Has your pantry welcomed Busiate?” The New York Times thinks you should. This rustic pasta shape, traditional of Trapani in southwestern Sicilia, is popping up on more and more menus across the US. Something about Busiate caught the attention of NYTimes On the Menu’s editor Florence Fabricant:
“Made by wrapping flat strands of dough around thin dowels (like knitting needles, “busa” in Sicilian dialect). What is notable is that it’s often made from ancient grains. From Gustiamo, the Italian importer in the Bronx, it’s produced with stone-milled nutty-tasting whole grain tumminia flour by Filippo Drago, who cultivates heritage varieties of wheat in southern Sicily.”
As Florence points out, the wholegrain ancient flour it’s what makes Busiate plenty flavorful on their own. But that’s not all. Tumminia flour have a deep, nutty flavor that really stands out. Plus, it’s much more nutritious than your average white flour. Protein, fiber, along with vitamins and minerals: who knew pasta could be such a superfood? No wonder Salon named Filippo Drago Busiate the “Best Alternative to White Flour Pasta”.
To really let the Tumminia flour flavor shine, miller Filippo Drago thinks his Busiate need nothing more than good Sicilian extra virgin olive oil and Trapani sea salt. If you feel a bit more maximalist (like us!), try the most iconic Sicilian pairing: pesto alla Trapanese. It’s a chunky, savory, rich pesto. We make ours with minerally Piennolo tomatoes, sweet and crunchy Noto Romana almonds, fresh basil, and plenty of extra virgin olive oil. A match made in heaven for those super absorbent Busiate coils.
