Casarecce

Casarecce means ‘home-made’, so it is somewhat ironic that this semolina pasta is industrially produced by extrusion to create an s-shaped section in short lengths of pasta. The form surely has its roots in the home, as it would be relatively easy to make from short lengths of flat pasta, cut between the widths of tagliatelle and pappardelle. Unlike most shapes of semolina pasta that were once made by hand (orecchiette, cavatelli, trofie etc.), this one has mechanised well, and is an excellent pasta to use, particularly for fresh, chunky sauces.