Cannolicchi

Cannolicchi, short tube pasta by Rustichella d'Abruzzo

Cannolicchi are short, tube-shaped pasta from Abruzzo, here from the traditional manufactory Rustichella d'Abruzzo. Pressed through a bronze die and slowly dried, they get a rough surface that sauces cling to particularly well. Made from pure durum wheat semolina, they stay nicely al dente and are the classic choice for soups and stews.

How to use

Cannolicchi are the classic soup pasta for pasta e fagioli, minestrone and hearty stews. They hold sugo, ragu and tomato and cream sauces just as well and work in pasta salads and bakes. Cook them in plenty of salted water for 7 to 9 minutes until al dente.

Good to know: the rough bronze surface binds sauce best if you cook the cannolicchi just short of al dente and then finish them in the sauce for a minute. Add a ladle of pasta water, that makes the sauce silky.

Pasta e fagioli in 4 steps

1. Sweat onion, garlic and a little celery in olive oil.
2. Add a tin of white beans, sieved tomatoes and vegetable stock and let everything simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Cook 150 g of cannolicchi straight in the soup until al dente, stirring as you go.
4. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil and serve with shaved parmesan.

What makes cannolicchi special?

Rustichella d'Abruzzo presses the pasta through traditional bronze dies rather than smooth Teflon moulds. This gives a finely porous, rough surface that takes up sauce instead of letting it run off. The slow air-drying at low temperature preserves the aroma and bite of the durum wheat.

At a glance

• Short tube pasta made from pure durum wheat semolina
• By Rustichella d'Abruzzo from Abruzzo, Italy
• Bronze die and slow drying, al dente
• Rough surface for fine sauce binding
• A classic for pasta e fagioli, minestrone and sugo

Goes well with

For a quick sugo, our San Marzano tomatoes and a spoonful of pesto are a good match, rounded off with good Belessi olive oil. Fancy other shapes? Try our spaghetti or rigatoni. Find more in our Italian cuisine collection.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I cook cannolicchi?
In plenty of salted water for 7 to 9 minutes until al dente. For soups you can also cook them straight in the broth.

What are cannolicchi good for?
Above all for soups and stews like pasta e fagioli and minestrone, but also for sugo, ragu, bakes and pasta salads.

What does bronze die mean?
The pasta is pressed through a bronze mould rather than Teflon. This makes the surface rough so it takes up sauce better.

Do cannolicchi contain egg?
No, they are made only from durum wheat semolina and water and are therefore vegan. They contain gluten from wheat.