These are called Strangozzi.
I bought these some time ago but I have not tried them yet.
This is a very ancient pasta from the region of Umbria, and yes, the name refers to strangling: another priest strangling pasta like Strozzapreti and Strangolapreti.
They seem to be similar to Spaghetti alla Chitarra, but traditionally they would be made using just flour and water then hand rolled and cut into narrow ribbons. They also bear some resemblance to the Pici of Southern Tuscany, though those are made using a very different technique.
In Umbria, specifically in Spoleto, they are usually dressed with a fresh tomato sauce made fragrant with garlic and a tiny bit of hot chilli for the famous Strangozzi alla Spoletina or else dressed with the classic garlic, olive oil and chilli dressing. This being Umbria, they are frequently dressed with diced black truffles warmed in olive oil with a single salted anchovy and a little garlic or less frequently tossed in butter and grated Pecorino and topped with shavings of black truffles. In Norcia, the meat capital of central Italy, they serve them with a sausage ragù, which strikes me as perhaps too heavy a dressing. Then there are the vegetable dressings: wild asparagus in spring, Porcini,or Porcini and butternut squash, in the fall.
Apparently Michelle Obama is very fond of Strangozzi alla Carbonara. I'm planning to try them tomorrow with a clam, parsley and garlic sauce, Strangozzi alle Vongole.
Might it be that Strangozzi are as versatile as Spaghetti?.
