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Trofie ~ Fresh eggless pasta twists

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This is short, hand-made, twisted-shaped eggless pasta that is typical of Liguria, Northern Italy. It is typically served with pesto sauce. Traditionally the twist is made by a clever sleight of hand, but this method uses a wooden rod or skewer to make the process (relatively) foolproof.

Ingredients

  • 100 g (3/4 cup) of flour per person. The best flour to use is durum wheat flour, but plain (all-purpose flour) works fine too.
  • from minimum 40 ml to maximum 50 ml of water per 100 g of flour. i.e. for 4 people, use 400 g (3 cups) of flour and minimum 160 ml to maximum 200 ml of water.

Instructions

  1. Make a mound with the flour and make a large well in it (big enough for all the water). Pour the minimum amount of water into this well (i.e. for 100g of flour, 40 ml of water). You may add more later.lWork the water and the flour together with a fork, beginning by adding the flour from just around the water little by little, until you have a smooth dough.
  2. As soon as you can (when the mixture is no longer sticky), use your hands.
  3. Knead the dough for ten to fifteen minutes, until it is smooth, firm, and quite elastic. Don’t skimp on the kneading or the dough will tear later. If it feels dry, wet your hands with the rest of the water during this process. It should be elastic and not sticky.
  4. Leave to rest for 15-30 minutes wrapped in saran wrap (cling film) so it won’t dry.
  5. After the dough has rested, unwrap it and divide the dough into four pieces with a knife.
  6. Roll one of the pieces on a board pressing down gently with your fingers (not your palms) until you get a snake-like shape the thickness of a finger.
  7. Cut the “snake” with a knife into ¼-inch pieces. Cut only about 10 of them at a time so that the dough won’t dry in the process.
  8. Roll a piece out with your fingers (not your palms) until you have a short 2-inch long “spaghetti-like” shape.
  9. Sprinkle a little flour on the board and gently dust the small piece (so it won’t stick).
  10. Roll the “spaghetti” around a wooden skewer making a wide spiral.
  11. Roll the skewer very gently on the board (don’t apply too much pressure) until the pasta flattens a little.
  12. With your fingers, gently slide it off the skewer onto a cloth.
  13. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
  14. Let the trofie dry for about an hour.
  15. Bring plenty of water to boil, add the salt and boil the trofie for about 6 to 10 minutes, draining them when they are still al dente. Important: don’t stir the trofie too much for the first 2 minutes, otherwise they break up!

Find it online: https://organictuscany.org/recipes/trofie-fresh-eggless-pasta-twists/

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