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Garganelli Romagnoli, origins and legends about this traditional pasta

THE garganelli (in the Romagna jargon: “garganél” or “macarò ruzié”) represent a typology of striped egg pasta emblematic of Romagna. They can be recreated by rolling a small rhombus of puff pastry circularly to a stick, which is then pressed onto a weaving comb or, without the latter, onto a gnocchi ruler.

THE garganelli they resemble penne, even if at the point where the two edges of pasta overlap the garganello has a different texture. They are also very similar to the macaroni al pettine made in Emilia, which however are slightly larger in relation to garganello Romagna.

STORIES AND LEGENDS

There are various legends regarding the birth of the garganello. One of these attests its birth to the cooks of Caterina Sforza, consort of Girolamo Riario, lord of Imola and Forlì in the second half of the 1400s.

Another legend sees the protagonist of a cook of Cardinal Cornelio Bentivoglio d'Aragona, who in 1725 was preparing a banquet for many guests, and among the dishes in preparation it seems there were cappelletti. While he was rolling the puff pastry with a rolling pin, he realized that some animal had eaten all the mixture for the filling of the cappelletti, and in desperation he had to come up with a quick idea to repair the damage. So he decided to take a comb from the loom of the house, and with the help of a slender reed (usually used to start the fire), he wrapped on it some squares of dough. Later, he baked these little squares that had already taken the shape of garganelli, in the capon broth and served him to the diners, who approved eloquently.

There are those who say instead that the birth of garganello, has distinctive features of the poor tradition, and that it originates in some canteen in the countryside between Imola and Lungo di Romagna.

Whatever the origin of this type of pasta, the term garganello it seems to come from the dialect word "garganel", which stands for gargarozzo, or the esophagus. It is no coincidence that the shape of the garganello recalls that of the gargarozzo of a chicken, which, as the latter is filled with food, so does a garganello it is filled with gravy.

There is a festival that honors this type of pasta that is celebrated at the beginning of September since 1898 in Codrignano every year, or the festival of Garganello.

HOW THEY ARE REALIZED I GARGANELLI?

INGREDIENTS (for two large portions):

  • 200 gr. 00 flour;
  • Two eggs.

To the original recipe there are those who also add a pinch of Parmesan cheese and a grating of nutmeg, (an ingredient that suggests that the origins of garganello are more noble than poor).

METHOD

Combine the flour with the eggs and knead the dough well until it becomes smooth and firm. Put it in the fridge and let it rest for 24 hours, covering it with cling film.

Afterwards, take it out of the fridge and divide the mixture into four equal parts. Take a part of the dough and start kneading it several times by passing it under the rollers of the pasta machine, using the double thickness. After this step, pass the dough under the thinnest thickness to obtain the final sheet.

Once the dough has been rolled out, cut squares of at least 4 × 4 cm with a knife, roll them onto a wooden stick and pass them over the strings of the special comb.

It seems like a difficult process but in reality it is just a little practice and slowly you will begin to make gods garganelli perfect. Keep making them until you run out of all the dough.

FEATURES & PECULIARITIES of GARGANELLI which you can find from FOODALOO

On our online shop you will find the Garganelli ofCarmignani company. This pasta holds cooking very well, and is made, like all products of Carmignani, with fresh Italian eggs and local wheat semolina. A singular peculiarity that makes the products of this activity unique and of the highest quality.

They can be seasoned with multiple sauces, we at Foodaloo we recommend a traditional Tuscan meat sauce, which enhances the structural characteristics, (for example a Cinta Senese sauce, READ HERE).

On Foodaloo you can find the garganelli of the Carmignani pasta factory (but also garganelli from other producers, CHECK), in packs of 500gr. It takes two to five days to prepare one serving, and is made up of durum wheat semolina, fresh 22% eggs, and water. Cooking takes approximately 5.6 minutes, depending on whether you prefer it al dente or well cooked. It can be stored for 360-380 days, in a dry, cool place away from heat sources.

CARMIGNANI AND HIS PASTA FACTORY

The Carmignani pasta factory was born in the early 1900s thanks to its founder Adolfo, with the aim of producing durum wheat pasta. In the 1950s, the command of the pasta factory passed to Angiolo, who decided to start producing fresh pasta as well. However, it will be thanks to his worker Homer that the Carmignani pasta factory will begin to create new formats and fillings, and to ensure that the small laboratory in the historic center of Terranuova Bracciolini, becomes a notable and famous artisan company. During the 2000s, Omero decided to leave the command of the company to his sons Alessandro and Stefania, who have not lost the will to improve the products and develop new ones, a predominant feature of the artisan company. Carmignani.

For the realization of the products of the pasta factory Carmignani selected grains grown and processed exclusively in Italy, ancient, organic grains and the famous Senatore Cappelli durum wheat are used, all deriving from local farms. Even for the internal fillings only components deriving from local companies are used.

Within the activity, a laboratory / kitchen was also built, where gastronomic lines characterized by first courses and sauces of different types are developed.

All dishes and products do not contain stabilizers, preservatives or dyes, the peculiarity that distinguishes the brand Carmignani it is precisely the genuineness and typicality of the products it produces. Since the early 1900s he has been creating pasta, with love, passion and the desire to always improve the products he produces, to allow anyone to taste the true typical taste of fresh homemade pasta.

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