One of the main dishes of the Prenestini Mountains, and in particular of Palestrina, is Gnocchetti “a Co’ de Soreca,” a simple pasta made only with water, flour, and salt, which takes its name from its unusual shape.
Ingredients for gnocchetti “a co’ de soreca” (serves 4)
400 g flour
250 g guanciale
600 g tomato sauce
150 g Pecorino Romano cheese
Chili pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Water to taste
Preparation of gnocchetti “a co’ de soreca”
Cut the guanciale into thin strips. Fry the guanciale and brown it, then lower the heat when it starts to “crackle.” Add the tomato sauce and chili pepper and cook for about 20 minutes. Put the flour in a bowl with a pinch of salt and add 300 ml of water. Knead and add more water or flour if necessary. Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.
Cut the dough into small pieces and work them with your hands until you obtain coarse spaghetti, about the thickness of bucatini, which you will roll up slightly and cut to a length of about 6 cm. Finally, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for about 3 minutes, drain it, and toss it in the pan with the sauce. Serve with plenty of grated pecorino cheese.
