Hand-Cut Tagliolini with Sicilian...Hand-Cut Tagliolini with Sicilian Red Prawn Tartare and Bronte Pistachio Pesto

Delicate hand-rolled egg pasta tossed in a vibrant, rich Sicilian pistachio pesto, crowned with pristine, sweet red prawn tartare and finished with a touch of citrus zest.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   On a clean work surface, shape the flour into a mound and make a deep well in the center. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks. Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs, gradually incorporating the flour from the inner walls until a thick paste forms. Knead by hand for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and velvety. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. 02

   To make the pesto, blanch the pistachios in boiling water for 60 seconds, drain, and immediately transfer to an ice bath. Peel off the skins to reveal the vibrant green nut. In a mortar and pestle (or small food processor), crush the pistachios with the blanched garlic, basil, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Slowly drizzle in 60ml of extra virgin olive oil while emulsifying until a rich, textured paste forms. Season to taste with sea salt and set aside.

3. 03

   Prepare the tartare: Finely dice the chilled red prawns. Gently fold them in a cold bowl with 15ml of olive oil, the organic lemon zest, and a pinch of Maldon sea salt. Cover and return to the refrigerator immediately to keep cold.

4. 04

   Roll out the rested pasta dough using a pasta machine to a thickness of about 1mm (typically setting 8). Lightly dust the sheets with flour, fold them gently, and hand-cut into thin tagliolini strands (about 2mm wide). Toss with a little semolina flour to prevent sticking.

5. 05

   Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the fresh tagliolini for exactly 90 seconds until al dente. Reserve 100ml of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

6. 06

   In a large pan over extremely low heat, combine the pistachio pesto with 60ml of the reserved pasta cooking water. Whisk to create a creamy, glossy emulsion. Off the heat, add the hot tagliolini and toss vigorously until every strand is beautifully glazed.

7. 07

   Using a carving fork and ladle, twirl the pasta into tight nests and place in the center of four warm shallow bowls. Crown each nest with a quenelle of the cold red prawn tartare. Garnish with micro-basil and a tiny drop of extra virgin olive oil.