In the south of Italy, the term "Zita" means the bride and as a matter of fact, this type of pasta is traditionally associated with weddings and is always served at wedding receptions.
Tradition has it that Zita , which is quite thick with a fairly rough texture, is broken by hand into uneven pieces, before being put in the saucepan to cook.
Zita Tagliata ( "tagliata" means cut) has been made shorter for a more practical use in the kitchen.
This type of pasta can be used to prepare oven-baked recipes or plates of pasta served with dense, colourful sauces of meat or fish, with green leaf vegetables or vegetables, or strong Italian cheeses, such as pecorino, provolone or caciocavallo.
Alternatively, Zita Tagliata is also excellent served with vegetable sauces prepared with tomato and the addition of peppers, aubergines and courgettes.
Available in 500g packs.
Fusilli Lunghi Bucati are originally from Campania and have a simple spiral shape.
In the past, Fusilli were made by hand according to a method that was passed down from one generation to the next: you had to rapidly twist a strand of spaghetti around a knitting needle with a skilled hand. The ability required to perform this procedure is reminiscent of that of spinners and as a matter of fact, the term "fusillo" comes from "fuso" (spindle) which was the typical tool used by spinners for their work.
Fusilli Lunghi Bucati are traditionally served with Neapolitan or "guardaporta" (doorman) ragù and the Neapolitan ragù known as "alla genovese" (Genoa style). Generally, this pasta is best with parmesan or pecorino (sheep's cheese) or with tomato and vegetable based sauces with aubergines and peppers.
Available in 500g packs.