Stracci di Castagne (Chestnut Pasta in Butter and Sage Sauce) Recipe

By
Kyle Phillips
Kyle Phillips
Food, wine, and travel writer Kyle Phillips lived in Tuscany and developed his passion and expertise for food and cooking through travel.
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Updated on 05/31/22
Chestnut tagliatelle
Chestnut tagliatelle

crummblle / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
545 Calories
42g Fat
32g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 545
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 42g 53%
Saturated Fat 19g 93%
Cholesterol 269mg 90%
Sodium 862mg 37%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Protein 12g
Calcium 140mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This is a very old and traditional Italian recipe. It was historically made during the fall and winter by those who could not afford wheat flour. Chestnut flour is, in fact, quite tasty. It makes for an elegant and nutritious autumn alternative to regular pasta. 

In this recipe, chestnut flour is mixed with wheat flour to form a dough for fresh pasta, which is either cut into stracci (irregular shapes), or long, narrow, tagliatelle (flat noodles). The pasta is served in a very simple sauce of melted butter flavored with a fresh sage leaf, to allow the nutty, earthy chestnut flavor to shine through. You can also add a dusting of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese when serving (optional). 

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4/5 cup/100 grams chestnut flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 sage leaf
  • salt (to taste)
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • Optional: freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Sift the flours together.

  3. Form them into a mound on a wooden surface.

  4. Scoop a well in the mound to form a volcano-like shape and crack the eggs into the crater, together with the olive oil and a pinch of salt.

  5. Knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes or until it is firm and elastic (see instructions for making fresh pasta dough).

  6. Roll the dough out to about the thickness of a dime.

  7. Then cut the sheet into irregular pieces using a knife or serrated pastry wheel (the word stracci means rags) or run through a pastry machine to cut into long, thin tagliatelle.

  8. Set a large pot of water to boil over high heat for the pasta.

  9. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pot over low heat with the sage, which will flavor it.

  10. Let the sage leaf infuse into the butter for one to two minutes, then remove the leaf and discard it.

  11. Season the melted butter to taste with salt and pepper.

  12. When the pasta water reaches a rolling boil, add one to two tablespoons of coarse sea salt to the water.

  13. When it returns to a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for just one to two minutes (since the pasta is fresh, it will cook very quickly).

  14. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and toss it gently with the sage-infused butter.

  15. Serve with the grated Parmigiano on the side for those who want to use it. 

  16. Enjoy!

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