Strangozzi with asparagus, also called umbricelli depending on the area, are one of the typical dishes of Umbria, to accompany other traditional products of the area. Here paired with Cinta Umbra pork cheek.
Visiting Umbria also means taking advantage of its typical delicious recipes, including the inevitable strangozzi. This egg-free pasta shape, with the appearance similar to shoelaces, is a real delicacy for the palate: eaten plain or combined with truffles, strangozzi today find space also in gourmet kitchens. Yet, it is a poor dish with very ancient origins.
“Symbol of the poor cuisine of the area between Foligno and Spoleto they are also known as stringozzi, strengozzi, strongozzi and in Perugia they are called umbricelli, while in Terni they take the name of ciriole”.
The name of this pasta already hints at its history, whose roots go back to the times of the Papal State in the sixteenth century. Umbria has been under the control of the Church for centuries, as it is considered a holy land, yet this domain seems never to have been particularly popular with the local population.
Tensions between the population and the ecclesiastical classes lead to revenge actions and the murder of some prelates, killed by strangulation through the use of shoe laces. The strangozzi - a play on words between "strangola" and "gozzo" - recall this movement of rebellion against consolidated power, and it is no coincidence that they take on the appearance of classic leather laces for footwear.