Testaroli with Pesto Sauce

One of the oldest Italian pasta techniques

Looking for a different kind of pasta comfort food this winter? Try Testaroli!

Testaroli is a pancake-like pasta from the Lunigiana region (Northern Tuscany/Southern Liguria) and is one of the oldest pasta techniques dating as far back as the Etruscans and ancient Rome. It got it’s start as cucina povera, or cuisine of the poor, and is now a delicacy served at high end restaurants!

I had this dish served with a pesto sauce for the first time when I was staying at the Grotta Giusti Thermal Spa Resort in Tuscany. I highly recommend this hotel and thermal spa…more on that later. There was an amazing restaurant there called Il Poeta, and after a day of relaxing in the thermal pools, this is exactly the comfort food I didn’t know I needed. I was amazed at the sponge like texture and the interesting diagonal shape. I was sold on it being served up with pesto, but after devouring it, I thought it would also be good with a ragu or even just a little olive oil and parmigiano reggiano cheese, maybe some torn fresh basil. I knew right away I had to try to make it myself.

It’s really fun to make and quite different than other pasta techniques. It’s made of only flour, water and salt, and is cooked on a cast iron griddle or crepe pan before boiling. It has a really spongy consistency, great for soaking up sauce, and is often served with pesto, which is popular in the region, or a hearty ragu. If you don’t want to make a sauce, you can simply coat with olive oil, grated parmigiano reggiano, and basil leaves. Wheat flour is often used but you can use double zero as well.

Traditionally you’ll use a “Testo” hence the name, but if you don’t have this then you can easily use a griddle or crepe pan. A Testo is a terracotta (or sometimes cast iron) cooking device used to make this traditionally.

You can still find “Testi” in the Pontremoli area if you want the full experience.

Here’s one place I found that has cast iron ones:

https://www.lumachelli.com/en/testi-in-ghisa-3/

Let’s dive in…

You’ll need

• 28oz flour

• Pinch of salt

• Water (for batter and boiling pasta)

• Pesto, ragu, or Olive oil/cheese/basil for coating pasta

Instructions:

To begin making the Testaroli, you start by making a batter with the flour salt and water.

Once you make the batter, let it stand for 10 minutes.

Ladle the batter onto the hot pan for a 3-4mm thickness and cook for about 5 minutes per side. Flipping over like a pancake or crepe.

Once it’s finished cool it off and cut into diamond shapes.

Once that’s complete dip them into a warm pot of salted boiling water to cook for a few minutes.

Finally, strain and coat with the sauce.