How to Make Maccheroni al Ferro

Maccheroni al ferro are rustic tubes of pasta made by wrapping a piece of semolina dough around a thin rod, known as a ferretto.

Where do Maccheroni al Ferro come from?

Here in the U.S., when we hear the word “macaroni” most of us immediately think of macaroni and cheese and the small elbow-shaped pasta that goes along with it. However, in Italy, particularly throughout the south, maccheroni is a generic name used to refer to many different types of pasta, some long, some short. The name may be spelled differently from region to region and each maccheroni can vary in shape and size.

So what about maccheroni al ferro? These are short, tube-shaped pasta typical of Calabria, although you might find them in other southern regions, too.

How do you make Maccheroni al Ferro?

Maccheroni al ferro are made from a semolina pasta dough (durum wheat flour and water). A small piece of dough isrolled around a thin stick or rod known as a ferretto to form a tube, sometimes open, sometimes closed.

What is a ferretto per la pasta?

A ferretto, also simply known as ferro (iron) in Italian, is a thin stick used to make pasta. It’s often made of brass and usually has square edges, but can also be round or twisted. We sell a pair of square and twisted ferretti in our shop!