Thanks to a 7-course pasta tasting organized by Katie Parla and hosted by Beppe e I Suoi Formaggi, I had the chance to meet Mauro Musso and taste his magical pasta. Mauro’s passion for his craft and his quest for rare flours are inspiring. Two weeks later and I’m still craving the one dish that went against the grain of the tajarin themed extravaganza; casarecce di segale bianca (rolled white rye) pasta served with three fragrant cheeses (goat, cow and sheep) and toasted walnuts.
I asked Mauro for his advice on the best was to recreate this dish. He recommends serving the pasta warm with aged cheeses (preferably made from sheep’s & cow’s milk) cut into cubes. They should be piquant but not spicy nor strong like blue cheese. Add a few mushrooms preserved in oil and a trio of chopped walnuts, pine nuts and almonds. Take care to add small amounts of cheese, mushrooms and nuts to enjoy the flavor of the rye itself. Slightly warm all ingredients before tossing them with the casarecce so that they do not affect the temperature of the pasta. I know what I’ll be cooking on Sunday!
For more information on Mauro and his pasta visit the Casa dei Tajarin di Mauro Musso website. In Rome, his pasta is for sale at Beppe’s and at Pizzarium. For more about November’s pasta tasting festivities see posts at Parla Food and Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino.
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