Being Italian doesn’t mean that I have eaten every pasta shape imaginable although…that’s certainly a New Year’s resolution I’m up for! While strolling through Trader Joe’s, I came across trofie pasta and my mind started working. How had I never eaten it throughout all my years eating and cooking Italian food.
Or —how have I not even noticed it on menus when I’ve traveled to Italy over the past 4 decades or so?
That question lead to:
- What is the best sauce for trofie pasta?
- What is the texture and does it taste any different?
- And… why, oh why, had I never noticed it in my beloved Italian grocer before?
I’m a question-kind-of-girl who needed some answers.
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What is trofie pasta?
Trofie pasta (pronounced like the award, “tro-fee“) is a rolled and twisted pasta shape that looks like it has been wrapped around a skinny dowel. To make it by hand is a process and not one I’ve attempted…yet. You need to roll and flatten very small pieces of pasta dough and use the side of your hand to carefully pull the pasta into a twisted spiral.
Legend has it that trofie pasta shape came from cooks using the palm of their hands to rub boards coated with excess flour and water while cleaning up after making bread and other things.
Texture
Trofie pasta has a more chewy texture thanks to its tight thin rolls. This makes it the perfect pasta shape to consider for soup or salads because it can hold up to sitting in broth without falling apart or getting too soft.
The Best Sauce for Trofie
Trofie pasta with homemade basil pesto is a classic combination native to Liguria, a region in Italy. Liguria meets up with Southern France extending its welcome towards Monaco. And the Ligurians found that pesto as a sauce finds its way into the twisted crevices of trofie, offering a big burst of basil flavor in every chewy bite.
p.s. that explains the reason I’d never had it. I definitely need to add Liguria to my list of places to visit in Italy!
Ingredient Call Outs
The ingredient list is short and sweet:
Pro Tip
Keep the pasta water warm until you’re ready to use it. If not using immediately, gently heat it for a few seconds in the microwave so you don’t cool down the sauce too much.
How to make trofie pasta with pesto
Ready for how easy this is?
- Cook 1 lb. of trofie pasta according to package directions in generously salted water. Remember – it’s going to be a little chewy. That’s what you want. Reserve some pasta water (about a cup) and drain. Set aside.
- Whip up a batch of pesto sauce or get out a jar of store bought pesto.
- Start by adding 1/2 cup of pesto and a pat of unsalted butter to a large bowl.
- Pour over your drained pasta and toss with a large spoon to coat.
- Add warm pasta water to loosen the pesto and help distribute it among the trofie.
- Top the whole thing with handfuls of freshly grated parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of salt and some fresh sprigs of basil.
Insider Tips
Make ahead. Cook the trofie ahead of time and refrigerate. Before serving, set the pasta in a colander and run warm water over the it taking clean hands to loosen it up. Follow recipe as directed.
Storage and Reheat. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Trofie pesto can be enjoyed at room temperature. Or quickly reheated for about 30 seconds or the oil from the pesto will separate and the cheese will clump.
More Pasta Sauces for Trofie
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Quick Trofie Pasta al Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 lb trofie pasta, I get mine at Trader Joe's
- ½ cup homemade pesto, can use store bought too!
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½-1 cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or more to taste
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook 1 lb. of trofie pasta according to package directions in generously salted water. Remember – it’s going to be a little chewy. That’s what you want. Reserve some pasta water (about a cup) and drain. Set aside.1 lb trofie pasta
- Whip up a batch of pesto sauce or get out a jar of store bought pesto.½ cup homemade pesto
- Start by adding 1/2 cup of pesto and a pat of unsalted butter to a large bowl.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Pour over your drained pasta and toss with a large spoon to coat.
- Add warm pasta water to loosen the pesto and help distribute it among the trofie.½-1 cup reserved pasta water
- Top the whole thing with handfuls of freshly grated parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of salt and some fresh sprigs of basil.½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, ground black pepper