An eggless pasta shape originating from Sardinia, just using simple fine semolina/semola flour and water! The Sardinian dialect name,which matches the process in creating this shape is ‘pizzicare’ which means ‘to pinch’.
INGREDIENTS:
Serves approx. 5-6
Pasta:
· 600g fine semolina/semola flour
· Pinch salt
· 300ml water, luke-warm or room temperature
· Cooking salt, to cook pasta in large pot
Sauce:
· 200g pancetta, chopped
· 5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
· 50g butter
· 1 medium onion
· 400g peas, fresh or frozen
· 400g That's Amore Ricotta Delicata
· Salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD:
Pasta:
1. Place flour onto a clean work surface or bowl and createa well in the centre. Add the salt and add a little of the water at a time inthe centre as you bring in the flour to start creating a soft dough and comestogether into a ball. Knead a few minutes until it starts to become smooth. The dough shouldn’t feel too wet/dry.
2. Wrap the dough or place in a container, set aside to restat least 20-30min. You can leave the dough to rest on the bench at room temperature if using shortly. If resting in fridge, bring back to roomtemperature before using.
3. Unwrap dough, knead briefly then cut into 4-5 portions. Work with one portion at a time and cover the remaining.
4. Roll into a long rope approx. thickness of a pencil then cut into 7-8cm pieces (similar width to the rolling board).
5. Place a piece at the handle end of a gnocchi/garganelli board. Using a pastry scraper, place over the top and roll the whole piece in one action along the board. This will create a ridge pattern all around.
6. Take the ends of the ridged piece, enclose to connect the ends and pinch to seal well.
7. Place onto a lightly floured tray and repeat this process with the remaining dough.
Sauce:
Pancetta prep - chop or small dice cut, sauté in a medium frypan to crisp lusciously. Take off heat and set aside. Onion prep –halve the onion, slice each half into 3 sections lengthways then thinly sliceacross.
Ricotta Delicata prep – in a bowl, place the ricotta and lightly whip or stir until it becomes creamy.
1. In a large frypan over medium heat, add the oil, butter, onion and sauté a 2-3min until softened.
2. Add the peas and cook 3-4min until slightly softened. Use a potato masher or hand blender to mash half the peas.
3. Add prepared ricotta delicata and combine well, add some pasta water if sauce is too thick or extra creaminess. (Optional: place halfthe sauce in a mini food processor to blend into a creamy sauce).
4. Add in garlic, and cook, stirring, until golden brown.Add in a ladle full of pasta water to stop garlic from becoming too brown. Reduce heat to medium low.
5. Once pasta is al dente, add into the skillet with garlic.Add pea ricotta mixture, along with pecorino, and stir until pasta is coated. Pour in ladles of the pasta water to create a silky saucy consistency. You mayneed quite a few ladles as the ricotta mixture can be thick.
6. Add a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. I like to add a generous amount of pepper! Mix to combine.
Cook the pasta:
Place a large saucepan of salted water over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the pasta and cook approx. 3-4min. When cooked, using ahandled colander, remove and add directly into the sauce. Mix through the sauce.
To Serve:
Top with a drizzle of olive oil and crispy pancetta. Enjoy!
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