50 years of scialatielli, with the story (and recipe) of Enrico Cosentino, the chef who invented them
The great history of the scialatielli
Enrico Cosentino is a chef from another era. One of those who, when cooking, thinks only of the person eating, because "It's never the chef who judges, but always the guest. If my guests hadn't liked the scialatielli, wouldn't I be here talking about it?" he observes.
Who invented scialatielli?
It's for them, for us, that Enrico Cosentino invented scialatielli. A pasta shape that didn't exist before: not too long—because "I didn't want them to curl up"—and not too short, but also thick enough and firm enough to be chewed and savored thoroughly. In short, satisfying.
Why are they called scialatielli?
The name itself says it all: "Scialatielli are called that because when I first tried them, many people said 'ho scialato,' which in Campanian dialect means 'I enjoyed it,' 'I really had a good time,'" he tells us.
Who is Enrico Cosentino, inventor of scialatielli?
Born in Amalfi in 1948, he has been working in the kitchen since he was 11. He has traveled the world working in great restaurants, from La Caravella in Amalfi (starred and the first Michelin star in Campania) to the Hotel Quisisana in Capri, and has taught extensively, including in hotel schools.
Scialatielli were born during one of Cosentino's teaching days. It was April 1976. "I was in San Giovanni in Fiore, in the Sila Mountains. I was teaching training courses and had a lot of free time between classes. So I started inventing a new dough. I wanted something more than just egg dough, something that didn't exist. It took me four months to perfect the recipe."
The real recipe for scialatielli
It's been the same ever since, with eight ingredients: "One kilo of flour, 40 grams of extra virgin olive oil, 40 grams of grated pecorino or parmesan, a little chopped basil, two eggs, 350 grams of milk, a pinch of pepper if you like, and a pinch of salt," explains Cosentino.
The shape, however, has changed: scialatielli were originally rolled up, like a wire-wrapped fusilli. They took on their current form because they were an instant hit. "There in Calabria, they asked me to prepare them for 6,000 people, and I had to make a virtue of necessity: it would have been impossible to make them with a wire-wrapped fusilli for all that crowd. So I came up with the current cut, still handmade: between 10 and 12 centimeters long and 4.5 to 5 millimeters wide, so that they take on a cubic shape when seen from above."
Scialatielli with seafood, an Amalfi icon
The seafood pairing originated on his Amalfi Coast. Scialatielli, in fact, were originally seasoned with ingredients from the Sila mountains, including sausage and mushrooms. "I prepared them with seafood as a tribute to Amalfi when I arrived at La Caravella: just mussels, clams, razor clams, whatever was available," says Cosentino, telling us about the recipe that ultimately led to his worldwide success. In 1978, while at La Caravella, Cosentino was awarded the "Entremetier" prize in a national competition. The world press began to talk about him, and since then, no star has passed through Amalfi (and then Capri) without tasting his pasta.
The new Magister of Amalfi Civilization will be the protagonist of the Byzantine New Year.
Cosentino prepared it for the entire town for his 50th anniversary celebration, held in Sorrento, where he now lives, donating all proceeds to the Santobono Pediatric Oncology department. He will most likely make them again on September 1st, when he celebrates his investiture as Magister of Amalfi Civilization during the Byzantine New Year: a medieval historical reenactment that in Amalfi celebrates the beginning of the new fiscal and legal year of the old Eastern Empire. Because, as he deserves, his work has been recognized: his scialatielli have become a world-renowned pasta that has helped make Amalfi famous worldwide.
And after the President of the Republic knighted him, and numerous other awards that have celebrated his commitment, including instilling his art in young people, his homeland is now rewarding him with the most coveted award during its most important event, this year entirely dedicated to Amalfi cuisine. "I'm not one who gets emotional easily," Cosentino concludes. "But I admit: it's a great thing. Even knowing that in a hundred years, when I'm no longer here, my scialatielli will be there to make people happy."