Italy • Regional Dish • Main Course

Strozzapreti (Priest Stranglers Pasta)

Rustic hand-rolled Italian pasta, twisted into short shapes, tossed with sausage, tomato, wine and herbs.

Servings4

Prep Time45 min

Cook Time30 min

DifficultyModerate

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Ingredients

US Metric

For the pasta

2 cups 00 flour or all-purpose flour

1/2 cup semolina flour, plus more for dusting

3/4 tsp fine salt

3/4 cup warm water, plus more if needed

1 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

10 1/2 oz Italian sausage, casing removed

1 small onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp chili flakes, optional

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving

2 tbsp chopped parsley or basil

For the pasta

250 g 00 flour or all-purpose flour

85 g semolina flour, plus more for dusting

4 g fine salt

180 ml warm water, plus more if needed

15 ml olive oil

For the sauce

30 ml olive oil

300 g Italian sausage, casing removed

1 small onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

0.5 g chili flakes, optional

120 ml dry white wine

360 g crushed tomatoes

0.5 g dried oregano

1 g black pepper

1.5 g fine salt, plus more to taste

25 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving

8 g chopped parsley or basil

Instructions

Stir the 00 flour, semolina and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and olive oil, then mix until a rough dough forms.
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll one piece into a thin sheet about 2 mm thick, keeping the remaining dough covered.
Cut the sheet into strips about 1 cm wide. Roll each strip lightly between your palms, then pinch or tear into short twisted pieces about 5–7 cm long. Dust with semolina and repeat with the remaining dough.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for 5–6 minutes, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks.
Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and chili flakes, if using, and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, pepper and salt. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the strozzapreti for 3–5 minutes, until tender and floating. Fresh pasta cooks fast, so do not wander off and reorganize your life.
Transfer the pasta to the sauce with a splash of pasta water. Toss for 1 minute, then stir in the cheese and herbs. Serve hot with extra cheese.

Cultural Context

Strozzapreti are strongly associated with Romagna and parts of central Italy, where pasta is traditionally made from a simple eggless dough of flour and water. The name literally means “priest stranglers,” and several legends explain why: greedy priests eating too quickly, housewives twisting the pasta with anticlerical feeling, or families quietly resenting clergy who enjoyed their dinners a little too enthusiastically.

Whatever the exact origin, the joke fits the pasta’s rustic personality. Strozzapreti are not polished little ribbons. They’re twisted, practical and a bit rebellious, which is frankly a lot of character for flour and water.

Fun Fact

The hand-rolled shape gives strozzapreti their charm. Each piece is slightly different, so the pasta feels rustic rather than machine-perfect. That irregular surface also helps sauce cling, which is the whole point unless dinner has decided to be difficult.

Cook’s Tip

Traditional Romagna-style strozzapreti are made with flour and water, without eggs. The dough should feel firm but workable; add water 1 teaspoon at a time if it cracks while rolling.

The pasta also works with tomato basil sauce, mushroom sauce, seafood sauce or a slow ragù. The twisted shape catches sauce beautifully, which may explain why priests, according to legend, got into trouble with it.

Trivia

Some Italian regions use similar “priest choker” names for other pasta or dumpling styles, so strozzapreti is not identical everywhere. Italy looked at one funny name and naturally made it regionally complicated.

About This Recipe

Italian Strozzapreti, or “priest stranglers,” are short, twisted pieces of handmade pasta with one of Italy’s best dinner-table names. The dough is simple, usually flour and water, then rolled, cut and twisted by hand.

This version serves the pasta with a rustic sausage-and-tomato sauce that clings to every little fold. The shape is forgiving, charmingly imperfect and ideal for home cooks who like pasta with character. And, apparently, a minor grudge against the clergy.

A fresh serving of global recipes, food stories, quizzes and delicious discoveries.

Strozzapreti (Priest Stranglers Pasta)

Instructions

Cultural Context

Fun Fact

Cook’s Tip

Trivia

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