Strozzapreti

Strozzapreti (strozaprit in Romagnol) are small, hollow, twisted pieces of pasta similar to fusilli. The Emilia-Romagna region lists them among its traditional agri-food products (PAT), with the province of Forlì-Cesena and neighbouring areas as their territory.

The base is flour and water; richer versions may add eggs. According to the regional sheet, the dough is rolled to about 1–2 mm, rolled up and cut into strips about 1 cm wide like tagliatelle, and each strip is rolled between the palms into small fusilli. In an older method, dough sticks about a centimetre thick are cut into cylinders a couple of centimetres long, then pressed and dragged on the board with a finger to hollow them out.

The sheet notes that explanations of the name vary. Most relate to the anticlericalism of Romagna under Papal State rule; in one legend a greedy priest choked on the pasta. These are traditions, not documented facts.

De Cecco sells dry egg strozzapreti n° 116: little sticks of pasta, similar to thin bucatini, about 5–6 cm long, wrapped around a knitting needle, with a thick, rough surface that suits sauces. Cooking time 11 minutes. The producer suggests classic ragù, sauces of sautéed lard, bacon and parsley with pepper and parmesan, mushroom or bean ragù, or sausage with cream and rocket.