The Story Behind Pasta alla Carrettiera
Always the name of a recipe is the first indication – sometimes the only one – about the history of a dish. Carrittera takes the name from the “Carretto”, the Horse Wagon used by people to transport stuff from one place to another. It was also used by farmers to move from one land to another. In Sicily, personalizing the Carretto became an authentic artistic expression, the patterns used by the artists represent often images of saints, legends, or histories of famous battles.
Not just move, but move with style 🙂
Today those decorative patterns have become widely recognizable around the world. In recent years they have even inspired fashion and design, occasionally appearing in collections by Sicilian designers such as Dolce & Gabbana. But their origin remains firmly rooted in the island’s rural culture.
This became a topic in Sicily and this topic has created a school of artisans around the Island, Make your Carretto special. The pattern they used, and the histories represented on them, were all elements to represent the character of the owner.
The recipe we are going to share with you became the recipe of the “Carrettieri” the horse wagon owners because they sometimes had the necessity to prepare something easy on the way. What recipe for this occasion? Something easy, some water to cook the pasta, 3/4 tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and some salty capers, all elements easy to have during the long Sicilian summer and not only. I love the image of this Carretto under a tree for the most important part of the day, the ritual of a meal, preparing a fire to boil the water, frying a little bit the garlic in the olive oil, and then combining all ingredients at the end to have a dish who give you energy and make you happy 🙂
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 people
- 500gr tomatoes fresh if summer, peeled if you have preserved
- 2 tblsp salty capers
- 2 cloves garlic
- Some Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
- a teaspoon dry red chilly
- 50gr pecorino or salty ricotta
- Fresh made pasta (no eggs) or good quality spaghetti or linguine pasta
- Some basil leaves
How to Prepare Pasta alla Carrettiera
- Just poor in the pan 3 tblsp Extravirgin olive oil with the 2 cloves of garlic crushed or sliced.
- Wait until it fries a little bit and adds to the same pan capers and tomatoes
- Just few minutes, time for the tomato to cook a little bit
- Take off your pasta when is al dente and directly on the pan with just a ladle of pasta water, toss a little bit and fish with cheese on top.
That’s it. No more. Simple and delicious.
Many of the recipes we cook today in Sicily were not created by chefs but by farmers, shepherds, and travelers who simply used what the land offered.
Understanding these dishes means understanding the ingredients first: olive oil, capers, tomatoes, grains, herbs growing naturally in the Mediterranean countryside.
At Three Farms Island, these traditional recipes are part of the experiences we share with guests visiting our farm in southeastern Sicily, where cooking often begins not in the kitchen but in the fields, among the ingredients themselves.
If you are curious to discover how these traditions are still part of daily life today, you can learn more about visiting our farm in Sicily.
FAQ – Pasta alla Carrettiera
What does “Carrettiera” mean?
The name Carrettiera comes from the carrettieri, the wagon drivers who once travelled across the Sicilian countryside transporting goods with the traditional horse wagon called the carretto.
During long journeys between farms and villages, these drivers prepared simple meals using a few ingredients that were easy to carry with them.
Is Pasta alla Carrettiera originally from Sicily?
Yes. Pasta alla Carrettiera is part of the rural culinary tradition of Sicily.
It reflects the practical cooking habits of farmers and travelers who relied on a few basic ingredients such as garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, and capers to prepare a quick but nourishing meal.
What pasta is traditionally used for Pasta alla Carrettiera?
The most common pasta shapes are spaghetti or linguine.
These long pasta shapes were practical to cook in large pots and easy to combine with a light sauce made from simple ingredients.
Can I use fresh tomatoes for Pasta alla Carrettiera?
Yes — fresh tomatoes are traditionally used, especially during the summer months when tomatoes are fully ripe and abundant in the Mediterranean countryside.
However, like many traditional Sicilian recipes, Pasta alla Carrettiera has a seasonal variation.
- Summer version: made with fresh ripe tomatoes.
- Winter version: made with preserved tomatoes such as pelati (whole peeled tomatoes) or crushed tomatoes.
This seasonal adaptation reflects a key principle of Mediterranean rural cooking: recipes change depending on what ingredients are naturally available throughout the year.
What makes Pasta alla Carrettiera a traditional rural recipe?
The dish is based on a few ingredients that were easy to transport and store: olive oil, garlic, capers, tomatoes, and chili.
This simplicity reflects the logic of traditional Mediterranean cooking, where recipes are shaped by the ingredients available in the landscape rather than by complex techniques.
Many Sicilian recipes, like Pasta alla Carrettiera, exist because of the ingredients that farmers and travelers had available during different seasons.