🇮🇹 Italian · Pasta
🍝 Strangozzi al Tartufo Nero
Strangozzi al Tartufo Nero
A thick, hand-cut eggless pasta from Umbria, traditionally tossed simply with olive oil, garlic, and the region's celebrated black truffle for a dish that lets Umbria's finest ingredient speak for itself.
Named for their resemblance to the frayed strands of a torn shoelace, strangozzi are made without egg, giving them a firmer, more rustic bite than tajarin, and pair beautifully with the black truffles Umbria is famous for.
Ingredients
Equipment: Mixing bowl, Rolling pin, Sharp knife, Large pot, Sauté pan
- 400 g (3 cups) 00 flour
- 200 ml (¾ cup plus 1 tbsp) water, approximately
- Pinch of salt
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 40 g (1.4 oz) fresh black truffle, plus more for shaving
- 1 anchovy fillet, mashed (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Combine the flour, water, and salt into a firm, smooth dough, kneading for 10 minutes. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough out to about 2mm thickness and cut into long, slightly irregular strands roughly 4mm wide.
- Toss the cut strangozzi in a little flour and set aside on a floured tray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the strangozzi for 3–4 minutes until tender but firm.
- Meanwhile, warm the olive oil gently in a wide pan and sauté the garlic and mashed anchovy, if using, until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.
- Grate most of the truffle finely into the warm oil off the heat, allowing its aroma to infuse.
- Drain the pasta, reserving some cooking water, and toss directly in the truffle-infused oil with a splash of the water.
- Plate immediately and finish with a few extra shavings of truffle over the top.
Chef Tips
- Keep the truffle away from direct high heat, which destroys much of its aroma — infuse it gently off the heat instead.
- The dough should be firm enough to roll thick and hold a substantial bite, distinct from thinner egg pastas.
- A small amount of truffle goes a long way when properly infused into warm oil.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the truffle by adding it too early to a hot pan, which dulls its distinctive aroma.
- Rolling the pasta too thin, losing the characteristically rustic, chewy bite strangozzi are known for.
- Overpowering the truffle with too much garlic or other strong flavors.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A simple, largely plant-based dish that can be made fully vegan by omitting the anchovy.
- Truffles provide antioxidants alongside their prized aroma.
Cultural Note
Strangozzi is closely tied to the town of Spoleto and the surrounding Umbrian countryside, a region renowned for its black truffles, which are hunted through much of the year in the region's oak forests.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Fresh, uncooked strangozzi can be dried for a day or frozen for up to 1 month.
Reheating: Best made and eaten fresh; truffle aroma fades quickly on reheating.
Serve with: Nothing more — the dish is meant to showcase the truffle simply