and chef of the Arcangelo restaurant. To accompany these tastings, mineral water Egeria and the wines of Consortium for the Protection of Roma DOC Wines. The following also gave their support to the initiative: Union Food, which collaborates for food production; Confagricoltura, which advocates for the choice of the best wheat; The Cascina Cooperativa; THENC National Institute for Communication e Confcooperative Lazio.
