The Rigatoni made from ancient Sicilian wheat are produced by the Miceli Agricultural Company, a small Sicilian enterprise located in the area of Buseto Palizzolo, in the province of Trapani. The owner of this small business, Rosaria, is committed to protecting biodiversity and preserving the natural heritage of the territory by cultivating ancient Sicilian grains, which are then transformed into pasta in the province of Marsala. ANCIENT GRAINS Ancient grains are a particular type of genetically unmodified grains, defined as such to differentiate them from "modern" grains, which are all those types of wheat that have been modified over time by humans to meet the needs of the food industry. The type used to make the Reginette is called Perciasacchi (Khorasan), from the Sicilian "perciare," meaning to pierce, as the particular pointed shape of the grain would pierce the jute sacks used for transport. For the cultivation of this ancient grain, the crop rotation technique is used, alternating wheat and legumes, to ensure better soil fertility. These grains also grow over one meter and eighty centimeters tall, naturally combating weeds without the need for pesticides or fertilizers. NUTRITIONAL ADVANTAGES For the production of Rigatoni, the wheat is stone-milled, and the processing is conducted at low temperatures to preserve the nutritional properties present in the germ, such as the content of minerals, polyphenols, antioxidants, carotenoids, and vitamins, which are consequently present in higher concentrations compared to wheat that undergoes industrial processes. Additionally, ancient grains have a higher fiber concentration that helps keep the glycemic index low, along with a type of gluten that is much less resistant and less aggressive to the immune system. Overall, we can say that these types of grains are more respectful of our bodies, resulting in fewer inflammatory effects and improved digestibility.