Trofie (Italian: [ˈtrɔːfje]), less frequently troffie, strofie or stroffie, is a short, thin, twisted pasta from the Liguria region of Italy.

Trofie
Alternative namesTroffie, strofie, stroffie
TypePasta
Place of originItaly
Region or stateLiguria
Main ingredientsDurum wheat flour, water
Similar dishesTrofiette

Etymology

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Trofie with pesto alla genovese

The origin of this pasta name is not certain. It is believed to come from the Ligurian verb strufuggiâ, meaning 'to rub', as a reference to its method of preparation, which consists in "rubbing" or rolling a small piece of dough on the pastry board.[1] Similarly, the root of Ligurian strofia might be Ancient Greek στρωφάω, 'to twist, to spin', or στρέφω, 'to cause to rotate, to twist, plait',[a] referring to the same motion required to produce trofie.

Description

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Trofie are shaped by rolling a small piece of dough on a flat surface to form a short, round length of pasta with tapered ends, then twisting it to form the final shape. It is around 2–3 cm (341+14 in) long with a diameter of roughly 4 mm (316 in).

In Ligurian cuisine, it is most typically served with a pesto sauce.

History

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Modern trofie seems to originate from Golfo Paradiso, a strip of land in the Riviera di Levante including maritime towns like Recco, Sori, Camogli and other comuni (municipalities) in the area.[2] This pasta shape was not so common in Genoa until the mid-20th century, though the term trofie was already in use there and referred to gnocchi as a whole.[2] Genovese trofie was traditionally made with either wheat or chestnut flour and, from the beginning of the 19th century, with the addition of potatoes also.[2]

Today, trofie is a staple of modern Ligurian cuisine. It is also made in a small version called trofiette in Italy.

See also

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  Media related to Trofie at Wikimedia Commons

Notes

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  1. ^ These verbs have been rather prolific in Italian language, as they have produced a number of nouns such as strofa (stanza), strofio (i.e. a classical woman's bustband or also a man's headband), apostrofo (lit.'apostrophe'), catastrofe (lit.'catastrophe'), etc.

References

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  1. ^ Ortolani, Cristina (2003). L'Italia della pasta. Milan: Touring Editore. p. 73. ISBN 978-8836529339.
  2. ^ a b c Rossi, Sergio (2014). Trofie – Dal Golfo Paradiso la storia di una pasta mediterranea (in Italian). Italy: Sagep Editore. ISBN 978-8863733037.