Eating pasta as a dessert isn’t that strange after all: recipes that prove it
Sweet spaghetti, tagliatelle cakes, toppings with sugar, honey, and walnuts—anyone who thinks pasta is only meant to be paired with tomato sauce and parmesan has got it all wrong. Let’s take a journey into the world of dessert pasta and explore how Italians make pasta for dessert.
Sweet pasta dishes from Italian regional traditions
In the structure of the traditional Italian menu (which actually has much older roots), pasta is typically classified as a first course, especially dry pasta. Despite its neutral taste (neither sweet nor particularly salty), this custom remains strong. However, there are exceptions.
Given pasta’s versatility—whether dry or fresh, short or long—it can also be used in unconventional ways, such as in desserts. Some of the earliest examples of this can be found in Italian regional cuisine. Ingredients like rice, wheat, and pasta—essentially all types of cereals—have historically served as the foundation for sweet preparations.
Take, for instance, the wheat used in pastiera, or grano dei morti (literally, “wheat of the dead”), a dish prepared for all souls’ day that features wheat and chocolate shavings. Then there are spaghetti dolci della quaresima (sweet lenten spaghetti), a dish dating back to Pellegrino Artusi’s culinary writings. Found in Romagna, this pasta is prepared with walnuts, sugar, spices, and breadcrumbs. It closely resembles maccheroni dolci, a sweet pasta dish from Umbria.
But what type of pasta is used for desserts? The answer varies depending on the recipe. Some traditional sweet pasta dishes use long formats like spaghetti or tagliolini, which are often coated with sugar, honey, and nuts. Others incorporate short pasta shapes like paccheri, rigatoni, or even lasagna sheets, layering them with ricotta, chocolate, or candied fruit. Fresh egg pasta is also a great choice for desserts, especially when flavored with cocoa or vanilla.
Pasta that straddles the line between sweet and savory
To these traditional recipes, we can add pasta dishes that can be made either sweet or savory depending on the preparation. Consider sweet ravioli, like a version filled with chocolate and ricotta!
Then there are sweet lasagnas and a variation of pastiera napoletana made with tagliolini. Another example is torta di tagliatelle, a tagliatelle cake from Romagna, which is also found in Lombardy. In short, pasta can truly be used in endless ways.
But how many types of pasta can be made for desserts? The possibilities are vast. Beyond the traditional formats, chefs and home cooks alike have experimented with pasta doughs infused with ingredients like cocoa, cinnamon, or even citrus zest. There are pasta-based pastries, fritters made with thin pasta strips, and even baked or fried pasta chips served with sweet dips.
How Italians make pasta for dessert
Many chefs have experimented in the world of dessert pasta dishes.
While they may not always have traditional recipes to draw from, they have crafted intriguing combinations that transform pasta into an unexpected dessert.
Learn to make fresh pasta before anything else
Before experimenting with pasta desserts, though, it’s essential to master the basics—starting with fresh homemade pasta.
But how? The best way is by taking part in the courses offered by Pasta Class Florence, where expert chefs guide you through the art of pasta-making step by step. These unique classes give you the chance to ask all the questions you’ve never dared to ask and learn tricks and techniques from professionals with years of experience. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced chef looking to refine their skills, these lessons provide the perfect foundation to start creating traditional and innovative pasta dishes—including those with a sweet twist!
