Sacla' pesto: celebrating la dolce vita
Whether it’s stirred into pasta, spread onto crusty bread or baked in a tart, pesto is one of our favourite ways to give dishes a punch of flavour – but, as with most Italian cooking, putting quality first is a must. We delve into the history of Sacla', one of Italy’s most loved brands.
Sacla' pesto: celebrating la dolce vita
Whether it’s stirred into pasta, spread onto crusty bread or baked in a tart, pesto is one of our favourite ways to give dishes a punch of flavour – but, as with most Italian cooking, putting quality first is a must. We delve into the history of Sacla', one of Italy’s most loved brands.
Italian cooking is rooted in tradition, provenance and simplicity. So many Italian recipes are wonderfully easy, relying on quality produce and letting the flavours shine through. From the fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil of caprese salad and the pepper and Parmesan of cacio e pepe to the sweet sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes of antipasti, in Italian kitchens, quality is king. And pesto is certainly no exception – when done right, it should be bursting with fragrant fresh herbs, a rich nuttiness and the umami of Parmesan.
It’s something that Sacla’ knows well. The family-run business has been creating authentic pesto and pasta sauces for over eighty years, making use of Italy’s fabulous seasonal produce and combining it with decades of experience. The result is rich pasta sauces, antipasti and vibrant, punchy pesto in flavours ranging from Sun-Dried Tomato and Fresh Coriander and Red Chilli to their famous Classic Basil and indulgent Black Summer Truffle, which are all still made in Italy. It’s been quite a journey from the humble beginnings of Sacla’ in 1939, when its founding grandparents, Secondo and Piera Ercole, launched a small fruit and vegetable business in their hometown of Asti, in the north-western Piedmont region of Italy. Translating to ‘foot of the mountains’, Piedmont’s abundance of herbs, fruits and vegetables has long earned it the reputation as Italy’s garden, providing a rich bounty that Secondo and Piera were keen to share. Their business quickly flourished, fast becoming one of Italy’s most loved food companies, exporting the gorgeous flavours of Piedmont across the world.
Despite a growing interest in the likes of pizza and pasta from the 1950s onwards, the UK's love affair with Italian cooking really took hold in the late twentieth century, spurred on by the increasing ease of summer holidays abroad and the 1990 Italian world cup. It was also in 1990 that pesto pioneers, Sacla UK Limited – the business’ first foray into overseas markets – launched, and we really got to grips with the nutty, herbiness of pesto. Today, it’s a kitchen staple, and though plenty is used in pasta recipes, it’s also a brilliant addition to fish and chicken dishes, mashed potatoes, sandwiches and plenty more.
The business is still owned and run by the same family today, but by Chiara Ercole, Secondo and Piera’s granddaughter, and its recipes are still made in the heart of Asti amongst the beautiful rolling hills. After all, its Italian ethos is at its core. The Sacla’ team have even travelled the length and breadth of Italy to discover the finest artisanal producers who share their passion for food and drink and create their Truly Madly Deeply Italian online collection of specialty products which showcase the very best that Italy has to offer. But while heritage and authenticity are at the heart of the business, Sacla’ has its eyes firmly on the future. The team strives to leave the world in a better place than they found it – certainly an ambitious goal, but their bold steps towards it show they are taking it seriously.
The Italian sunshine helps to power the production lines in their kitchens and any leftover vegetables are put to good use as biofuel. The jars are also entirely recyclable, and the transportation of products is similarly considered; their jars are made in Italy and largely sent to the UK by sea, while electric lorries ferry their pesto and pasta sauces around the country. Sacla’ has even commissioned a report on its pesto carbon footprint and provides food waste tips and tricks, from using leftover pesto as a salad dressing to freezing it in ice cube trays to use at a later date. The mindset of enhancing people's lives carries through to their evolving product range, with vegan, organic and reduced fat pesto options now available, and the launch of their new partnership with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation to help make food allergies history. As Sacla' use allergens in their pesto sauces, over the next three years, they will be donating 1p from every jar of pesto sold to help fund the work of The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation in education and research.
Creating quality, authentic products remains the priority for Sacla', with their ever-expanding range of pesto flavours guided by authentic, traditional recipes and a deep knowledge of the area which spans back generations. Ultimately, we know that when it comes to creating Italian culinary magic, quality reigns supreme, and a jar of Britain’s favourite pesto is all it takes.
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