Cascatelli facts for kids
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| Type | Pasta |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Created by | Dan Pashman Sfoglini |
| Main ingredients | Durum wheat flour, water |
Cascatelli (say "kas-ka-TEL-lee") is a unique, short pasta shape. It has a flat strip and two wavy ruffles that stick out. These ruffles help the pasta hold lots of delicious sauce. This modern pasta was created in the 2010s. An American food podcaster named Dan Pashman invented it. He wanted a pasta shape that was perfect for eating. Cascatelli is a mix of two other pasta types: bucatini and mafalda. It combines the best parts of both!
What Does "Cascatelli" Mean?
The name "Cascatelli" comes from the Italian word cascate. This word means "waterfalls." The word cascatelle means "little waterfalls." Dan Pashman chose to add -elli to the end. This makes it sound like many traditional Italian pasta names. These names often end with suffixes like -ini, -elli, or -etti. These endings usually mean "little."
Pashman knew the correct Italian plural for waterfall is cascatelle. But he took some "poetic license." He felt that "cascatelli" sounded more like a pasta name. The name 'cascatelli' was officially protected in the United States in 2021. This means only certain companies can use it for pasta. Other names considered included names related to ridged dinosaurs or millipedes.
How Cascatelli Was Created
Dan Pashman hosts a podcast called The Sporkful. He decided to create his "ideal" pasta shape. He wanted a pasta that was easy to eat. It also needed a great texture. And it had to hold the perfect amount of sauce. The American pasta company Sfoglini worked with Pashman. Together, they made this new pasta.
Pashman even made up special words to describe good pasta:
- "Forkability" - How easy it is to pick up pasta with your fork and keep it there.
- "Sauceability" - How well the sauce sticks to the pasta shape.
- "Toothsinkability" - How satisfying it feels to bite into the pasta.
Cascatelli was officially released in 2021. It took three years to research and develop this pasta. You can learn all about this process. It's documented in The Sporkful podcast series called "Mission: ImPASTAble." In 2022, another US pasta company, Banza, started selling cascatelli. Their version is made with chickpea flour. This makes it a good choice for people who can't eat gluten.
What Cascatelli Is Made Of
Cascatelli is a half-tubed pasta. It is usually made from hard durum wheat flour and water. Sometimes, it's made with semolina. The suggested cooking time for cascatelli is about 13 to 17 minutes.
Sfoglini suggests a perfect sauce for cascatelli. They recommend a ragù with pancetta and red pepper flakes. This is similar to a classic Roman sauce called amatriciana. They also suggest adding ground pork, onion, carrots, and celery. This makes it more like a Bolognese sauce. This is similar to how bucatini pasta is often served in Italian cuisine.
