Strozzapreti

Strozzapreti are simple pasta noodles that are easy and very quick to make.  The word, in Italian, means “"priest strangler.”  Don’t know why, but several reasons come to mind why someone might want to strangle a priest.  :)

It took three tries to get this simple noodle right.  The first time I used two eggs and a cup of flour.  The resulting noodles were tough.  Too tough.  I watched a couple of videos on You Tube and decided to experiment be substituting one egg with water, adding salt and a bit of olive oil.  The dough was dry.  I made one noodle and boiled it as a test.  Tough.

Third try:  I cranked up the liquids and the pasta turned out very nicely.  The recipe follows.  Search this blog for the “Roasted Tomato Sauce” recipe to serve with the noodles. 

1 large egg
1 cup all purpose unbleached flour
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 T tepid water

Start heating a deep pot of water.  Place plates into a warming drawer.

On a suitable work surface (I use the kitchen counter), place the flour in a pile and sprinkle with the salt.  Using the back of a tablespoon measure, form a deep well in the center. Pour the water, olive oil and one egg into the well.  Using an ordinary fork, break the yolk and slowly mix the egg/water/oil with the flour.  Work carefully so the liquid stays within the confines of the flour.  Eventually, as all the flour is incorporated, the dough will attain a dry consistency.  Flour your hand and begin to knead the dough into a round shape.  Knead until the dough is smooth.  Flour the surface and the dough and begin rolling it with a rolling pin.  Turn over frequently and sprinkle with flour to keep it from sticking to the work surface and rolling pin.  Roll it out until it is very thin; perhaps 1/8" thick.

Using a knife or pastry cutter, cut the dough into 1" wide strips.  Wet your left palm with a bit of water, pick up a strip and roll it between the palms of both hands. The strip should stick to itself.  Pull it apart and drop it on the counter.  Continue until all the noodles are formed.  Sprinkle with flour to keep them from sticking.

Once the water is boiling furiously, drop all the noodles into the water.  Be careful that they do not stick together.  They will fall to the bottom of the pot of water and soon rise.  They are finished cooking as soon as they rise.  Remove them to warm plates and serve with Roasted Tomato Sauce and red wine.

The egg, with the water and olive oil, in a well made in a cup of flour.

A video in which I demonstrate the technique for rolling the dough into the correct Stazzopreti shape.