Testaroli
Also known as: testarolo, testaroli pontremolesi
Traditional product of Lunigiana: a round, thin unleavened disc of wheat flour, lukewarm water and salt, baked between hot cast-iron testi, cut into small squares, softened in boiling water and dressed with olive oil and pecorino or pesto.
Testaroli (testarolo) are a traditional product of Lunigiana and the province of Massa-Carrara in Tuscany. The Tuscany Region lists the Testarolo della Lunigiana among its traditional agri-food products (PAT) and describes it as an ancient unleavened bread: a round, spongy disc, whitish to light brown, with a dark brown underside.
The ingredients are wheat flour, lukewarm water and salt. They are mixed into a very liquid batter, which is spread on cast-iron or iron pans called testi, heated on a strong fire. The disc is covered with a second hot testo and cooks in a few minutes. It is about 2–3 mm thick and about 40–45 cm across.
After baking, the disc is cut into small squares, softened in boiling water and drained.
Testaroli are dressed with extra virgin olive oil and grated pecorino, or with pesto gentile (basil, pine nuts, garlic and extra virgin olive oil). They are also eaten with fresh soft cheeses or cured meats.
The Region describes it as a poor dish eaten mainly by peasants and now appreciated in the restaurants of Lunigiana; the method has stayed the same, only the way of heating the testi has changed.
Facts
| Raw material | Wheat flour, lukewarm water, salt |
|---|---|
| Region | Lunigiana (province of Massa-Carrara), Tuscany |
| Main use | Olive oil and pecorino; pesto gentile |
How it connects to Pasta
Testaroli → related → 🧀 Parmesan ← related ← 🍝 Pasta
Links
- What it contains
- Wheat flour
- Part of
- Fresh pasta
- Similar and different
- Corzetti
- In other topics
- 🫒 Olive oil, 🧀 Pecorino, 🧀 Parmesan
Frequently asked questions
Are testaroli a pancake or a crêpe, as they look?
They are baked batter discs of flour, water and salt, closer to an unleavened bread, which are then cut up and softened in boiling water.
How do you say testaroli, and what is the singular?
The singular is testarolo; the plural testaroli is what appears on menus.
Is it true that testaroli are ordinary dry pasta?
Not quite. The Tuscany Region calls testarolo an ancient unleavened bread baked between two hot iron pans called testi.
What goes with testaroli in Lunigiana?
Extra virgin olive oil with grated pecorino, or pesto gentile; also fresh soft cheeses and cured meats.
Why are testaroli called a peasant dish?
The Region describes it as a poor dish eaten mainly by peasants, now served in restaurants of Lunigiana.
What to read next
- 🫒 Olive oil — Oil pressed from the fruit of the olive tree.
- 🧀 Parmesan — Parmigiano Reggiano, a hard cheese from Emilia-Romagna and part of Lombardy, aged from 12 months.
- Corzetti — Traditional fresh pasta from eastern Liguria and the Polcevera valley: stamped discs (corzétti stanpæ) or small figure-of-eight medallions, usually served with pesto.