WHAT IS FUSILLI PASTA?
From the word “fuso” or spindle, fusilli means “little spindles.” This corkscrew pasta is famous for its’ twisty shape. As the dough is extruded through the pasta die, it’s spun and the protruding strand is chopped off. But if you wait longer before chopping, you get the longer version. Its’ cousin Fusilli Napoletani is made by coiling it around an actual spindle (a Napolitan I knew claimed it was made by little old ladies with hair curlers). There is also a “buco” version that is hollow inside like bucatini.
As with all pasta technology, their shapes were designed to catch and hold as much sauce as possible. Futhermore this makes the irony of putting oil in pasta water all the more painful –oil just makes the sauce slide off!. Originally developed in southern Italy, fusilli has a fun mouthfeel. Sadly it is usually condemned to simple pairings like pasta salad (damn you cheap summer mayonnaise!).
WHERE IS FUSILLI PASTA MADE?
It was invented in southern Italy, most likely Naples. Back then fusilli was made by wrapping dough around a rod and letting it dry. Today this cut is made all over the world from the most industrial to the most artisanal facilities. Few cuts of pasta are more famous.
FUSILLI MAY BE CURVED, BUT PASTA PRODUCER ADS ARE ONLY STRAIGHT?
Several years ago the president of Barilla stated in a radio interview ““I would never do [a commercial] with a homosexual family, not for lack of respect, but because we don’t agree with them”. Barilla is typically the slightly cheaper pasta choice on most supermarket shelves. As a result, it is one of the largest brands in the world. While there was some public outrage to the president’s comments, Barilla’s sales remained unaffected. For a more detailed explanation click here!
WHAT SAUCES GO WELL WITH THIS PASTA?
The N.Y.C. restaurant Marea reminded the world that your fusilli is exactly what you make of it like with their red wine braised octopus and bone marrow dish! While there has been some controversy with this recipe (also known as fusilli-gate), the dish is a fantastic creation. If you’d like to see a recipe that pairs well with this pasta, click our our Alfredo sauce!
