It was in Naples that the cult for macaroni was developed and exploìted to the greatest extent. In a short time it became the national dish of the realm. Everyone, from the common people to the aristocracy ate pasta daíly, including King Ferdinand IV. He even managed to include it in the official court menus,against the Qeen's will and the nickname for Neapolitans changed from mangiafoglie", (leafeaters) to "mangiamaccheroni" (macaroni-eaters). [Until then the main meal of the day had been a kind of Vegetable broth which on Sundays and public holidays became "maritata" (various meats were added)]. Originally served only to the aristocracy, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon (luxurious and costly spices) as a side-dish, by the middle of the 17th Century macaroni was to be found in the narrow streets of the poor areas of Naples where it was eaten standing and in haste by the "Lazzari» (streetboys) together with other cooked and fresh foods.

While pasta prepared for the aristocracy was generally overcooked and accompanied by rich sauces it was, on the contrary, eaten plain by the common people, still dripping with boiling water and with the addition at most of lard and a sprinkling of matured Monti Lattari caciocavallo cheese and pepper. Served in this way it was known as "O roie allattante" and cost two coins. Later customers could choose between this and "O tre Garibaldi" (macaroni with tomato sauce) which cost a bit more.

"O tre Garibaldi"was so called as a reference to the red colour of Garibaldi's shirt. The macaroni was, however, in both cases served"vierdi-vierdi" i.e. hard (lightly cooked) like unripe fruit. The "Ngegno" (press) was responsible for making pasta a dish available to all. this machine was capable of producing pasta in great quantities and in numerous shapes and sizes by pressing the dough (durum wheat and water) through a wire drawing machine. To put an end to 'the awful practice of kneading the dough with one's feet, Cesare Spadaccini, engineer of King Francesco I created a factory in which a "Uomo di bronzo" (a bronze man) took the place of human feet in kneading the dough. Around Neaples alongside the artisan workshops a number of factories grew up and gradually the production pasta became industrialized. In the coastal area the cities which distinguished themselves most in the art of pastamaking were Amalfi, Torre Annunziata and Gragnano.

It was, however, Gragnano which was most favoured geographically and climatically for pasta production. Here was to be found the levels of humidity and ventilation ideal for desiccation of the macaroni directly in the streets. The presence along the"Green Valley of the Mills" of more than 20 water mills for grinding wheat and the contemporary combined of numerous mineral water springs, unique in their contribution to the dough, combined with the techniques and "secrets" of the art passed from father to son, all carne together to create a pasta production of inimitable quality. The pasta of Gragnano was famed by writers, historians and poets and above all "I maccheroni della zita" (macaroni of the spinster) famous for its cylindrical shape. This was described by Dalbono in "Usi e costumi di Napoli" (Used and Customs of Naples) the reknowned 19th Century work edited by Francesco De Boucard. Gragnano,became the "Patria della pasta" fatherland of the pasta} recognized as such in Italy and the whole world. This was due to the exceptional quality of the pasta together with the enormous variety of forms available. This pasta, when accompanied by various sauces, resulted in dishes capable of satisfying the taste of the most diverse and exacting palates.