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Home » Recipes » Homemade Pasta Recipes

Published: Jul 22, 2021 by Jacqui

Homemade Casarecce (2 ways) + 6 Sauce Recipes.


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Homemade casarecce (2 ways) with 6 sauce recipes
Homemade casarecce (2 ways) with 6 sauce recipes
Homemade casarecce (2 ways) with 6 sauce recipes

Casarecce has long been one of my favourite short pasta types. Until now, I always used dried casarecce. But, I recently bought a hand operated pasta press with different bronze pasta dies. The first shape I decided to make was casarecce. However, at the same time, I wanted to try making this pasta entirely by hand. The result? Perfect homemade casarecce 2 ways!

homemade casarecce (2 ways) with 6 sauce recipes

What is casarecce pasta?

Also called ‘casareccia’ in some parts of Italy, casarecce is a short pasta type with curled edges and a groove down the middle. This pasta looks a bit like little rolled-up scrolls. Casarecce, which means ‘homemade‘in Italian, is traditionally made by rolling small pieces of dough around a thin wooden pin or metal rod, which Italians call a ‘ferro’. In fact, I used a ferro for half of my homemade casarecce.

homemade casarecce made using a 'ferro'.
Casarecce made using a ‘ferro’.

In Italy, they make commercially produced casarecce using either a bronze die, in the case of artisan pasta makers, or a Teflon die for mass production. Italians think pasta produced using a bronze or brass die is considered infinitely superior because the pasta has a rougher surface to which sauces adhere better. I used a manually operated pasta press with a brass die for the other half of my homemade casarecce.

homemade casarecce made with a dough press (torchio)
Casarecce made with my dough press (torchio)

What are the best sauces for casarecce?

Casarecce is originally from Sicily. But, it is also a very popular pasta in other parts of Southern Italy. Therefore, the best sauces to serve with this pasta are those of traditional Southern Italian origin with typically Mediterranean ingredients. Most of the 6 sauce recipes I have listed below are traditional Southern Italian recipes. They are also mostly vegan or vegetarian, summery and easy to make. All perfect to eat with your homemade casarecce!

dough press (torchio) from Tagliapasta.com with 4 different pasta dies.

My hand-operated pasta dough press from Tagliapasta.com.

There’s an Italian company, called Tagliapasta.com, located in Bologna that sells lots of pasta making accessories, tools and machines. The machines aren’t fancy expensive electric appliances, but simpler kitchen gadgets based on traditional pasta making methods. I’ve been thinking about promoting their products here. But, first I felt I needed to try a few.

casarecce being extruded through the dough press (torchio)

So, I recently ordered one of their manual pasta dough presses with 4 dies to make different types of pasta. Italians call this type of machine a ‘torchio’.

hard wheat semolina flour and Italian soft wheat '0' flour in white bowl
Step 1 Sift both types of flour into a bowl then add warm salted water a little at a time.

When it arrived, I have to say, I thought it looked a bit small! However, I made fantastic homemade casarecce with it. Now, I’m dying to try the other shapes which are paccheri, bucatini and spaccatelli.

Flours and water mixed together to form small pieces of dough (granules)
Step 2 (for dough press) using a fork and then your hands mix the flour and water till you have small pieces of dough.

The main difference between using this type of dough press and handmade pasta is that you don’t have to knead the dough or let it rest! Hurrah! So, it’s a lot quicker than by hand. You just need to mix the flour and water until you have ‘granules’ of dough to ‘feed’ the press. Large pieces of dough don’t work. (As I discovered).

Pieces of pasta dough in the top of the dough press
Step 3 Put some of the dough into the top of the press. Turn the handle until you have the length of pasta you want.

How to make casarecce by hand.

A couple of years ago, I was in Puglia on holiday. I wanted to buy what Italians call a ‘ferro’. This is basically a thin metal rod used to make many types of traditional flour and water pasta. I asked an old woman living next door to the house we were staying in where I could find this rod. She gave me one!

casarecce ready to be cut off from the front of the dough press.
Step 4. Cut the casarecce from the front of the press and place on a floured surface. Continue with the rest of the dough pieces.

I confess, my ‘ferro’ sat in a kitchen drawer since then. But, I got it out to use for my homemade casarecce. So, the resulting pasta isn’t as ‘perfect’ as the casarecce I made with the above-mentioned dough press. However, despite being a little more rustic, my handmade pasta was really good too!

ball of pasta dough in white bowl
Step 2b (for handmade casarecce) Mix and work the flour and water in the bowl until you have a ‘ball’ of dough. Place the dough on a wooden pastry board and knead until you have a smooth silky dough. (about 10 minutes). Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest for 30 mins.

I rolled the dough out to the thickness I wanted, cut it into strips using a cutter rolling pin (also sold by Tagliapasta) and then cut the strips into small rectangles. The next step was to press the ‘ferro’ across the pasta piece and ‘roll’ it to get a hollow pasta tube. Then I turned the pasta tube and pressed the rod gently into the back to get the traditional scroll shape of homemade casarecce.

Sheet of rolled out dough cut into strips and small rectangles.
Step 3b Roll 1/4 of the dough out then cut the sheet into strips and the strips into small rectangles.

The right flour for homemade casarecce.

Like many Southern Italian pasta types, casarecce is a flour and water pasta. The main type of flour to use is fine semolina flour. Italians say ‘semola rimacinata’. This means remilled semolina. Semolina flour is made from durum wheat (hard wheat). It’s also the flour used to produce most of Italy’s dried pasta.

Step 4b Press the ferro into the centre of the pasta rectangle and roll it until the pasta is almost wrapped around the rod.

However, most recipes I came across for homemade casarecce included some soft wheat Italian ‘0’ or ‘00’ flour. I used ‘0’ flour. The numbers refer to how fine the flour is. ‘00’ is finer than ‘0’. So, I think you can use either or all-purpose flour if that’s what you have. Apart from the two types of flour, all you need is some warm water and salt.

rolled out sheet of pasta dough with some ready cassarecce, a rolling pin and a 'ferro'.
Step 5b Turn the ready pasta piece and gently press the ferro into the back to create ‘s’ shaped casarecce. Place the ready casarecce on a floured surface while you finish the rest.

Pasta dough made with durum wheat flour is a bit harder to get soft and pliable than soft wheat flour dough. This is because of the gluten content. But, it’s also what helps the pasta keep its shape when cooked. For handmade casarecce, the dough needs to be worked (kneaded) for at least 10 minutes. Of course, you can also use a stand mixer to do most the heavy work!

dried homemade casarecce
Dried homemade casarecce.

Let me know how your homemade casarecce turns out.

If you do make your own casarecce either by hand or using a dough press, I’d love to hear how it turns out and what sauce you served it with. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.

Your feedback means a lot to me!

Buon appetito!

Below are links to 6 sauce recipes for your homemade casarecce. You can also use this pasta in other traditional Southern Italian recipes such as pesto Calabrese, swordfish pasta, fresh tuna ragu and even with rapini (broccoli rabe) or with meatballs.

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE FOR LATER?

If you want to save these recipes for later, you can print the homemade casarecce recipe, bookmark this page or save it to Pinterest.

Homemade casarecce (2 ways) with 6 sauce recipes
homemade casarecce 2 ways

Homemade casarecce (2 ways) + 6 sauce recipes

Casarecce is a traditional flour and water pasta from Sicily. It's easy to make at home and delicious with many Mediterranean pasta sauces such as different pesto, caponata, peperonata or just homemade tomato sauce. Make it by hand or using a pasta dough press (torchio)
5 from 15 votes
Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 1 hr
Cook Time 12 mins
Course Homemade Pasta, Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean, Sicilian, Southern Italian
Servings 4
Calories 316 kcal

Equipment

  • Hand operated dough press or thin metal rod (ferro)

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g Durum wheat semolina flour (9oz)
  • 100 g Soft wheat flour (3.5oz) I used Italian '0' flour you can use '00' or even all-purpose flour
  • 200 ml warm water (7floz)
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions
 

For dough press casarecce

  • Add the salt to the warm water. Sift the 2 types of flour together into a bowl. Add the salted water a little at a time to the flour. Mix it in with a fork or using your hands. Once the water has been added continue to mix the flour and water together until you have small pieces or granules.
  • Fill the top funnel of the pasta press with these pieces of dough and manually operate the press. As the casarecce is pushed out of the brass die, allow it to reach the length you want and then cut off using a very sharp knife.
  • Place the ready casarecce on a floured tea towel or wooden board. Continue until you have used all the dough. You may need to sprinkle a little semolina flour into the pasta press to prevent the dough from sticking.

To make casarecce by hand.

  • As above, add the salt to the warm water. Sift the 2 types of flour together into a bowl. Add the salted water a little at a time to the flour. Mix it in with a fork or using your hands.
  • Once the water has been added continue to mix and work the flour and water together until you have a ‘dough ball’. Turn the dough out onto a dusted wooden or pastry board. Start kneading quite vigorously using the palms of your hands to push the dough out. Then fold it back into a ball and push out again.
  • Once your dough is soft and pliable. Roll it into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest for about 30 minutes.
  • Cut off ¼of the pasta dough. Keep the rest covered so it doesn’t dry out. Roll the dough out to a sheet of medium thickness. Not as fine as for tagliatelle or lasagna. Cut the sheet into strips about 1.5cm (0.6in) wide. Then cut the strips into 6cm rectangles (bit less than 2.5in). You can also roll the pasta into thin ropes instead and cut into 6 cm pieces.
  • Place your ‘ferro’ (you can use a thin knitting needle or dowel or a skewer) in the centre of the pasta strip. Roll it using both hands until the pasta is almost wrapped around the rod. Remove by sliding the pasta off the rod. Then, place it on the board with the smooth side up.
  • Press the ‘ferro’ gently into the pasta to form the traditional scroll (s) shape. Some people make casarecce without this second use of the ferro. You may need to dust occasionally with semolina flour to prevent the pasta sticking to the rod.
  • Place your ready homemade casarecce on a floured tea towel or wooden board while you repeat the steps with the rest of the dough. You can leave your casarecce to dry overnight in a cool dry place or use immediately.

Notes

Homemade casarecce takes about 12-15 minutes to cook in boiling salted water. Cooking time depends on the size of the pasta and the consistency of the dough. Taste test after 10 minutes.
This pasta is very easy to dry. You can make it a couple of days in advance and just store in a cool dry place on a floured surface. Turn the pasta occasionally. Don’t keep it in the fridge uncooked. The humidity will make it soft and sticky!
Keyword authentic Italian pasta recipe, casarecce, flour and water pasta, homemade pasta, Sicilian pasta

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6 pasta sauces for your homemade casarecce

casarecce with caponata

Casarecce with caponata.

Being Sicilian, my hubby loves making caponata in summer. We eat it on pasta and serve it as a side dish. It’s also so yummy eaten on its own with crusty bread!

Umbrian wild peas with pasta

Umbrian wild peas with casarecce.

This delicious rustic wild pea soup from Umbria is made with a unique rare legume called roveja. It’s easy to make, nutritious and warming. You can also substitute the wild peas with other legumes such as chickpeas or lentils.

roasted red pepper pesto with casarecce pasta

Casarecce with roasted red pepper pesto.

This delicious flavourful roasted red pepper pesto is so simple to make! Plus, you can also put it on pizza, eat it on bread and add it to grilled, baked or fried fish before serving!

casarecce with pumpkin and orange pesto

Casarecce with pumpkin and orange pesto is an unusual but tasty combination of ingredients thate will have your guests asking for seconds! I promise you!

casarecce with peperonata

Casarecce with peperonata.

Stewed sweet peppers are the star of this Southern Italian peperonata pasta recipe. In Italy, peperonata is served with pasta or as a side dish with meat or fish. It’s simple to make and full of flavour.

homemade casarecce with pesto alla Siciliana

Pesto alla Siciliana with homemade casarecce.

This casarecce pasta with Sicilian pesto is a super light and fresh recipe from my hubby’s home region, Sicily. I served it with my homemade casarecce but, of course, you can use dried pasta too. Known as pesto alla Siciliana, this is a creamy no-cook sauce. So, you can have this dish on the table in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.

If you are interested in learning how to make other homemade pasta and different types of gnocchi, check out my shop page for some great video online courses from my friends in Rome! Nothing beats learning to make pasta from Italians! Plus while you’re there why not order a copy of one of my pasta recipe cookbooks!?

Disclaimer This post contains an affliate link to the company I bought my dough press from. I have not been compensated by them for the mention and all opinions are my own. But, if you purchase the press using my link I can get commission although the price to you is the normal price.


More Homemade Pasta Recipes

  • Homemade Meat Ravioli (Agnolotti)
  • Pasta Recipes for Lent.
  • Homemade Fried Rye Flour Ravioli
  • Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi Recipe from Piemonte.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jay says

    May 15, 2022 at 1:25 am

    hello, Jacqui,
    I bought the torchietto through the link here. Hope you got the commission.

    I made a rough dough, much the same way I make pasta for hand cut or pasta machine. Not a good choice. I’ll try your method next time. I used whole grain khorasan that I milled myself to a fine-medium grind; my preferred, water, salt and a dab of vinegar. However, it was a little too wet and harder to clean up. It was 2/1 flour to water.

    It’s a fine little tool. I see why you like casarecce. It has a nice mouth feel and works well with sauces more on the heavier side.

    Reply
  2. Anindya Sundar Basu says

    December 25, 2021 at 7:11 am

    Thanks for this informative post and have never heard of casarecce. Must try this at home.

    Reply
  3. Jere Cassidy says

    December 23, 2021 at 7:25 pm

    I am drooling over all the sauces for this pasta and loved seeing the different ways to make casarecce. It is amazing all the types of pasta in Italy and the sauces that go with them. Another great post!

    Reply
  4. Shikha says

    December 23, 2021 at 7:17 pm

    Awesome recipe…. Love to try this.

    Reply
  5. Deborah says

    December 22, 2021 at 7:54 am

    I love that you made this recipe by hand and with your new pasta machine. The comparison is very interesting. Homemade pasta is so good. Thank you for sharing. AND, I thought your handmade version turned out very pretty!

    Reply
  6. Tristin says

    July 31, 2021 at 6:22 am

    I’ve made my own pasta before but it has been quite some time. Your easy to follow instructions make this casarecce look simple to make and I am inspired to make more pasta!

    Reply
  7. Veronika says

    July 30, 2021 at 4:29 pm

    There is nothing better than homemade pasta! Cannot wait to try your recipe, and will let you know how it came out!

    Reply
  8. Leslie says

    July 30, 2021 at 2:16 pm

    There is nothing like homemade pasta! Actually, there’s nothing like homemade pasta with homemade pasta sauce! I love all the sauce selections you included!

    Reply
  9. Sharon says

    July 27, 2021 at 4:49 pm

    This is such a comprehensive casarecce recipe with step-by-step directions in addition to ways to make them. Great for those new to making homemade pasta.

    Reply
  10. Lauren Michael Harris says

    July 27, 2021 at 1:56 pm

    Making pasta is so fun! I love that you share two ways. I used to have a pasta maker, but gave it away when I moved across country. The handmade way seems very doable too!

    Reply
  11. Shobelyn Dayrit says

    July 27, 2021 at 12:26 am

    I am so impressed that you make your own Pasta. I am sure the taste will be very way better than store bought. So awsome.

    Reply
  12. Chef Dennis says

    July 26, 2021 at 11:43 pm

    I haven’t really tried this before but Casarecce looks really good to use. It will make the dish delicious.

    Reply
  13. Enriqueta E Lemoine says

    July 26, 2021 at 9:38 pm

    You’re my hero! I love casarecce noodles so much and your tutorial is the best I’ve seen on the web. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Jenny says

    July 26, 2021 at 5:53 pm

    As always, another fantastic recipe. I love your site. All your pasta recipes are amazing. Thanks so much!

    Reply
  15. Gloria says

    July 26, 2021 at 5:05 pm

    Homemade pasta is the best. Love the shape. I need to give this a try on a rainy day. My family will love it.

    Reply

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Buon giorno and welcome to my pasta project! My name is Jacqui. I’m originally a Londoner but in 2003 life’s journey brought me to the beautiful Veneto region of Italy where…

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