Pasta is an incredibly versatile Italian dish that has been well assimilated by other cultures around the world. For some people, it may be one of the simplest dishes to cook. On the other hand, there exists a rare variety of pasta that even expert chefs are unable to make. We are talking about su filindeu, which is said to be the rarest pasta in the world. It is a very specific rustic traditional recipe in Sardinia, a large Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is so difficult and time-consuming to prepare that for 300 years only the women of a single Sardinian family knew how to make this pasta, BBC reported.
A video posted by digital creator @sortedfood is going viral on Instagram, showing the world’s rarest pasta. The video says, “Until recently, only three people on the planet were making it.”
‘Su Filindeu’ means “threads of God”. For over 300 years, the recipe and technique has only been “passed down through the women of Abraani’s family – each of whom has kept it very carefully before teaching it to their daughters,” reports the BBC. However, the recipe is now under threat and many have attempted to learn it but failed. Celebrity chef and restauranteur Jamie Oliver is one of them.
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In 2016, Oliver took to his Instagram handle and wrote, “The Filindeu pasta in Sardinia is one of the rarest pastas in the world!!! It’s amazing and so hard to make I’ve been failing for 2 hours but I think now I can go home and practise for a year or two!!! Which I will try to do. It’s good to be humble… Seriously this pasta blew my mind!!!! Super Food Family Classics Big Love Jamie xx Oh it’s cooked in a broth made from lamb and very fresh pecorino it’s very very very delicious.”
How is Su Filindeu pasta made?
Su Filindeu is created following an amazing but very difficult and time consuming process.
First, the pasta dough is prepared using durum (semolina) flour, water and a little salt. They take the dough, fold it and stretch it. This process is repeated. Each time they stretch, you get multiple strands. This process is followed to create 256 exactly identical strands with the tip of your fingers, and then the needle-thin strands are stretched diagonally across a circular frame in an intricate three-layer pattern.
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When three layers are formed, the base is taken outside to dry in the Sardinian sun. After several hours, the layers harden into delicate sheets of white razor-thin threads that resemble stitched lace. These are then torn into circular sheets and packed into boxes.
How is Su Filindeu pasta cooked?
Su filindeu is cooked by boiling pasta in sheep or mutton broth. The pasta is cooked for about 3 minutes until it is al dente. It is served in a bowl with broth and pecorino (an Italian hard cheese made from sheep milk) is sprinkled on top.
Many hidden corners of the world are home to such amazing and unique recipes. If you found this interesting, click here to know about old and golden recipes from the famous kitchens of India.
