Le nonne going for kitchen gold
Something fun arrived in the world of pasta this week. For the upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter
Olympics, their team created a pasta shape inspired by one of the most famous symbols in the world: the five interlocking Olympic rings.
These little pasta rings are made from the finest Italian wheat and crafted with care, each one linking gently to the next — just like the way pasta brings families together around the table. And of course, as the Olympic torch has been handed on for generations in the sport, recipes have been handed down by grandmothers.
Rita, Adriana and Brunilde are friends who dance, sing and cook together in their hometown of Cingoli, close to where Vicky’s house is in Marche. As we often find, we enter our grandmothers’ houses as guests, and leave as friends and whenever we return to the area, they invite us back. These three are full of spirit; they belong to a folk group, and organise an annual sagra (food festival) for their local residents. The three of them come together with the community to stage plays in dialect and to dance, and even when there isn’t a festa on, it always feels like a party when we’re with them. So we caught up with these three specific grandmothers who took this new pasta shape, and created their own dishes around the recipe for us.
Nonna Brunilde
Brunilde was a housewife; she had 4 sons so she had to work from home, making jerseys and trousers. She makes her staple ragù with sausage and guanciale with the Olympic pasta. Watching her with the pot is a treat; she makes it look as effortless as a skier schooshing down a black mogul field. When asked what her favourite sport is, her answer is football, not only because she likes the game play, but because it’s a chance for her to bond with her sons and grandchildren. They especially like it when the world cup is one. Forza Italia!
Nonna Adriana
Adriana is particularly skilled in the saltarello and the scarpetta dances, typical of Cingoli, and she loves teaching her grandchildren. Nonna Adriana says she’s a bigger sports fan than her husband, and when she’s not fixated on figure skating or football, she’s cooking. She loves to make classic dishes. For her Olympic pasta she’s paired it with a fennel and pork sauce. It’s great for athletes, although watch her video to the end and you’ll see there’s a splash of an ingredient that might not get past a kitchen dope-test. Don’t drink and ski, friends.
Nonna Rita
Nonna Rita used to work in a factory, with sewing machines, and then she worked as a school caretaker for 35 years so she’s very nifty with her hands. In her retirement, she loves to watch skiing even though she’s never tried out her ski legs. When she’s not in front of the box, she’s preparing food for her family and friends. Her vegetarian dish with potatoes, onions, and cabbage is a hearty, filling plate – perfect for anyone who’s about to head up the mountain. And honestly, we recommend making this dish before tuning in to the slalom competition, you’ll work up an appetite just watching them.
Liked this? Why not see what else we’ve been up to on our travels recently in Abruzzo, or if you fancy staying in the mountains, read about Michaella’s dinner with her neighbours in village her family visit in Tuscany here. For more longer reads from our travels, visit our blog archive.
