Italian Grated Pasta – Grattini

Grattini Pasta – literally translates to grated pasta. Originally the Italian Nonna’s in small villages never leaving anything to go to waste would save scraps of pasta dough. These scraps would be formed into a ball and with a box grater would be shaped into small bits of pasta similar to pastina pasta. I have also seen this type of pasta in German, Austrian & Croatian cuisines. This pasta is best served in broth soups.

The pasta dough is made with simple ingredients, all purpose & semolina flours, freshly grated parmesan, egg, sea salt & drizzle of olive oil. Obvisously the Nonna’s would make this pasta dough by hand on a wooden pasta board. You may make by hand or you can also use a kitchen aide mixer or food processor. Some important things to remember in making this rustic dough

  1. Ingredients – egg should be room temp, use good EVOO, hand grate the parmesan

 2. The dough must be a firm dough so that it will grate easily.

 3. Refrigerate or freeze the dough before grating.

 4. Allow the grated pasta to dry before cooking

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Italian Grated Pasta – Grattini

Pure healing comfort food. Simple rustic Italian grated pasta served in a broth soup.

Ingredients

Scale

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup semolina flour

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1 egg room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon EVOO

water if needed – 1 tablespoon at a time

Instructions

This pasta dough can be made in a mixing bowl, kitchen aide mixer or food processor. Start by placing the flours, salt and parmesan in the bowl, stir to mix ingredients. In a small bowl whisk the egg and olive oil, then add to the dry ingredients and mix. If the dough seems dry you may add water one tablespoon at a time. Keep in mind that your are creating a firm pasta dough. If the dough is to soft you will not be able to grate it.

No matter wether I use a kitchen aid mixer, or food processor, or start with a simple mixing bowl I always finish the hand kneading on a wood pasta board. Just my personal preference of touching and feeling the dough to know that its exactly the right consistency for what I am wanting to make.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. You may also placce it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Using a box grater, grate the ball of dough, you will create little pieces of pasta. Carefully scatter them or with a bench scraper place them on a sheet pan. Allow the pasta to dry before cooking.

This type of pasta is best cooked in a broth and served in a soup. This is my go to feel good comfort food when I am feeling under the weather.

  • Author: Chef Shelly