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Photo: Francesca Zani and Johncarlo Zani
Active Time:20 minsTotal Time:1 hrServings:4Jump to Nutrition Facts
Active Time:20 minsTotal Time:1 hrServings:4
Active Time:20 mins
Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:1 hr
Total Time:
1 hr
Servings:4
Servings:
4
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipe
This Tuscan Pasta Dish Brings Generations of My Family Together—and You Can Make It in a Cast-Iron Skillet at Home
Growing up alongside two generations of Italian families, pasta poured out of our homes weekly for years on end. So it was almost inevitable that I developed a deep admiration for it. From spaghetti to farfalle, I loved making (and eating) all types of pasta. But there was one type of pasta that I didn’t get to experience until I traveled to Tuscany: testaroli.
My mother once told me a story about this mysterious pasta, which is commonly eaten in the Tuscany region of Italy, where my father’s family lives. When my mother first visited Pontremoli, Tuscany, to meet my father’s extended family, she was introduced to testaroli con pesto, a flat doughy pasta coated in pesto and Parmesan cheese. Hearing her tell the story, I began to imagine this dense, round pancake-like goodness and couldn’t wait to experience it for myself. But because my mother never made it at home, it wasn’t until I traveled to Italy for culinary school that I was finally able to taste the pasta of my dreams.
As my Zia Elda prepared the testaroli, it initially looked like a giant disk, thinner than a pancake but thicker than a crêpe, flat on one side and porous on the other. I watched as she sliced it, dipped it in boiling water for a minute, then spread luscious pesto and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. My mouth watered as I waited for my first bite. It was everything I imagined it would be, tender like pasta and light, yet capable of carrying the richness of the pesto.
Determined to bring the recipe home with me, I asked my family for the secrets of the dish. Although testaroli is traditionally prepared using a testo (aka testo Romagnolo), a special heavy-bottomed pan used in Italy, I learned that I could recreate the dish at home with a cast-iron skillet. According to my grandmother and cousins, the key is to sprinkle salt on the bottom of the pan.
With this knowledge in mind, I brought the recipe home after my time in Italy ended. Now, I have my own story to tell about this famed dish in my family’s history.
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)IngredientsTestaroli1 ½cups00 flour (see Tip)1 ½cupscold water¾teaspoonsalt, preferably Himalayan sea salt, dividedPesto4cupsloosely packed fresh basil leaves (larger ones torn)1cuploosely packed fresh parsley leaves (or additional basil)¾cupextra-virgin olive oil2tablespoonsfinely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more Pecorino or Parmesan for serving2mediumcloves garlic, roughly chopped1teaspoonpine nuts¼teaspoonsalt
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
Testaroli
1 ½cups00 flour (see Tip)
1 ½cupscold water
¾teaspoonsalt, preferably Himalayan sea salt, divided
Pesto
4cupsloosely packed fresh basil leaves (larger ones torn)
1cuploosely packed fresh parsley leaves (or additional basil)
¾cupextra-virgin olive oil
2tablespoonsfinely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more Pecorino or Parmesan for serving
2mediumcloves garlic, roughly chopped
1teaspoonpine nuts
¼teaspoonsalt
DirectionsTo prepare testaroli:Set a large cast-iron skillet (or other heavy oven-safe skillet) on the middle oven rack; preheat to 400°F. Once the oven has preheated, let the pan continue heating for 10 minutes.Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a bare simmer. Whisk flour, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until smooth.Coat the heated skillet with olive oil spray and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour in half the batter, making sure it’s evenly spread around the pan. Bake until the testaroli is set in the center (the top will be pale and some air bubbles may appear while baking), about 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and, using a spatula, flip the testaroli out of the pan onto a cutting board. Repeat with the remaining batter.While the testaroli is in the oven, make the pesto:Place basil, parsley (or additional basil), oil, 2 tablespoons cheese, garlic, pine nuts and salt into a food processor; pulse until smooth. (Alternatively, place garlic and pine nuts in a large mortar and pestle; grind until mostly smooth. Add basil and parsley, if using, in batches and use sprinkles of salt to help grind the mixture down into almost a paste-like consistency. Stir in cheese and oil.)When cool enough to handle, cut the testaroli into 2½- to 3-inch pieces and place in the simmering water. Cook gently until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the testaroli to a shallow bowl or platter and spoon the pesto over the top in layers. Generously sprinkle with grated Pecorino (or Parmesan), if desired, and enjoy.To make aheadRefrigerate pesto (Step 4) for up to 3 days. Remove the pesto from the fridge an hour before using to bring to room temperature.Tip00 flour is a very finely ground flour that gives pasta a tender texture. If you can’t find it, you can substitute all-purpose flour—your pasta might be a little tougher but it will be no less delicious.EatingWell.com, September 2021
Directions
To prepare testaroli:Set a large cast-iron skillet (or other heavy oven-safe skillet) on the middle oven rack; preheat to 400°F. Once the oven has preheated, let the pan continue heating for 10 minutes.Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a bare simmer. Whisk flour, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until smooth.Coat the heated skillet with olive oil spray and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour in half the batter, making sure it’s evenly spread around the pan. Bake until the testaroli is set in the center (the top will be pale and some air bubbles may appear while baking), about 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and, using a spatula, flip the testaroli out of the pan onto a cutting board. Repeat with the remaining batter.While the testaroli is in the oven, make the pesto:Place basil, parsley (or additional basil), oil, 2 tablespoons cheese, garlic, pine nuts and salt into a food processor; pulse until smooth. (Alternatively, place garlic and pine nuts in a large mortar and pestle; grind until mostly smooth. Add basil and parsley, if using, in batches and use sprinkles of salt to help grind the mixture down into almost a paste-like consistency. Stir in cheese and oil.)When cool enough to handle, cut the testaroli into 2½- to 3-inch pieces and place in the simmering water. Cook gently until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the testaroli to a shallow bowl or platter and spoon the pesto over the top in layers. Generously sprinkle with grated Pecorino (or Parmesan), if desired, and enjoy.To make aheadRefrigerate pesto (Step 4) for up to 3 days. Remove the pesto from the fridge an hour before using to bring to room temperature.Tip00 flour is a very finely ground flour that gives pasta a tender texture. If you can’t find it, you can substitute all-purpose flour—your pasta might be a little tougher but it will be no less delicious.
To prepare testaroli:Set a large cast-iron skillet (or other heavy oven-safe skillet) on the middle oven rack; preheat to 400°F. Once the oven has preheated, let the pan continue heating for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a bare simmer. Whisk flour, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until smooth.
Coat the heated skillet with olive oil spray and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour in half the batter, making sure it’s evenly spread around the pan. Bake until the testaroli is set in the center (the top will be pale and some air bubbles may appear while baking), about 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and, using a spatula, flip the testaroli out of the pan onto a cutting board. Repeat with the remaining batter.
While the testaroli is in the oven, make the pesto:Place basil, parsley (or additional basil), oil, 2 tablespoons cheese, garlic, pine nuts and salt into a food processor; pulse until smooth. (Alternatively, place garlic and pine nuts in a large mortar and pestle; grind until mostly smooth. Add basil and parsley, if using, in batches and use sprinkles of salt to help grind the mixture down into almost a paste-like consistency. Stir in cheese and oil.)
When cool enough to handle, cut the testaroli into 2½- to 3-inch pieces and place in the simmering water. Cook gently until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the testaroli to a shallow bowl or platter and spoon the pesto over the top in layers. Generously sprinkle with grated Pecorino (or Parmesan), if desired, and enjoy.
To make aheadRefrigerate pesto (Step 4) for up to 3 days. Remove the pesto from the fridge an hour before using to bring to room temperature.
To make ahead
Refrigerate pesto (Step 4) for up to 3 days. Remove the pesto from the fridge an hour before using to bring to room temperature.
Tip00 flour is a very finely ground flour that gives pasta a tender texture. If you can’t find it, you can substitute all-purpose flour—your pasta might be a little tougher but it will be no less delicious.
Tip
00 flour is a very finely ground flour that gives pasta a tender texture. If you can’t find it, you can substitute all-purpose flour—your pasta might be a little tougher but it will be no less delicious.
EatingWell.com, September 2021
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Nutrition Facts(per serving)564Calories43gFat38gCarbs8gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
