Fusilli come from Campania and belong to the short, straight cut family of pasta.
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 tool used by spinners.
This pasta is particularly good with meat and fish based sauces or with condiments made with ricotta. It is also perfect with vegetable sauces too that are prepared with a tomato sauce with peppers, aubergines, olives and capers.
Available in 500g or 3 Kg packs.
Mezza Zita is a delicious, smaller variation of the classic Zita.
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 Mezza Zita (mezza means "half"), which is quite thick with a fairly rough texture, is broken by hand into uneven pieces, before being put in the saucepan to cook.
Mezza Zita 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.
Available in 500g pack.s