Strascinati con Cacioricotta

Name: Strascinati con Cacioricotta
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Lucana
Ingredients: 400 g semola rimacinata (re-milled durum wheat semolina); 200 ml lukewarm water; 5 g Fine sea salt; 45 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 2 cloves Garlic; 800 g canned whole peeled plum tomatoes; 8 leaves fresh basil leaves; 80 g cacioricotta lucana (aged firm sheep and goat milk cheese)

Strascinati con cacioricotta is a classic Matera pasta dish of hand-dragged semolina dough tossed in a simple slow-simmered tomato sauce and finished with grated cacioricotta cheese.

🇮🇹Italy· Basilicata

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 75 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 490 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

400 g semola rimacinata (re-milled durum wheat semolina) — plus extra for dusting
200 ml lukewarm water — approximate, as needed for dough
5 g Fine sea salt — for dough and sauce seasoning
45 ml Extra virgin olive oil — approximate 3 tbsp
2 cloves Garlic — peeled and lightly crushed
800 g canned whole peeled plum tomatoes — crushed by hand
8 leaves fresh basil leaves — torn
80 g cacioricotta lucana (aged firm sheep and goat milk cheese) — finely grated for serving

Equipment

•Wooden pasta board
•Large saucepan
•Deep frying pan
•Colander
•Cheese grater

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 490 kcal
fat: 14 g
carbs: 78 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 16 g
calories: 490 kcal

Instructions

1
Tip the semola onto a wooden board and form a wide well in the centre.
2
Pour in lukewarm water gradually, drawing in flour until a rough dough forms.
3
Knead the dough firmly for ten minutes until smooth, pliable, and non-sticky.
4
Cover the dough with an upturned bowl and rest for twenty minutes.
5
Roll pieces of dough into finger-thick ropes and cut into three-centimetre lengths.
6
Press three fingers firmly onto each piece and drag across the board to create open, textured hollows.
7
Heat olive oil in a pan, add garlic, and cook gently until golden and fragrant.
8
Add crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt, then simmer gently for twenty-five minutes until thickened.
9
Drop the strascinati into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for four to five minutes.
10
Transfer the drained pasta directly into the tomato sauce along with torn basil leaves.
11
Toss the pasta over medium heat for one minute to coat thoroughly.
12
Divide among warm bowls and top generously with freshly grated cacioricotta.

Chef's tips

Use a rough wooden surface rather than marble or plastic so the semolina dough catches and drags properly to form its signature textured ridges. If cacioricotta is fresh rather than aged, chill it in the fridge before grating so it does not crumble excessively.

Ingredient substitutions

cacioricotta lucana → ricotta salata or a mild aged pecorino, though pecorino is more pungent
semola rimacinata → standard fine semolina flour

Storage

Store leftover cooked pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a splash of water and a drizzle of olive oil.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding too much water to the dough, which prevents the pasta from holding its hollow shape when dragged.
•Boiling the tomato sauce too rapidly, which can make it sour rather than mellow and rich.
•Using pre-grated parmesan instead of authentic cacioricotta, losing the characteristic tangy Lucanian flavour.