Homemade umbricelli: the typical recipe

How to prepare umbricelli, typical homemade spaghetti from Umbria with a thicker shape than the classic pasta shape.

Wherever you go…first course typical you find! Umbricelli are a type of pasta from the Umbria region, they are spaghetti characterized by the fact that they are larger and a little shorter than the traditional spaghetti we are used to, so much so that their shape partly resembles that of Tuscan pici. Of humble origins, they are an eggless pasta shape that can be seasoned in different ways. So let's see how to prepare homemade umbricelli and how to season them "the Umbrian way" .

• Homemade umbricelli
• How to season umbricelli
  • to the pork butcher
  • at the rancetto
  • to Spoleto
  • with truffles
• Conservation
• Origin and history

Preparation of homemade umbricelli

1. Pour the two flours onto a wooden cutting board or pastry board, make the classic fountain shape then add the salt and water to the centre.
2. Knead to obtain a homogeneous dough , cover with a clean cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
3. Once the dough has rested, remove portions that are not too large (about the size of a walnut) and roll them on a pastry board using both hands, so as to obtain spaghetti about 35 cm long and 3-5 mm in diameter. To make this step easier , avoid flouring the work surface . Furthermore, if you see that they tend to shorten, just let them rest for another 15 minutes and then proceed with shaping them.
4. Place the umbricelli on a floured cutting board and leave to rest for an hour covered with a cloth.
5. While you wait you can dedicate yourself to preparing one of the condiments that we propose below . One is tastier than the other and all closely linked to regional Umbrian cuisine.
6. Boil the umbricelli in plenty of salted water and drain them as soon as they float to the surface , sautéing them in the pan with the seasoning.

We leave you a useful video to understand what the consistency of the dough should be so as not to struggle to roll them out and the shape they should take. Don't worry if they won't all be the same, that's the beauty of homemade pasta!

How to season umbricelli

This eggless pasta format typical of Umbria lends itself to various types of seasonings from the simplest tomato sauce to the richest and tastiest with sausage or bacon. It will be enough to draw on the basket of flavors of this magnificent region to bring to the table a first course that tastes of tradition and authenticity. But let's take a closer look at the most typical combinations we can find on the table.

Norcina-style umbricelli

If you are looking for some ideas on how to season umbricelli then this pork butcher version is the first to try. Rich and enveloping, it is perfect to accompany this consistent pasta format. For 4 people you will need:

• 4 sausages
• 250 ml of fresh cream
• 2 tablespoons truffle oil
• 40 g of pecorino
• pepper to taste

First, remove the casings from the sausages, crumble them with your hands and brown them in a pan for a few minutes. Then add the cream and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, finally flavoring with pepper and truffle oil . Season the umbricelli, distribute on plates and complete with a sprinkling of pecorino .

Umbricelli at the rancetto

Similar to an amatriciana , this condiment enhances a typical product of the region, the rancetto precisely. Essentially it is pork cheek which owes its name to the particular rancid aftertaste. Another ingredient necessary for the recipe is the onion from Cannara , a town near Foligno which, although little known, boasts one of the best and sweetest onions in Italy. Here are the ingredients for 4 people:

• 150 g of Umbrian bacon
• 30 g of Cannara onion
• 300 g of tomato puree
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Marjoram to taste
• Pecorino to taste

Chop the onion and brown it in a pan with a drizzle of oil . Then add the diced bacon and continue cooking for 10 minutes . Add the tomato puree, season with salt and leave over a low heat for 15 minutes , flavoring only with the marjoram at the end. Season the umbricelli, distribute on plates and complete with a sprinkling of pecorino.

Spoleto-style umbricelli

Perhaps among the simplest condiments, umbricelli alla spoletina are served with a sauce of fresh cherry tomatoes . They are therefore perfect for summer unlike previous versions which are more suitable as winter comfort food. For 4 people you will need:

• 400 g of cherry tomatoes
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 chili pepper
• 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

In a pan, brown the oil, garlic and chilli pepper . When the garlic is golden, remove it and add the cherry tomatoes cut in half and a pinch of salt. Cook them for about ten minutes then sauté the umbricelli directly in the pan, flavoring with fresh chopped parsley .

Truffle umbricelli

Refined and irresistible, we have left the truffle umbricelli until last, certain that they will awaken in you the desire to try them. Without a doubt they are the simplest version from a procedural point of view, it's just a shame that they aren't exactly cheap . However, if you are lucky enough to find a good truffle, here's how to make the most of it! For 4 people you will need:

• 50 ml extra virgin olive oil (or butter)
• 1 black truffle

Heat the oil in a pan and as soon as the umbricelli come to the surface, drain them and toss them in the sauce, adding a little cooking water to mix. Distribute on plates and complete with the black truffle sliced ​​thinly with the appropriate utensil. Alternatively you can grate it but it won't be the same.

Conservation

This pasta can be kept raw for 2-3 days in the refrigerator, dusted with a little flour and covered with a cloth. Alternatively you can portion it and freeze it in the freezer so that it can still be used for about 1 month. When cooked and seasoned, however, we recommend consuming it at the moment or keeping it for a maximum of a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Origin and history of umbricelli

Umbricelli, umbrichelli, stringozzi : many names to indicate this type of pasta typical of Umbrian cuisine which resembles spaghetti and pici. The main difference between umbricelli and pici is precisely in the shape: the Umbrian version is in fact stockier with a larger diameter and shorter length.

To discover the origin of the dish, disputed between Spoleto and Foligno, it is possible to refer to the names by which it is known. Umbrico in Umbrian dialect means earthworm , in reference to the particular shape of the pasta. The term stringozzi also refers to a specific historical period, the one in which the Papal State was based in the region. The revolutionaries made attempts on the lives of priests using leather shoelaces , called strangozzi . If we want to be picky, however, stringozzi are flatter and more reminiscent of thick tagliatelle and are prepared with a mixture of two flours as you can see in the recipe for strangozzi alla spoletina .

Today umbricelli have been included among the Traditional Agri-Food Products of Umbria (PAT) by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies.

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