Tagliolini al Ricci di...Tagliolini al Ricci di Mare e Limone d'Amalfi

Delicate hand-cut egg tagliolini tossed in a creamy, emulsified sea urchin butter, brightened with fresh Amalfi lemon and finished with a crispy, herb-infused sourdough pangrattato.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the pasta, mound the '00' flour on a clean wooden board. Make a wide well in the center and pour in the egg yolks. Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs, gradually incorporating the flour from the inner walls. Knead by hand for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic film and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. 02

   Roll the rested dough through a pasta machine down to the thinnest setting. Dust lightly with semolina flour, fold, and slice into thin tagliolini strands (about 2mm wide). Toss with additional semolina and arrange in small nests on a baking sheet; cover with a damp towel.

3. 03

   Prepare the herb pangrattato: Heat 15ml of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic clove and the sourdough breadcrumbs. Toast, stirring constantly, until golden and crunchy (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat, discard the garlic, stir in the thyme leaves, and season with sea salt. Transfer to paper towels.

4. 04

   For the sea urchin butter, place 100g of the sea urchin tongues and 80g of softened butter in a small food processor. Process until completely emulsified and smooth. Set aside at room temperature. Reserve the remaining 50g of whole sea urchin tongues for plating.

5. 05

   In a large skillet over low heat, combine the remaining 30ml of extra virgin olive oil, the sliced garlic, and the Calabrian chili paste. Cook gently for 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Add the white wine, turn the heat to medium-low, and reduce the liquid by half.

6. 06

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the fresh tagliolini for exactly 90 seconds. Reserve 240ml (1 cup) of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.

7. 07

   Remove the skillet with the wine reduction from the heat. Pour in 120ml (1/2 cup) of the hot pasta water and vigorously whisk in the sea urchin butter until a velvety, bright orange emulsion forms.

8. 08

   Add the drained pasta, lemon juice, and half of the lemon zest to the skillet. Toss gently over low heat for 30 seconds to coat the tagliolini, adding a splash of the remaining pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.

9. 09

   To serve, twirl the pasta into tight nests using a carving fork and ladle, then transfer to warm, shallow bowls. Top each nest with the reserved whole sea urchin tongues, a sprinkle of fresh chives, the crispy sourdough pangrattato, and the remaining lemon zest. Serve immediately.