Strangolapreti, also known as strozzapreti, is a pasta from Trento pasta that translates to “priest chokers.” Dating back to the Council of Trent, the name refers to the gluttonous clergymen who would eat so much of it that they would choke.
This recipe comes from the Lunelli family, who produce Ferrari, one of Italy's most esteemed sparkling wines made using the traditional method, in Trentodoc. This is one of the many dishes they enjoy at their family home, Villa Margon, which is perched in the hills in the city of Trento.
Strangolapreti pasta comes in different shapes and forms. This version is more of a gnocchi while the version from Emilia-Romagna is a short, thick pasta. Umbria, Lazio, and Abruzzo have longer spaghetti-like versions while those from Calabria and Puglia fall on the gnocchi side of the spectrum.
Strangolapreti alla Trentina Recipe
Ingredients for 4
1 lb. crustless stale bread, diced
8 oz. spinach leaves
2½ cup milk
1 small onion minced
⅓ cup flour
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 large eggs
sage
grated Trentingrana (substitute with Parmigiano or Grana Padano cheese)
salt
Combine the bread, milk, and eggs and mix, then cover with a towel and let rest for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Rinse and blanch the spinach in a large pot of salted water, then let cool, taking care to wring out the excess water.
Mince and sauté the spinach with the butter and onion, then add it to the bread mixture. Stir in ¾ cup grated Trentingrana cheese (or one of the suggested substitutes) and the flour. Set aside and let the mixture rest another hour.
Begin by rolling the mixture in your hands into large, oval-shaped gnocchi.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Cook the strangolapreti in salted water for a few minutes. They'll go to the bottom of the pot, and once they start floating, they're ready. Use a slotted spoon to remove them.
Plate the gnocchi, drizzle on melted butter and fried sage, and sprinkle with grated Trentingrana cheese.