Antonio Mattei

Since 1858, Antonio Mattei has been making Italian biscotti and confections in the historic bakery and shop on Via Ricasoli, in the heart of the old city of Prato, Tuscany. He was the first to create the recipe for almond biscotti, also known as "Cantucci" or "Cantuccini." His original recipe won awards at Exhibitions in Florence (1861), London (1862), and Paris (1867). The recipe is still a secret of the Pandolfini family, who inherited the bakery in 1904 and continue to run it for the fourth generation. 

Mattei Biscotti di Prato are a part of the Tuscan confectionary tradition and are often enjoyed with Vin Santo or coffee at the end of a meal. All of Mattei's products are freshly baked from simple ingredients The dough is hand-shaped, and after baking, the loaves are sliced while still hot, giving shape to the fragrant biscotti. They are always packed in the iconic blue bag and tied by hand with colored string.

In 2018, on the 160th anniversary of its founding, the Pandolfini siblings Francesco, Marcella, Elisabetta, and Letizia, opened the Museo Bottega in via Porta Rossa in the historic center of Florence to showcase the 16-decade-long history of the Antonio Mattei Biscottificio. In 2019, the Blu Mattei bag was officially registered and trademarked as a unique color exclusively for the Antonio Mattei biscuit factory. The four siblings carry on the tradition of the Biscotti di Prato, proudly representing their town's image and flavor throughout Italy and the world.