Few
people know that the Republic of Genoa, already in the 13th century, was one of
the first producers of dried pasta in Italy thanks to its relations with the
Middle East and its trade in wheat, which was stored in large quantities and
then resold throughout Italy and Europe. This means that in Liguria, even
without large spaces to cultivate it, wheat has never been lacking and
yesterday as today all that was needed was flour, water, eggs and salt to
prepare a very special pasta: 'croxetti' or 'corzetti'.
They
have the shape of thin medallions of 3, 4 centimetres in diameter with the
characteristic of a small cross ('cruxetta' in the Genoese language) or a
floral arabesque or the coat of arms of a noble family printed on their faces,
using a special carved wooden mould. Corzetti were served on special occasions
and in the presence of important guests. The first documentation dates back to
1362, when they were offered to the king of Morocco on a visit to Genoa.
Even today, their
characteristic taste lies in the function of the incisions that allow the sauce
(pesto or other sauces) to be better absorbed, and in the chewing that confuses
the soft parts with the more "al dente" parts of the reliefs.
Two
artisanal pasta factories on the YOULIGRIA.IT portal produce them excellently:
I Pastai of Zignago (La Spezia)
Pastificio Fiorini of Varazze (Savona)