Handmade Pasta

The Chinese have their noodles, the Italians have their pasta, and while they argue about who came up with the idea first, let me tell you about Galaamuddo or Kalaamuddo as some call it.

Galaamuddo is somewhat reminiscent of the Italian pasta known as Pici, but there are differences. The Bravanese (Brava, Somalia) mix broth into the dough which imparts a flavour to the noodles. The noodles are then cooked in broth providing a second layer of flavour. The noodles are also much shorter than Pici and are rolled in the palms of the hands.

For the Bravanese, this is comfort food at its best. The process of rolling piles of noodles to feed a large extended family is time consuming to say the least. The average Bravanese household had upwards of 20 inhabitants and my paternal grandparents’ house in Brava housed more than 30 people.

The task was often turned into an occasion for storytelling, or singing, as family members gathered in a circle around a woven mat, each of them sitting on a low stool (chigaambari) as they rolled the noodles in their hands.

Traditionally, the meat of choice for the broth was oxtail, but goat or lamb are used by some. My mother-in-law, Maedo Bakari, uses vegetable stock for the Galaamuddo dough and then cooks the noodles in a broth made from beef ribs. I had my share of Galaamuddo dishes but none can compare to hers. Period.

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