Fuži Istriani with sausage and olives

Fuži Istriani (or if you’re in Istria simply fuži) is a traditional Istrian pasta, deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of the northeastern Adriatic. Recognisable by their delicate, quill-like shape formed by wrapping diamond-shaped pasta dough around the handle of a wooden spoon or rod, they are typically made with just flour and water.

Fuži is often served with rich, slow-cooked sauces; wild game like venison or boar, or a creamy truffle sauce using Istria’s prized black or white truffles. Penne are a very similar shape and make a great substitution here. This sauce is quicker and lighter and based on a dish we were served at restaurant ‘Alla Beccaccia’ in the Southwest of Istria. It’s a bit like a puttanesca with the addition of a little sausage and, cleverly, rocket. Most recipes for sauce that use fresh tomatoes involve blanching and peeling them, but below is the way I do it which is much quicker and easier.