The World's Oldest Pasta Could Pass for a Pancake

When most people think “pasta,” they picture twirling long spaghetti strands around a fork or scooping up cheesy rigatoni. But Italy’s oldest pasta? It doesn’t twirl. It doesn’t scoop. In fact, it looks more like breakfast than dinner.

Meet testaroli, the world’s oldest known pasta — and possibly the most humble. Born sometime around the Roman Empire (so, way before TikTok food trends), testaroli hails from Lunigiana, a rugged region tucked between Tuscany and Liguria. It’s as ancient as it is simple: just water, flour, and salt — no eggs, no machines, no fancy bronze dies. Back in the day, peasants used spelt flour, but the minimalist recipe remains almost unchanged thousands of years later.

Here’s where it gets really fun: testaroli isn’t boiled first like “normal” pasta. Instead, it’s poured like a batter into a flat terracotta or cast-iron pot called a testo, which gives the pasta its name. Picture something between a skillet and a Dutch oven — sturdy, heavy, and made for life on the road (or, in this case, the fields). Shepherds and farmers would haul these pots around as they worked, using them to cook everything from bread to, yes, pancake-shaped pasta.

Once cooked, testaroli looks like a big, spongy crepe — slightly browned on the outside, soft and porous inside. It’s then cut into diamond or triangle shapes, dunked briefly in hot water (that’s the “pasta” part), and dressed however your heart desires.

Traditionally, it’s served simply: a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of cheese, and maybe a twist of black pepper. But modern versions might come with pesto (the local favorite), ragù, tomato and pecorino, or mushroom sauce. Think of it as the lovechild between a pancake, a dumpling, and a carb-lover’s dream.

If you’re already planning to hunt it down, fair warning: testaroli isn’t easy to find. A few Italian restaurants serve it, and you might catch it online if you dig deep enough — but your best bet? Make it yourself. A regular cast-iron skillet works beautifully, and it’s honestly one of the simplest ways to time travel back to ancient Italy without leaving your kitchen.

So next time someone says pasta is pasta, hit them with this fact: the world’s first pasta was a pancake. And honestly? The Romans were onto something.