Contributed by Anna Merullo
A handmade pasta shaped like a string bean, you can find trofie all along the Italian Riviera restaurant menus and in Ligurians’ homes. The traditional name trofie possibly derives from “strafuggià” (to rub), the movement done with one’s hands to make this kind of pasta.
In Liguria, trofie with basil or walnut pesto are traditionally served with cooked green beans and potatoes tossed in. Potatoes, green beans and pasta might sound like a strange combination, but we guarantee that you will love it once you try it!
Croxetti instead are ancient, Ligurian pasta that comes in small, round coin-shaped forms. In the past, powerful aristocratic Genovese families used to print their family crest on one side of this pasta as a sign of prestige. Nowadays, for weddings and other special events, Ligurians still commission artisans to print family initials or other decorations on this pasta.