Parmatielli

Ingredients Durum-wheat flour and water.

How Made The flour is sifted and kneaded long and vigorously with water, then the dough is left to rest. Hazelnut-sized pieces of the dough are rolled out with three fingers on the palm of the hand to form long, thin, pointed cavatelli. They are boiled in plenty of salted water.

Also Known As Parmatieddi, palmatielli.

How Served As pastasciutta, generally with a ragù of pork, ricotta secca, and chili.

Where Found Campania, in the area of Teggiano and Padula.

Remarks The method for making the pasta, which used to involve the palm of the hand (palma in Italian, and probably the source of the pasta’s name), today uses the quadro, the name for the wooden board used for making pasta in the area around Teggiano. It was the pasta made at home for Palm Sunday, and thus had the shape of a palm leaf. Some local scholars believe the pasta’s name comes from the fact that parmatielli were made for this feast day. Moreover, they were served with meat ragù, a rare and special sauce served only on feast days.