How is the traditional Calabrian pasta shape Fileja formed using the ferretto?
Answer
A small sheet of dough is wrapped around the thin rod, creating a hollow, ridged tube.
The creation of Fileja is intrinsically linked to artisanal methods, specifically utilizing the *ferretto*, a thin rod or stick. A small segment or sheet of the fresh dough is meticulously wrapped around this tool. This wrapping process coils the dough around the *ferretto*, forming the distinctive hollow, ridged tube shape that characterizes Fileja. This technique is essential because the resulting texture—ridges and a hollow center—is perfectly designed to trap and hold the region's characteristically robust and intensely flavored sauces, such as those made with spicy ’nduja.

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