Legend has it that strozzapreti, or "priest chokers," where invented hundreds of years ago, when Italian priests were allowed to eat for free in homes and restaurants. Bitter restaurateurs created these long, twisted noodles in the hope that the freeloading priests might choke on their pasta before they could get to the more pricey meat or fish course.
It's perhaps not the friendliest way for a pasta to be born, but we sure are glad strozzapreti came into the world. These unusual rolled noodles have uneven texture that give them a chewy and very satisfying bite. Strozzapreti has a spicy history, so serve it with a sauce to match, perhaps an Arrabbiata sauce or a duck ragù spiked with chile.
The next best thing to fresh pasta, Rustichella pasta is in a category all its own. Using the highest quality durum wheat semolina and bronze extrusion, Rustichella dries their pasta for 40-60 hours at low temperatures. Allowing the pasta to slow dry preserves the natural essence and texture of the pasta. A product of Italy.