Tordelli are Tortelli are Tortelloni. Enjoy this Many Named Pasta at a Tordellaria.
Eat Massa's Unique Piatto Tipico in an Authentic Local Restaurant.
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| Malaspina Castle still watches over Massa, Tuscany. CC by Richard Avery. |
At the
northern end of Tuscany, hard by the sea and the Apuan Alps, is an interesting provincial capital with a crazy name - Massa. It is full of history
and busy people and stone industry enterprise, and has its own lovely beach community. Although some of Massa's historic areas were damaged
in WWII bombing, much of the historic center, and one of the largest and
fiercest castles in Italy survived. The Castle of the Malaspina, established before 1,000 AD, and first
mentioned in documents in 1164, is still powerful looking and fearsome. The Malaspina ruled the area known as Lunigiana for centuries and competed fist-to-fist with all who challenged. It's fascinating to visit the castle, and you can tour it on weekend and
holiday afternoons. Generally the tours are in Italian, but we've experienced very
helpful guides who recognize perplexity in an instant. For hours and fees, see:
Castello Malaspina Massa
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| Dining room at Abacab Ristorante & Tordelleria, Massa, Tuscany, Italy. |
If you'll be visiting the castle or are shopping in Massa, of course you'd like to know and try some of the food
specialties. Well, there's a standout.
Tordelli alla massese is
rightly famous and it's delicious. It's made with a sturdy egg pasta, a rich and
satisfying filling with a 'Massese' taste, and a sauce that's like the country cousin of
bolognese: more robust, more sincere, more down to earth. The dish is so much a part of Massa that there are variations on the basic tradition, and
there are both shops and restaurants devoted to
tordelli.
