Spoja Lorda: You Dirty Bitter Swine

A Ravenna Revelation....

After spending several days in Sicily and Calabria with friends, I decided to take a little time for myself before heading home. I went to Ravenna, a place I had never been but always wanted to see. The mosaics were the draw, of course, but so was the idea of slowing down for just a few days in a smaller city filled with quiet beauty and centuries of art.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Wine Pairing

By the time evening came, I had walked nearly fifteen miles through winding streets and glowing Byzantine chapels. I wasn’t in the mood for anything elaborate, just a comforting meal close to my hotel. A small restaurant on a nearby side street caught my eye, and on the menu was something unfamiliar: Spoja Lorda. What was it and why had I never heard of it before?

It arrived simply dressed with pancetta and radicchio, and from the first bite I was completely taken. The pasta was delicate and silky, the filling creamy and tangy, the pancetta crisp and savory. The radicchio brought just the right touch of bitterness to balance everything. It was so unassuming and so perfectly composed that I knew I had to recreate it when I got home.

I decided if I were to give it a name of my own, it would be "You Dirty Bitter Swine", a playful nod to its humble roots and the way something simple can linger in your memory long after the last bite.

The “Dirty” Pasta of Romagna

Spoja Lorda is one of those dishes that perfectly captures the soul of Emilia-Romagna’s cucina povera, where humble ingredients become something extraordinary through care and tradition. The name means “dirty pasta,” a reference to the way the filling is spread in the thinnest layer possible before another sheet of pasta is laid on top and cut into small squares. Traditionally, it is served in broth, but in Ravenna it took on a new life paired with pancetta and radicchio, transforming something delicate into a dish of quiet indulgence.

My family comes from the Emilia side of Emilia-Romagna in Parma, the Alta Val Taro inland region known for its rich meats, filled pastas, and the deep comfort of broths that seem to cure everything from the common cold to homesickness. Growing up, I ate tortellini in brodo and anolini in brodo, both from that Emilian tradition. Enjoying them was always a favorite little celebration.

Spoja Lorda, on the other hand, comes from Romagna, the coastal side that looks toward the Adriatic. The food there feels a little lighter, a little more coastal, but carries the same heart. It’s fascinating how just 100 miles can change the way people fold dough, shape pasta, and season their tables. I’ve included a map below so you can see how close these two worlds are. Neighbors divided only by the Apennines and centuries of culinary individuality.

You Dirty Bitter Swine Recipe

serves 6-8

Ingredients

The Pasta:

• 6 large eggs

• 575 g "00" Italian flour (1.25 lbs.)

• Rimacinata Semolina flour for dusting

The Filling:

• 200 g ricotta con latte (7 oz.)

• 200 g marscapone cheese (7 oz.)

• 200 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (7 oz.)

• 3 large eggs

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

The Sauce:

• 350 g pancetta (or guanciale) thinly sliced (12 oz.)

• 350 g radicchio sliced (12 oz.)

• pasta water

• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Instructions

Make the Pasta Dough:

• Mound the “00” flour on your work surface. Create a well in the center and crack the eggs into it.

• Using a fork, gently incorporate the flour into the eggs in a circular motion.

• Once the mixture is firm enough to prevent the eggs from spilling out, use a dough scraper to continue combining.

• Knead by hand for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Wrap it up and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Make the Filling:

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Make the Sporja Lorda:

• Divide the dough into three pieces, keeping the pieces you are not working with covered so they don’t dry out.

• Starting with the widest setting, gradually roll the dough through each number until it reaches the second or third to thinnest setting on your pasta machine. Run it through that setting twice. Dust with semolina flour as needed to prevent sticking.  You should be able to see your hand through it.

• Cut the sheet in half and spread one-third of the filling over one piece of dough, using a spatula or knife to make sure it is thin and even.

• Cover it with the other sheet, pat it down, and prick it with a fork to remove any air bubbles.

• Using a fluted ravioli wheel, cut the pasta into 1.5 to 2 cm squares (1/2” to 3/4”). Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment or a clean towel dusted with semolina.

Putting it all together:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

• In a large sauté pan, cook the pancetta or guanciale over medium heat until crisp. Drain most of the fat, then add the radicchio and cook until wilted. Turn off the heat.

• When the pasta water is boiling, drop in the pasta and cook about 3-4 minutes.

• Scoop out the squares and add them directly to the pan with the pancetta and radicchio, along with two or three ladles of pasta water. Continue to simmer and toss gently for a minute or two until everything comes together.

• Serve immediately with plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

  
  

The Wine

This dish calls for a wine with freshness, minerality, and quiet depth — something that can meet the creamy filling and savory pancetta while echoing the radicchio’s gentle bitterness. Le Monde Ribolla Gialla was the perfect match.

Le Monde’s vineyards stretch across the gravelly plains of Friuli Grave, where constant breezes and mineral soils shape wines of clarity and finesse. Their Ribolla Gialla opens with aromas of lemon peel, white peach, and wildflowers, then deepens into hints of almond and sea salt on the finish. Its crisp acidity lifts the richness of the pasta, while that faint, savory bitterness resonates with the radicchio.

The wine feels like sunlight glancing off water, bright and tranquil at once. It doesn’t compete with the food, it simply understands it, creating harmony that lingers long after the last sip.

A Simple Ending

There is something deeply comforting about the way certain moments find you when you least expect them. A quiet restaurant, a bowl of pasta, a glass of wine that seems to speak the same language as the food. You Dirty Bitter Swine was never meant to be a grand creation, only a memory I wanted to honor. But perhaps that is what makes it special.

It is a reminder that beauty often comes from simplicity, from curiosity, and from the desire to taste the world one place at a time.

Ribolla Gialla and Le Monde

Ribolla Gialla has been part of Friuli’s landscape for centuries, rooted in the gentle hills near the Slovenian border where vineyards roll toward the Adriatic. It is a grape of quiet strength, known for its delicate floral perfume, crisp acidity, and that faint almond finish that feels both familiar and mysterious. Its character comes from the region’s stony soils, ancient layers of gravel and marl that give the wines their purity and mineral edge.

Le Monde has been part of that landscape since 1970, when the Maccan family began restoring the estate’s historic vineyards and cellars. Their philosophy has always been to let nature take the lead, capturing the authenticity of Friuli through patience and precision. Each vintage reflects balance, restraint, and a respect for the land that feels entirely in tune with the spirit of Ribolla Gialla.

There is an honesty in Le Monde’s wines. A quiet confidence that mirrors the region itself. Their Ribolla Gialla brings freshness to each bite, balance to each flavor, and that same sense of harmony I first felt in Ravenna, when a simple bowl of pasta became an unforgettable moment.

Jump to Recipe