This hearty, chewy pasta is as warm as it is friendly. It comes from the southern region of Italy, specifically Puglia, which also gave us the small, spindly Cavatelli. Inspired by the young green produce of spring, this dish includes an abundance of fresh vegetables, including young peas and spinach. Ideal comfort food.

  • Serves

    4

  • Cook Time

    1h

    Plus 5-10 minutes for pasta to rest

Ingredients

  • 300 gm Spinach Pasta (recipe included)
  • 150 gm Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 120 gm green peas
  • 80 gm snap peas
  • 50 gm chilled butter, unsalted and cubed
  • 160 ml vegetable stock
  • 50 ml olive oil
  • 25 ml truffle oil
  • Some pea shoots
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • Water for blanching pasta
  • Salt for blanching pasta

For Pasta Dough

  • 500 gm flour
  • 100 gm spinach, cleaned
  • 20 gm semolina
  • 10 ml olive oil
  • 5 eggs (for eggless version, substitute eggs with 250 ml water)

Preparation

For Pasta Dough

  1. Blanch the spinach, refreshing it in ice water. Squeeze the spinach to remove all moisture and puree it with the egg.
  2. Pass the spinach mixture through a strainer to make the puree as smooth as possible.
  3. In a bowl, combine the flour and semolina, mixing with a fork to disperse.
  4. Make a well in the centre and slowly add the spinach mixture, in circular motions, gradually incorporating more flour.
  5. As the mixture comes together, start kneading the dough, till it is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. Cover with plastic wrap to allow the dough to relax.
  6. Once ready, take about one-eighth of the dough and roll it into a long strand approximately half inch in diameter. Cut it into sections about 3 cm long.
  7. Press into shape using a thick wooden skewer. For getting decorative ridges on the pasta, shape it on a mildly ridged surface.

To Assemble

  1. Start boiling well salted water in a large pot.
  2. Separately, heat olive oil and sauté garlic. Add the stock and simmer the sauce.
  3. Add the Parmesan and whisk it in to create a smooth sauce.
  4. Toss in all the peas and cook the sauce.
  5. Add the pasta to the boiling salted water and allow it to cook till it starts floating on top of the water.
  6. Strain the pasta and add to the sauce. Fold gently and season to taste.
  7. Turn off the heat and add the butter cubes and stir it in to finish.
  8. Garnish with pea shoots, shaved Parmesan and truffle oil.
Rahul Akerkar

Rahul Akerkar

Rahul Akerkar is the chef-founder of Qualia, Mumbai, and he is Scroll Food’s Chef of the Month for June. He started his culinary journey 35 years ago in the US, returning to India in 1989. Since then, he has been busy changing the way we eat. Known for setting industry trends with his creative, ingredient-driven cuisine, and warm attentive hospitality, Rahul’s award-winning restaurants secured his position as one of India’s first successful, chef-restaurateurs. In his career, he has won many accolades – he was featured in Asiaweek’s Survey of “Kitchen Gods” in 2001 and was 28 on San Pellegrino’s List of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2013. More recently, he won Chef of The Year at the Times Food Awards 2016, Mumbai. He has been guest chef in several kitchens around the world, authored numerous articles, and frequently consults to the food and hospitality industry.

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