Strascinate pasta, a traditional dish from Puglia and Basilicata, by Cesarina Mimma

Homemade Strascinate

01/07/2026

Today we’re making a type of pasta that comes straight from southern Italy, specifically from Puglia and Basilicata: strascinate. Strascinate (also called strascinati) are an eggless pasta similar to orecchiette, but slightly larger. Their name comes from the Italian verb “strascinare”, meaning “to drag”, referring to the traditional way they’re shaped: by dragging small pieces of dough across a wooden board to create their signature curve. They’re then stretched slightly so they can hold sauce perfectly.

Making them may seem tricky at first, since it takes a bit of practice to get the right motion, but after a few tries you’ll get the hang of it.
You can pair strascinate with many sauces, but for a truly mouthwatering result we recommend serving them with beef braciole sauce, a classic from Puglia’s Sunday lunches.

Let’s discover how to make strascinate with the traditional recipe from our Cesarina Mimma in Brindisi.

Strascinate

The eggless pasta from Puglia and Basilicata, perfect for holding rich and hearty sauces

Preparation time1h

Cooking time3m

€

CostLow

Ingredients

100 g semolina flour (per person)
50 ml warm water (the amount of water should be half the weight of the flour)

Method

Pour the flour onto a wooden board, forming a well in the center, then start kneading.
Shape the dough into cylinders about the thickness of a finger.
Cut small pieces of dough and, using the smooth side of a knife, press lightly on each piece and drag it to create the typical shape.
Finally, stretch and slightly lengthen each piece with your fingers.
Before cooking, let them dry in the open air for at least 30 minutes.
To cook, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the strascinati and drain them as soon as they start to float to the surface.