Typical dish of Reggio Calabria
Maccheroni al ferretto with goat sauce
Maccheroni al ferretto are long, hollow, and slightly irregular, hand-rolled around a thin metal rod that gives the pasta a rough, porous texture. They are coated in a dark, fragrant goat sauce, slowly cooked with tomato, wine, and the herbs of the Aspromonte. The flavor is intense, rustic, and deep, with the meat falling apart and soaking into every maccherone. It is a hearty first course, often served during Sunday lunches or village festivals.
Season: Autunno-Inverno€10–16
Why it matters
This dish reflects the rural and pastoral soul of the Reggio Calabria hinterland, where goat farming and handmade pasta are long-standing traditions. Maccheroni al ferretto with goat sauce represent the identity cuisine of the Aspromonte, brought into the city by families and traditional trattorias of Reggio Calabria. It is a recipe that brings together territory, craftsmanship, and domestic memory.
Origin story
The preparation of maccheroni al ferretto originated in the rural communities of southern Calabria, where pasta was shaped using simple knitting needles or thin metal rods. Goat sauce, typical of the mountainous areas of the Aspromonte, was the ragù reserved for important occasions, slowly cooked to tenderize a strongly flavored meat. Over time this dish became a symbol of traditional trattorias in Reggio Calabria.
Typical ingredients
maccheroni al ferrettocarne di caprapassata di pomodorovino rossocipollapecorino
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