Strozzapreti

Strozzapreti are a type of typical Italian pasta, particularly from the Emilia-Romagna region. They are famous for their unique shape and for the legend behind their name, which is said to derive from priests’ habit of eating this type of pasta too greedily, leading to choking. Here is the basic recipe for making strozzapreti at home.

Ingredients

• 400 g of flour
• 200 ml of lukewarm water
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Pour the flour onto a work surface and form a well with a hollow in the center.
2. Add a pinch of salt inside the hollow and start to pour the lukewarm water slowly.
3. Gradually incorporate the flour with the water, working with your hands until you form a homogenous and consistent dough.
4. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
5. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
6. After resting, cut off a small piece of dough and form cylinders about 1 cm in width.
7. Cut the cylinders into pieces about 5 cm long, then “strangle” each piece with your hands by pressing and rolling them slightly to obtain their characteristic shape.
8. Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the strozzapreti for about 5-6 minutes or until they float to the surface.
9. Drain them and season with your desired sauce.

Strozzapreti are well suited to flavorful sauces such as meat ragù, mushrooms, or simply with butter and sage. In some areas, they are also served with fish-based sauces; for example, I might suggest strozzapreti with a squid and tomato sauce, thus combining the Italian tradition of pasta first courses with the flavor of the sea.