Skip to content
ENITSign in
Hand-shaped strascinati with crisp dried red peppers and coarse toasted breadcrumbs.

Strascinati con Peperoni Cruschi

Basilicata’s dragged pasta with its crowning glory: Senise peppers flash-fried to a crimson crackle, crumbled over garlic oil and breadcrumbs.

1 hr 20 min · Serves 4

  • Basilicata
Jump to the recipeWhat to serve with it

Fry the dried peppers briefly, starting with about 15–20 seconds and watching their colour. Lift them out as soon as they puff and darken slightly, before they brown. Frying them first flavours the oil for the breadcrumbs; add the crumbled peppers mostly off the heat.

Make ahead The strascinati can be shaped a few hours ahead and left to dry on a semolina-dusted tray.

Total
1 hr 20 min
Prep
45 min
Cook
15 min
Serves
4

One step at a time, with what each step needs.

Scan for the recipe

Strascinati con Peperoni Cruschi

Total 1 hr 20 min · Prep 45 min · Cook 15 min · Serves 4

Method

  1. Knead the semola with about 200 ml warm water and a pinch of salt; rest 20 minutes. Roll ropes, cut 3 cm pieces, and drag each with three fingers into a long hollow curl. Dry on semolina.Knead the semola with about ¾ cup (200 ml) warm water and a pinch of salt; rest 20 minutes. Roll ropes, cut 1¼ in pieces, and drag each with three fingers into a long hollow curl. Dry on semolina.

    Three fingertips pressing a short piece of raw dough into an elongated hollow.
    Press and drag with three fingertips to open the dough into a broad hollow.

  2. Wipe the cruschi, remove stems and seeds, and have them whole by the stove with a slotted spoon and a paper-lined plate.

  3. Heat the oil with the garlic until fragrant; remove the garlic. Fry the dried peppers in two batches for about 15–20 seconds, watching closely. Lift them out as soon as they puff and darken slightly, before they brown. Let them cool briefly to become crisp.

  4. Toast the breadcrumbs in the same perfumed oil until deep gold; pull the pan off the heat.

  5. Boil the strascinati in well-salted water until tender with bite, 4 to 6 minutes.

  6. Toss the pasta in the pan with the crumbs and a splash of pasta water. Crumble in two thirds of the cruschi, toss twice, and plate.

  7. Crown with the remaining peppers, broken in shards, and a thread of raw oil. Serve before the crackle fades.

Equipment

  • Pasta BoardRaw wood gives the grip for a long hollow curl.
  • Large SkilletOur pick

    • Our pick

      Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, 30cm

      A 30 cm skillet for cooking and tossing in batches when needed.

      Shop
  • Slotted SpoonThe cruschi need only 15 to 20 seconds, so have it in hand.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Other Shop links may also earn us a commission, at no cost to you.

Estimated per serving

Calories
625 kcal
Protein
14.2 g
Carbohydrates
88.5 g
Fat
25 g
Fiber
7.5 g

Per serving · 1/4 of the recipe Ingredient-based estimate. Dried peppers estimated with sweet paprika; all 100 ml measured oil counted because it dresses the pasta. Extra finishing oil and dusting flour excluded.

Nutrition sources: CREA Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione · USDA Agricultural Research Service

Nonna's tips

  1. Watch the colour

    Cruschi pass from perfect to bitter in moments; the oil should be hot but not smoking, and your hand already reaching for the spoon when they go in.

  2. Crumble at the end

    Stirred in early they soften back into peppers. Most go in off the heat; the last shards land on the plate itself.

  3. For a variation, melt a salted anchovy into the garlic oil.

    The version here keeps the pepper, garlic and breadcrumbs as its focus.

What to serve with Strascinati con Peperoni Cruschi

A dinner from Basilicata, built around this dish. Change any course and the shopping list follows.

  1. Antipasto

    Rafanata

    A baked Basilicata egg dish with mashed potatoes, aged Canestrato di Moliterno and freshly grated horseradish, finished with a golden crust.

    2 hr 20 min · make ahead

  2. First course

    Strascinati con Peperoni Cruschi

    This recipe

    1 hr 20 min · make ahead

  3. Main course

    Pasturale di pecora: Basilicata sheep stew

    Slow-simmered sheep shoulder with potatoes, chicory and onion, finished with fresh pork sausage and small pieces of pecorino.

    4 hr 20 min · make ahead

  4. Side

    Ciambotta Lucana

    Basilicata’s summer vegetable stew: peppers, eggplant, potatoes, and tomatoes cooked separately, then married. The garden in one pot, without the mush.

    1 hr 35 min · make ahead

  5. Dessert

    Calzoncelli di castagne

    Fried Lucanian pastries filled with chestnuts, dark chocolate and cooked grape must.

    2 hr 30 min · make ahead

  6. What to pour

    A young Aglianico del Vulture, Basilicata’s great red: its acidity balances the sweetness of the peppers and the generous oil.

    Aglianico
Basilicata

Basilicata

Peperoni di Senise IGP are sweet peppers from Basilicata. They are hung in long strings in sunny, airy places, with indirect exposure to the sun, before being used dried or fried crisp.

The Basilicata guide

Shopping list

People at the table
4
On the table

To buy

Check the pantry

  • Shop

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Other Shop links may also earn us a commission, at no cost to you.

The story behind Strascinati con Peperoni Cruschi

In Basilicata, dried sweet peppers become cruschi when briefly fried until crisp. Here, hand-shaped strascinati meet garlic-scented oil, toasted breadcrumbs and crumbled peppers. Add most of the pepper off the heat and save a few shards for the plate so the crispness remains distinct.

Hand-shaped strascinati with crisp dried red peppers and coarse toasted breadcrumbs.

Cook your way around Italy

Twenty regions, one dish from each. Cook one and its region goes on your map.

0 of 20 regions cooked

Made Strascinati con Peperoni Cruschi? Stamp Basilicata.

Fileja alla nduja piled on a rustic plate, hand-rolled spirals in glowing brick red sauce with pecorino and basil, Tropea cliffs and sunset sea beyond.Next stop · CalabriaFileja alla ’Nduja1 hr 35 min

When you go to Basilicata

Stays and classes are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

One dish from every region

  1. Aosta ValleyFonduta Valdostana
  2. PiedmontAgnolotti del Plin Burro e Salvia
  3. LiguriaTrofie al Pesto Genovese
  4. LombardyRisotto alla Milanese
  5. Trentino-Alto AdigeCanederli in Brodo
  6. VenetoRisi e Bisi
  7. Friuli-Venezia GiuliaFrico con Patate
  8. Emilia-RomagnaTagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese
  9. TuscanyRibollita
  10. UmbriaStrangozzi al Tartufo Nero
  11. MarcheVincisgrassi
  12. LazioSpaghetti alla Carbonara
  13. AbruzzoArrosticini
  14. MoliseCavatelli al Ragù di Maiale
  15. CampaniaSpaghetti alle Vongole
  16. PugliaOrecchiette alle Cime di Rapa
  17. BasilicataStrascinati con Peperoni Cruschi
  18. CalabriaFileja alla ’Nduja
  19. SicilyPasta alla Norma
  20. SardiniaOgliastra-style culurgiones with tomato sauce

Cook next

Sources and citations (3)
  1. Stampa - Patrimonio culturale Basilicata
  2. CONSORZIO DI TUTELA AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE - CONSORZIO DI TUTELA AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE
  3. AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE MONITORING - CONSORZIO DI TUTELA AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE

A letter from Italy, once a month.

The places, tables and makers we found worth your time. One email, no noise.

One letter a month. Unsubscribe at any time. We never share your address.