We have already talked about snails and how they are celebrated in festivals in some villages in Lazio, such as Guadagnolo. In this article, however, we propose a recipe from Abruzzo that features them together with pasta to create a delicious first course.
Ingredients
- 600 g egg tagliatelle
- 3 kg snails, small land snails
- 6 ripe tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and drained)
- 1 dl olive oil
- vinegar
- 1 chopped chili pepper
- 2 cloves of chopped garlic
- 1 sprig of chopped rosemary
- a few leaves of mint
- a few leaves of sage
- marjoram
- pimpinella
- salt and pepper
Preparation
First, let the snails rest for a few days in bran so that they purge. Wash them in a bath of vinegar and salt, then rinse them and rinse them again until they have completely lost their mucus. Now, immerse them in boiling water for at least half an hour; then remove them from their shells and rinse them again in a bath of vinegar and salt, then rub them in yellow flour to remove any remaining slime. Meanwhile, in a frying pan, fry the chopped garlic and chili pepper in oil; add the snails, season with salt and pepper and cook until dry.
Add the chopped rosemary, pimpinella, mint, sage, and marjoram, add the tomato pulp crushed with your fingers, stir for a long time, cover with a lid, and leave to simmer over a low heat. Boil the tagliatelle in plenty of salted water; drain when al dente, toss with the snail sauce, and voilà!
