Trottole Pasta
Trottole pasta is a unique, corkscrew-like shape that picks up loads of unctuous sauce in between its curves. Make it once, and you’ll have a new favorite pasta shape!
Trottole pasta isn’t very popular in the US, in fact, maybe this is the first time you’ve ever heard about it.
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What is Trottole Pasta?
Trottole pasta is a corkscrew-like shape of pasta originating from the Campania region of Italy. The word trottole is the Italian word for a spinning top. Its shape generous amounts of sauce to be captured in the interior space of the pasta.
Trottole, vesuvio and girelle are truly all different names for the same or similar shaped pasta. Any of these names of pasta will provide you with the tight, corkscrew-like shape shown here. Vesuvio pasta is meant to represent Mount Vesuvius in looking like a volcano, but I’m not sure how a volcano looks like corkscrews.
How to Pronounce Trottole?
The emphasis is on the first syllable, so you will say, TROH-toh-lay. You can hear a native Italian speaker pronouncing trottole here.
I recently shared this simple farfalle recipe.
Creamy sauces are excellent when paired with this pasta, so this quick sauce includes ricotta. I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious trottole pasta recipe that’s ready in under 25 minutes!
Trottole Pasta
Slightly adapted by a Pastificio S. Martino recipe serves 5
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- garlic
- tomato sauce (or fresh tomatoes)
- salt
- pepper
- trottole pasta
- ricotta
- sweet basil
Special equipment: (optional: immersion blender)
Directions
Heat the oil over medium high heat, add the garlic, and when it starts to brown, add the tomato sauce and cover to keep from splashing. Simmer over medium heat, so that it cooks quickly, and season with salt.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the trottole pasta. Cook as directed until al dente.
After a few minutes, when the sauce is starting to thicken, add the ricotta.
Mix into the tomato sauce until well combined.
If you used tomatoes, versus purée, you can use an immersion blender to smooth out the sauce.
My ricotta was quite dry, so I blended it for this reason.
Add fresh or frozen basil and mix well. Check for salt and add pepper, as desired, and lower the heat to just keep the sauce hot.
The pasta should be ready at this time.
Add the drained pasta to the ricotta tomato sauce, but reserve some pasta water to add if needed.
Stir well until completely mixed together.
Add more sauce and/or pasta water as needed.
Plate immediately to serve while hot.
Top with more ricotta and tomato sauce and a leaf of basil.
BUON APPETITO!
Trottole Pasta
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil good quality
- 2 cloves garlic
- 24 oz tomato sauce (passata) jar or 1.5 lbs fresh tomatoes
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 lb trottole pasta
- shake black pepper freshly ground
- 1 cup ricotta
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium high heat, add the garlic, and when it starts to brown, add the tomato sauce and cover to keep from splashing. Simmer over medium heat, so that it cooks quickly, and season with salt.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the trottole pasta. Cook as directed until al dente.
- After a few minutes, when the sauce is starting to thicken, add the ricotta. After a few minutes, when the sauce is starting to thicken, add the ricotta.
- If you used tomatoes, versus purée, you can use an immersion blender to smooth out the sauce.
- Add fresh or frozen basil and mix well. Check for salt and add pepper, as desired, and lower the heat to just keep the sauce hot.
- The pasta should be ready at this time. Add the drained pasta to the ricotta tomato sauce, but reserve some pasta water to add if needed.
- Stir well until completely mixed together. Add more sauce and/or pasta water as needed.
- Plate immediately, top with more tomato ricotta sauce and a leaf of basil, if desired.
Notes
- My ricotta was quite dry, so I blended the sauce for this reason.
- If you don’t have ricotta, you can substitute 4 oz (120 ml) of heavy cream, but it will be a much lighter pink sauce.
Nutrition
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I love trottole! The last time I used it for the blog was with a trapanese sauce.
http://www.chefmimiblog.com
Nice! Always delicious!