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
- Blanch the spinach, refreshing it in ice water. Squeeze the spinach to remove all moisture and puree it with the egg.
- Pass the spinach mixture through a strainer to make the puree as smooth as possible.
- In a bowl, combine the flour and semolina, mixing with a fork to disperse.
- Make a well in the centre and slowly add the spinach mixture, in circular motions, gradually incorporating more flour.
- 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.
- 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.
- Press into shape using a thick wooden skewer. For getting decorative ridges on the pasta, shape it on a mildly ridged surface.
To Assemble
- Start boiling well salted water in a large pot.
- Separately, heat olive oil and sauté garlic. Add the stock and simmer the sauce.
- Add the Parmesan and whisk it in to create a smooth sauce.
- Toss in all the peas and cook the sauce.
- Add the pasta to the boiling salted water and allow it to cook till it starts floating on top of the water.
- Strain the pasta and add to the sauce. Fold gently and season to taste.
- Turn off the heat and add the butter cubes and stir it in to finish.
- Garnish with pea shoots, shaved Parmesan and truffle oil.