Testaroli is propably the oldest type of Italian Pasta. Testaroli were know since the Roman Empire and Testaroli with Pesto sauce are a traditional dish of Lunigiana, a beautiful area in the North-West part of Tuscany, bordering Liguria, where pesto was invented.
The name Testaroli comes from "testo" which was a domed griddle (made with cast iron or stone) on which the pasta dough was cooked.
The procedure is interesting because the dough is first cooked into a crepe and then cut into strips then diamonds (or squares) and finally boiled like pasta. They have a unique consistency, almost like gnocchi and soak up the Pesto sauce wonderfully.
Testaroli is a dish which belongs to the so called "poor cousine" and is a part of cooking tradition of Lunigiana. Discover this wonderful dish and be part of our culture!
Viva la Toscana!
