This blog was written by guest author Ms. Ana Cerovski. Ana is a senior writer at Kitchentoast and writes about traditional Croatian cuisine. So this blog is about Istrian pasta called fuzi. Have fun!
When we mention pasta, there is one particular region in Croatia that is known for its tradition of making authentic pasta – welcome to beautiful Istria, a Croatian peninsula characterized by breathtaking views, picturesque nature, beautiful coastline and small towns hidden interesting history, culture and traditional gastronomy.
Pljukanci, Pasutice, Lazanje, Fidelini, Makaruni, Ravijoli, Gnocchi and Rigationi present only a few types of Istrian pasta, but the most famous of all is – Fuzi!
Fuzi is a specific looking pasta that resembles small flutes. Unlike other types of pasta, whose basic ingredients are flour and water, fuzi are made from flour and eggs and only a few drops of water. In the end they are combined with different ingredients, sauces and spices so that their softness blends beautifully with other flavors and nuances.
History of Istrian Fuzi
Fuzi dates at the beginning of the 20th century. Century. Nona Luca wanted to knead pasutice, but then out of the blue she saw the opportunity to make something new and different – Fuzi! Pasutice or Krpice are simple square looking pasta, so Nona came up with the idea of folding the two opposite ends of the dough and that was it – Fuzi was born!
Fuzi – queen of pasta
Yes, fuzi is often called the queen of all pasta. It is unique, easy to prepare and delicious when combined with a variety of ingredients and spices. From Nona Luca until today Fuzi is an indispensable dish for feasts and celebrations and a must for everyone who comes to Istria. Probably every household in Istria knows how to make fuzi from scratch.
Homemade Fuzi with sauce
Fuzi is often prepared with asparagus, tomato sauce, shrimp, truffles, beef and other meats, fish, seafood and vegetables. Whichever recipe you follow, just know – fuzi will end up combining beautifully with the ingredients you use, their flavors, aromas and nuances. But if you want a classic Istrian recipe for homemade fuzi with simple but rich in flavors tomato juice and rosemary, we bring you a visual step-by-step recipe! But first, here are a few tips that you should definitely follow to prepare the best pasta.
Tips for making fuzi
When rolling out the dough, make sure you make it thin. While folding the two opposite ends of the dough, press them well together so that they do not fall apart during the cooking time. To make them stick better, use a little water on one end of the dough (square). This is supposed to do the trick!
Now we knead and make homemade pasta!
Ingredients and recipe
Ingredients for Fuzi
- 350 g bread flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons of white wine
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Salt-
- a little water
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
Ingredients for sauce
- 500 ml tomato juice
- 2 cloves of garlic
- black pepper
- 1 tsp red paprika
- 1 tsp olive oil
- rosemary
Kneading and cooking method
Making the fuzi
Step 1
Put the flour in a larger bowl. Make a small well in the flour and then add eggs, oil, wine and a little water. Mix all the ingredients.
Ingredients for Istrian Fuzi
Step 2
After a few minutes, once the mixture is a little firmer, knead it with your hands. When you have a nice firm dough, place it on the floured table and knead it for a few more minutes.
Knead the mixture
Step 3
Roll out the dough thinly. Start by cutting it into strips (3-4 cm) and then into squares (3-4 cm).
Cutting the dough
Step 4
To make the folding process easier, use a ladle. Place the end on a piece of the square and fold the two opposite ends of the dough over each other. Once you have done this, remove the ladle. Repeat this folding method with the rest of the dough. After folding everything, let the pasta rest for about 15 minutes.
Folding with ladle
Step 5
To cook the pasta, put it in boiling and salted water and cook it for about 20 minutes. Of course, the total cooking time depends on the thickness of the pasta.
Sauce for istrian fuzi
Step 1
Cut the garlic and put it in a larger pan with olive oil. Add red bell pepper and then stir and simmer for 2 minutes. Add tomato juice and rosemary and mix all ingredients together. Cook the sauce for 30 minutes.
Step 2
When the cooking time is nearing the end, add black pepper and salt to the sauce. Stir everything for a few more minutes.
Serve fuzi with sauce (and Parmesan cheese if desired) and white wine.
Homemade Istrian fuzi with tomato sauce and white wine
With the simple and visual step-by-step recipe, it is very easy to make homemade pasta, or? Fuzi is delicious in combination with tomato sauce and rosemary! All the nuances and flavors create beautiful and rich aromas of traditional Istrian cuisine. Of course, pasta can be combined with a variety of other ingredients, but this one is simple, easy to make, and fantastic in flavor!
If you are looking for more of Ana’s recipes for Croatian dishes, visit the website KitchenToast !
Until then, enjoy these amazing traditional flavors!
Accommodation in Istria
Finally, you can try the Istrian fuzi in many of the upscale restaurants in Istria. If you decide to visit Istria and wonder where to stay during your gourmet vacation in Istria, you can browse our villas in Istria.
Vacation villa Bellisima in Istria
We wish you a pleasant stay and a wonderful gourmet experience in Istria!