42. Patacche di Serrone
History
Clinging to the Ernici Mountains is this stone village, made up of steep alleys, ramps and stairways and offering a wide panorama of the Sacco Valley and the land rich in vines and olive trees that goes by the name of Ciociaria. The entire gastronomic tradition of Serrone has a close link with life in the fields. Among Serrone's first courses, still reminiscent of that rural life and a distant past, are the Patacche, a type of fresh pasta without eggs, renowned throughout the territory. This pasta, similar to pappardelle, is made with only wheat flour, water and a pinch of salt. The dough is rolled out with a rolling pin, locally known as a 'jo stennareglio', until a thin sheet is obtained, which is then coarsely cut by hand into patacche, which are long and just over a centimetre wide. The traditional seasoning is a simple sauce of tomato sauce and fresh basil, but in recent years many variations have been proposed: with porcini mushrooms, with mutton sauce, truffle and guanciale or even truffle and ventresca. Those who want to taste this authentic gastronomic excellence of Ciociaria can order it at the town's restaurants, which have it on the menu all year round. Every year, in July, Serrone dedicates a very popular festival to the Patacche and Passerina del Frusinate, the area's white wine, allowing visitors to taste the pasta with various condiments, accompanied by a good glass of wine.
The product
Patacca has a homogeneous light colour and is characterised by high integrity after cooking. The high olfactory intensity is characterised by notes of cereals and flour combined with a light toasted hint. The taste is harmoniously sweet with a slight salty note. Good consistency and elasticity.
FABIO LOLLI AND HIS 'SAN MICHELE' RESTAURANT
'Patacca is a typical Serrone dish that tells its own story,' says Fabio Lolli proudly, letting himself go to his memories: 'My grandmother was born in Serrone in 1912 and used to prepare pataccacce every Sunday. She used to tell me that during the war it was difficult to find eggs (the main ingredient in fettuccine, which keeps for more than a week), so she used to prepare these pataccacce because they were made of just water and flour, they would keep for only two days but they were delicious'. Fabio says that, even today, pataccacce are the Sunday dish for the Serronesi, who are used to making them at home, buying them at the pasta factory or eating them at restaurants. On the menu at 'Il San Michele', patacche are never missing: 'My grandmother used to tell me: on Sundays we eat pataccacce cor sugo! And so I continue to do. At ten o'clock on Sundays, customers come to reserve them to take home or eat them here'. Fabio also reveals that the lightest sauce for this fresh pasta is tomato, but that the Serronesi's favourite sauce is with mutton, while the wine that goes best with it is Passerina. Finally, he tells of his interest in innovation while still respecting tradition: 'A short time ago, on the occasion of the festival, chef Antonello Colonna arrived in Serrone and gave us valuable advice on how to renew the dish. An example? If you cut them thin, like crêpes, and garnish them with a scoop of ice cream, they can become a dessert!'