Here's a recipe for a curious dish, Testaroli. The best translation is pancake pasta, but that doesn't do it justice at all. Testaroli (plural) is a traditional recipe from the Lunigiana region in northwestern Tuscany and in that same area crossing the border to Liguria, the region famous for pesto.
Sonia and Francesco are a couple who own the restaurant Albergaccio di Castellina which is in Chianti Classico. We often visit and eat there on our wine tours, because it is SO GOOD! They also cater during the very special vineyard dinners at the winery, Querceto di Castellina (and we match their Chianti Classico with the recipe).
The recipe:
TESTAROLI THYME WALNUTS CAPRINO
For the dough (serves 4 people):
• 13.5 oz (400ml) of water
• 1 cup (250g) of semi-whole wheat flour
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
1. Begin by pouring water into a bowl, then adding oil and salt.
2. Slowly incorporate the flour into the mixture using a whisk until you achieve a smooth batter.
3. Heat a non-stick pan with a touch of oil, and once hot, pour in the batter to create pancakes approximately half a centimeter thick.
4. Ensure thorough cooking by flipping the pancakes several times.
5. After they have cooled, slice them into rhombus shapes.
For the sauce:
• 7 oz (200g) of chopped walnuts
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 6 Piccadilly tomatoes
• 7 oz (200g) of aged goat cheese (if you can’t get an aged one, try with a fresh goat cheese)
• Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan, then add walnuts and thyme. Toast them for a few minutes before deglazing with a spoonful of hot water.
2. Boil the testaroli in salted water for two minutes, then drain and combine them with the toasted walnuts in the pan.
3. Introduce the diced tomatoes to the mix.
4. Stir everything together and serve on plates, generously top with aged goat cheese.
Recipe courtesy Sonia & Francesco of restaurant Albergaccio di Castellina in, as the name suggests, Castellina in Chianti.