What You’ll Need
To make strascinati, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 2 cups of semolina flour
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of lukewarm water
Step 1: Mixing the Dough
To begin, combine the semolina flour, all-purpose flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and gradually add in the lukewarm water. Use a fork or your hands to mix the ingredients together until a ball of dough forms.
Step 2: Kneading the Dough
Transfer the dough onto a clean, floured surface and knead it for about 10 minutes. The dough should become smooth and elastic. If the dough feels sticky, add a sprinkle of flour as needed.
Step 3: Resting the Dough
Place the kneaded dough in a bowl and cover it with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. This allows the gluten to relax and makes it easier to roll out the pasta later.
Step 4: Shaping the Strascinati
After resting, divide the dough into small portions. Roll out each portion into a thin sheet using a rolling pin or a pasta machine. Cut the sheet into rectangular strips, around 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Using a knife, press and drag each strip against a textured surface, such as a wooden board or a gnocchi board, to create ridges and curls. Repeat this process with the remaining dough portions.
Step 5: Drying the Strascinati
Once you’ve shaped all your strascinati, lay them out in a single layer on a clean, floured surface or a baking sheet. Let them dry for about 1 hour before cooking.
Step 6: Cooking and Serving
To cook the strascinati, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until al dente. Strascinati cook quite quickly, so make sure to keep an eye on them. Once cooked, drain the pasta and serve it with your favorite sauce or toppings.
Now that you have the knowledge of making delicious homemade strascinati, practice your skills and impress your friends and family with this authentic Italian pasta dish. Enjoy!