Lombrichelli alla Viterbese
Lombrichelli alla Viterbese is a traditional Tuscia dish of thick, hand-rolled flour-and-water pasta strands tossed in a rich, spicy garlic and tomato sauce.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 490 kcal
Equipment
- •Large wooden pasta board
- •Large saucepan or skillet
- •Large pasta pot
- •Tongs or spider strainer
- •Box grater
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 490 kcal
- fat
- 13 g
- carbs
- 78 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 16 g
- calories
- 490 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Mound both flours and fine sea salt onto a wooden board, creating a wide well in the centre.
- 2
Pour warm water into the well gradually, incorporating the flour with a fork until a rough dough forms.
- 3
Knead the dough firmly for ten minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and dense.
- 4
Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and leave it to rest at room temperature for thirty minutes.
- 5
Cut off small pieces of dough and roll them with your palms against the board into long, thick round strands.
- 6
Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat, then add the sliced garlic and chopped chilli.
- 7
Fry gently for two minutes until the garlic is fragrant and pale golden without letting it burn.
- 8
Pour in the crushed plum tomatoes, season lightly with salt, and simmer uncovered for twenty minutes until slightly thickened.
- 9
Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil, then drop in the fresh lombrichelli.
- 10
Cook the pasta for three to four minutes until it floats to the surface and is tender yet chewy.
- 11
Transfer the cooked pasta directly into the tomato sauce, tossing over medium heat for one minute with chopped parsley.
- 12
Remove from the heat, stir in half the grated pecorino romano, and serve immediately topped with the remaining cheese.
Chef's tips
Roll the pasta directly on an un-floured wooden board so the dough grips the surface and rolls easily into uniform cylinders. If the dough feels too stiff during kneading, wet your hands with warm water rather than pouring more liquid directly onto the board.
Ingredient substitutions
- pecorino romano → parmigiano reggiano, which gives a sweeter and less salty finish
- fresh red chilli → half a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes
Storage
Store leftover dressed pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a wide pan over medium-low heat with a splash of water until heated through.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rolling the pasta strands too thin, which loses their characteristic chewy, rustic bite.
- •Browning the garlic too heavily, which imparts a bitter flavour to the simple tomato sauce.
- •Overcooking the fresh pasta, which turns the flour-and-water dough soggy rather than pleasantly toothsome.
Serving suggestions
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