Strascinati with turnip greens: a traditional fresh pasta first course from central and southern Italy, specifically Basilicata and Puglia. The technique used to prepare them gives the pasta its name: “strascinati” is the way they are made, consisting of dragging small pieces of dough across the pastry board with fingers, creating one rough surface and one smooth. Strascinati resemble orecchiette but are larger and more open. They are made only with water and durum wheat flour, but dry versions are also available, which have a longer shelf life. These vegetables love the cold, so we can find them on the market for a long time. Remember to use seasonal fruits and vegetables: they are good for health and the wallet.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Low
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Puglia
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter and Spring
- Energy 477.22 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 74.15 (g) of which sugars 3.39 (g)
- Proteins 16.33 (g)
- Fat 14.64 (g) of which saturated 2.81 (g)of which unsaturated 0.96 (g)
- Fibers 3.43 (g)
- Sodium 1,052.62 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 290 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients to prepare strascinati with turnip greens
- 14 oz semolina pasta (Fresh strascinati)
- 8 oz cooked, boiled turnip greens
- 1 hot chili pepper
- 3.5 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp pecorino
- 1.5 tsp fine salt
- 1 clove garlic
Tools to prepare strascinati
- Pan
- Pot
- Grater
Steps to prepare strascinati with turnip greens
If you have already cleaned, boiled, and prepared the turnip greens, this dish will be very quick and easy to make, just the pasta cooking time. Otherwise, here’s how to proceed: clean the turnip greens by removing the tougher stems, wash them, drain them, and meanwhile, in a large pan, brown the garlic with the oil and a pinch of chili pepper if you like. Put the turnip greens in the pan and cover them, stir, and adjust the salt. It will take about 20 minutes to cook. Cook the fresh strascinati al dente and sauté them in the pan with the turnip greens. If necessary, add a ladle of pasta cooking water, sprinkle with plenty of pecorino, and serve.
Advice
Today in the market, if you don’t have a mom or a grandma around, you can find pre-cleaned vegetables ready to wash and cook, as someone has already cleaned them for us, and they are very affordable.
Orecchiette with turnip greens are a great alternative if you cannot find strascinati.
https://blog.giallozafferano.it/vaipinacucina/orecchiette-alle-cime-di-rapa/
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can turnip greens be prepared with dry strascinati?
Yes, of course. For dry durum wheat strascinati, you should consider half the weight per person compared to fresh ones.
In which season can you find turnip greens?
Naturally, it also depends on the planting. Generally, they are not found only in the summer, but they are abundant in spring, autumn, and winter.
