Fusilli
In Italian
I Fusilli sono nati nell'Italia centro-settentrionale, e devono il loro nome al fuso, attorno al quale si arrotolava la lana.
Sono caratterizzati nella forma da tre alette attorcigliate che si rincorrono armoniosamente in un andamento a spirale, che
cattura ogni tipo di condimento.
Con i Fusilli non si può sbagliare: valorizzano i sughi più elaborati e densi, ma anche quelli più semplici, e consentono
grandi risultati anche se si vuole osare qualche difficile esperimento culinario.
I Fusilli si adattano alla perfezione a ricche salse a base di carne o ricotta, ma rivelano la propria personalità multiforme
anche nella freschezza delle insalate: le verdure sminuzzate, le spezie, il tonno scivolano tra le loro spire armoniosamente
accompagnate dalle note vellutate dell'olio d'oliva crudo.
Se cercate poi un'idea brillante per tutti i giorni, Barilla vi propone di provarli con il Sugo al Pomodoro Barilla, arricchito
con erbe fini; se invece desiderate una soluzione raffinata preparateli agli asparagi e prosciutto: cucinate al dente sia la pasta
che gli asparagi, arricchite il tutto con il sapore delicato del prosciutto, ed ecco che il successo è assicurato.
In English
Fusilli pasta is a popular Italian pasta shape which has been widely exported to much of the world. It is among
the most common of the more unusually shaped pastas, since fusilli is highly versatile in the kitchen. It can be
eaten plain as a pasta dish, but it can also be baked into casseroles, used in pasta salad, and added to soups.
Most markets carry fusilli, and the pasta can also be made at home. A pasta machine will greatly assist cooks who
want to try their hand at making fusilli at home.
To make fusilli pasta, a wide strip of pasta is gently twisted to form a piece of helical pasta. The pasta is usually
trimmed to form multiple short pieces of pasta, rather than one long twisted strip. Some people compare fusilli pasta
to a corkscrew or spiral, but the pasta does not technically form a spiral, as it is twisted around an axis. Other pasta
shapes like cavatappi and spiralini are actually formed like coiled springs, and could more accurately be termed corkscrew pasta.
Fusilli is a diminutive of fuso, the Italian word for “spindle.” Some people also call the pasta rotini, in a reference to
the rotating, twisted shape. Some producers eschew both Italian names, simply labeling their boxes of rotini “twists,” which
is a simple and rather descriptive name.
The shape of fusilli pasta makes it well suited to hold an assortment of sauces. The small crevices of the helix shape can
hold on to thin, very light sauces, while the springy shape holds up under heavy meat sauces as well. The twisted spaghetti
is also considered fun to eat by some consumers, especially young diners. This trait can be used to encourage people to finish
their dinner, if this is an issue, or to get people interested in the cooking process.
The best fusilli pasta is made with hard durum wheat. This wheat will be dense and chewy when cooked al dente, and it will
also help the pasta hold its shape if it is cooked longer. Fusilli pasta made from durum wheat can be used in dishes which
need to be reheated, as the pasta will not fall apart as readily as pasta made from soft wheat. At home, fusilli can be made
from either hard or soft wheat, and eaten fresh or dried, depending on personal taste.
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