Timbuktu and Gao Katta Pasta

In Timbuktu and Gao, katta is an unusual kind of pasta made with local wheat flour. It is produced by women who also make other delicious food such as bread (wadjila, tukasu, and takula) and luttre – beef sausages enriched with various spices and garlic.

In order to make katta pasta, the women first form a ball of dough, then tear off small pieces and roll them between two fingers. The thin, short threads of pasta are dried in the shade for 24 hours, then toasted in a pan until they develop a brownish-yellow color.

The pasta can be eaten immediately, but if that’s not the case, it can also be stored in jars or bags. Traditionally, katta is cooked in a sauce made with tomatoes, spices, dried fish, and either mutton or beef. This advanced dish is made by women, either for important guests or special occasions such as Mawlud, Eid ul-Fitr, and Ramadan.