SPRING
Our Pasta Programme
Every season, we shine the spotlight on a series of traditional pasta shapes fabricated using age-old techniques. Delve into their culinary anthropology, from the historical events that gave birth to them to the regional touches that have shaped them over time.
This Spring, we dive into pasta shapes that twist, spiral, and fold, each carrying the weight of tradition and craftsmanship. From the hand-stitched Culurgionis d’Ogliastra, once an offering of gratitude at the end of Sardinian wheat harvests, to the coiled ribbons of Sagne ‘ncannulate, a shape perfected in Puglia’s convent kitchens, every plate tells a story of Italy’s culinary heritage.
From Tuscany’s Maremma region, Linguine con sugo alla crema di peperoni highlights the natural sweetness of sun-ripened peppers, once picked straight from home gardens for the evening meal. Further south in Rome, Fettuccine alla Papalina offers a lighter alternative to Carbonara; a dish said to come from papal origins.
Embark on a journey through Italy’s nuanced regional diversity, season by season, one pasta strand, parcel, or shape at a time.
Culurgionis d’Ogliastra
Origins: Ogliastra, Sardinia (Islands)
Hand-stitched Sardinian ravioli filled with Idaho potatoes, crab, and parsley, warmed through with butter, lemon juice, mint, and anchovies.
A pasta with a story woven into its very shape, Culurgionis d’Ogliastra is a Sardinian specialty traditionally prepared as a token of gratitude to mark the end of the wheat harvest. The closure of these hand-stitched dumplings resembles a wheat spike (spiga)—a symbol of prosperity and renewal for the agricultural year ahead. Traditionally filled with pecorino, potatoes, garlic, and mint, what you’ll find in each dumpling and the names they take on varies across towns in Ogliastra, each variation a reflection of its local palate.
Once confined to Sardinia’s rugged Ogliastra region—an island within an island, as locals say—this dish remained fiercely protected, passed down through generations of Sardinian women. So much so that the art of sealing Culurgionis by hand was once considered an essential skill for marriage readiness. Today, this pasta has earned I.G.P. status, cementing its place among Italy’s most cherished culinary treasures.
Sagne ‘ncannulate
Origins: Salento, Puglia (South)
Hand-twisted ribbons of durum wheat pasta paired with a fresh tomato sauce, basil, a hint of peperoncino and Pecorino Romano D.O.P.
A pasta shape that embodies movement, Sagne ‘ncannulate is a twisted, coiled ribbon of dough that captures sauces beautifully. The technique of shaping it—rolling a strip of dough around a wooden stick or twisting it in opposite directions by hand—has been practiced for centuries in Puglia’s convent kitchens.
First recorded in the 1811 Statistica del Regno di Napoli, this pasta was once made by young girls in convent orphanages as their primary form of labour, sustaining both the institutions and their culinary traditions. Over time, Sagne ‘ncannulate became a staple in home kitchens across Salento, where it continues to be made by hand, often served with fresh tomato sauce and ricotta salata.
Spaghetti c’anciova e muddica
Origins: Palermo, Sicily (Islands)
Bronze-extruded long pasta with anchovies, tomatoes, pine nuts, raisins and bread crumbs
A humble yet flavour-packed staple of Sicilian cuisine, Spaghetti c’anciova e muddica is a dish built on the art of making the most out of making do—a common thread in Palermo’s cucina povera past. Anchovies, tomato paste, raisins, and pine nuts create a deeply savoury yet subtly sweet sauce, made all the more satisfying with a generous sprinkle of toasted breadcrumbs, known in Sicilian dialect as muddica atturrata or “poor man’s cheese.”
This beloved recipe has no single origin story, but its ingenuity is undisputed. Some trace its roots to Sicilian emigrants yearning to recreate the flavours of home during long, dark winters in the north. Others say it emerged from the ingenuity of farm workers, relying on easily transportable and shelf-stable ingredients like anchovies and breadcrumbs. Regardless of its precise beginnings, what unites these tales is the spirit of adaptation—anchovies taking the place of seasonal sardines and breadcrumbs transforming humble leftovers into crunchy gold—the ability to transform simple, everyday ingredients into something that is spectacularly Sicilian.
Linguine con sugo alla crema di peperoni
Origins: Maremma, Tuscany (Central)
Bronze-extruded linguine tossed in a condiment of roasted bell peppers, fresh basil, and Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P.
Brighten up the winter chill with Linguine con sugo alla crema di peperoni, a dish that brings the warmth and vibrancy of summer to your plate. Long, bronze-extruded linguine cradles a creamy roasted bell pepper sauce, enriched with Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P. and fragrant basil. The sweet, golden hues of the peppers and the sauce’s velvety texture offer a comforting yet uplifting escape from the season’s heavier fare. This dish draws inspiration from Maremma’s sugo sull’uscetto dell’orto—“sauce of the garden gate”—a culinary tradition that celebrates the bounty of the garden. Sweet, golden-hued yellow peppers, preferred for their colour and delicate flavour, are roasted to create this silky condiment, brightened by a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh basil. Simple yet refined, this dish keeps your plate fresh and full of life even in the heart of winter.
Fettuccine alla Papalina
Origins: Rome, Lazio (South)
Handmade fresh egg pasta ribbons tossed with a creamy condiment of prosciutto cotto and eggs, complete with parmigiano, fresh peas, and black pepper
A dish with papal origins, Fettuccine alla Papalina was allegedly created for Pope Pius XII at Rome’s La Cisterna restaurant. Seeking a pasta lighter than Carbonara, yet still true to Roman tradition, he inspired a dish that swaps guanciale for prosciutto cotto, Pecorino for Parmigiano, and incorporates butter and onions for extra depth.
The timeline of its invention remains debated—some claim it dates back to before World War II, challenging the theory that Carbonara was created for American soldiers. Regardless of its origins, Fettuccine alla Papalina remains a dish of delicate indulgence, offering a silky, cheese-laced egg and ham sauce that highlights the beauty of simplicity.
Strascinati Neri con sugo di granchio e pomodorini
Origins: Salento, Puglia (South)
Hand-drawn short pasta made with semola and water paired with a light tomato sugo made from Alaskan king crabs
Available in limited quantities as a special only
Hailing from the sun-soaked coasts of Salento, Strascinati Neri con sugo di granchio e pomodorini pairs the rustic charm of hand-dragged pasta with the delicate flavours of Alaskan king crab. The strascinati neri, made with semola, water and squid ink, boast a satisfyingly chewy texture and briny black hue that perfectly holds the light tomato sugo—a blend of sweet cherry tomatoes, white wine, garlic, and a touch of peperoncino. Finished with parsley and extra virgin olive oil, this dish is a celebration of Puglia’s love for seafood and simplicity.
The name strascinati, meaning “dragged,” speaks to the artisanal technique used to shape the pasta, a tradition passed down through generations in Salento. Historically, fresh pasta like this was a labour of love, created with simple, local ingredients and painstakingly shaped by hand. Once reserved for basic tomato sauces, its pairing with crab highlights the evolution of Apulian cuisine, where timeless craftsmanship is updated with refined flavours. Every bite of this dish brings the essence of the Mediterranean to the table, honouring both tradition and innovation.
Trenette allo Scoglio
Origins: Genoa, Liguria (North-West)
Bronze-extruded long pasta with a medley of seafood including tiger prawns, mussels, manila clams, scallops, and grilled calamari, cooked in a lobster butter sauce.
Available in limited quantities as a special only
Trenette allo Scoglio, a celebrated dish from the enchanting coastal region of Liguria, Italy, captures the very essence of the Mediterranean’s bountiful waters. Trenette is a long, flat pasta similar to linguine, traditionally made from semolina and water. The name “allo Scoglio”, meaning “on the rocks,” evokes the rugged beauty of the rocky Ligurian coastline, where fresh seafood is abundant. This pasta features a luxurious medley of seafood such as clams, mussels, shrimp, and squid, all sautéed with fragrant garlic, vibrant cherry tomatoes, and a splash of white wine to create a savoury sauce. At Forma, we double down on indulgence by coating the entire dish in a velvety lobster butter sauce. The history of Trenette allo Scoglio is deeply intertwined with the maritime culture of Liguria, where fishing has been a way of life for centuries. Ligurian fishermen would often prepare this dish using their daily catch, embodying the region’s tradition of simplicity, freshness, and robust flavors. Over time, Trenette allo Scoglio has become a staple of Ligurian cuisine, celebrated for its authentic taste of the sea and its reflection of the region’s rich culinary heritage.
