Pasta Point of No Return
Aug. 26th, 2019 08:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madbakerThis week's Resolution Recipe: Malfatti with Pancetta and Cherry Tomatoes.
2 cups whole-milk ricotta, drained
1 large egg, room temperature
6 oz parmesan, finely grated
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
4 oz pancetta, thinly sliced (I used house-made)
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 lemon
pepper to taste
Dust a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet generously with flour and set aside. Place ricotta in the center of cheesecloth, gather up the sides, and wring out any excess liquid. Transfer to a few sheets of paper towels and blot dry.
In a fud processor, pulse the ricotta, egg, parmesan, and salt to combine. Transfer to a large bowl and sift the flour over the mixture. Mix until just barely combined; try to not overmix. Scrape the mixture onto a floured surface and divide into four pieces. Roll each into a rope 3/4" diameter and cut each rope into 3/4" pieces. Place the dumplings on the prepared baking sheet.
Combine pancetta and 3 Tbsp oil in a cold large skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the pancetta is brown and crisp, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and reserve the skillet.
Meanwhile, bring a very large pot of water to a simmer. Working in batches if needed, cook the dumplings until they expand in size and float to the surface, about 3 minutes.
Ladle about 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid into the reserved skillet and add the dumplings, tomatoes, and butter. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring gently (don't toss as it will cause the dumplings to disintegrate). Remove from heat and season with pepper.
Divide the malfatti among eight bowls. Finely grate lemon zest over, drizzle with oil, and top with pancetta and more grated parmesan.
What worked: They tasted okay. It was a nice contrast of colors. They were similar to gnocchi and easier to make. They lived up to their name ("badly formed"). It used a package of the house-cured pancetta, of which we have a lot.
What didn't: They disintegrated a bit and glopped together rather than staying as discrete dumplings; I suspect the culprit is the ricotta still being a bit too liquidy.
Frankly, they weren't that interesting. The curvy upstairs neighbor suggested using sheep ricotta or goat ricotta, either of which might provide more flavor. I suggested using a hard goat cheese instead of parmesan. Although at that point we're veering into the 14th c. cheese gnocchi territory and I might as well just make those...
Will I make it again? I won't rule it out, but since it's not high on my priority list I probably won't.
2 cups whole-milk ricotta, drained
1 large egg, room temperature
6 oz parmesan, finely grated
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
4 oz pancetta, thinly sliced (I used house-made)
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 lemon
pepper to taste
Dust a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet generously with flour and set aside. Place ricotta in the center of cheesecloth, gather up the sides, and wring out any excess liquid. Transfer to a few sheets of paper towels and blot dry.
In a fud processor, pulse the ricotta, egg, parmesan, and salt to combine. Transfer to a large bowl and sift the flour over the mixture. Mix until just barely combined; try to not overmix. Scrape the mixture onto a floured surface and divide into four pieces. Roll each into a rope 3/4" diameter and cut each rope into 3/4" pieces. Place the dumplings on the prepared baking sheet.
Combine pancetta and 3 Tbsp oil in a cold large skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the pancetta is brown and crisp, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and reserve the skillet.
Meanwhile, bring a very large pot of water to a simmer. Working in batches if needed, cook the dumplings until they expand in size and float to the surface, about 3 minutes.
Ladle about 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid into the reserved skillet and add the dumplings, tomatoes, and butter. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring gently (don't toss as it will cause the dumplings to disintegrate). Remove from heat and season with pepper.
Divide the malfatti among eight bowls. Finely grate lemon zest over, drizzle with oil, and top with pancetta and more grated parmesan.
What worked: They tasted okay. It was a nice contrast of colors. They were similar to gnocchi and easier to make. They lived up to their name ("badly formed"). It used a package of the house-cured pancetta, of which we have a lot.
What didn't: They disintegrated a bit and glopped together rather than staying as discrete dumplings; I suspect the culprit is the ricotta still being a bit too liquidy.
Frankly, they weren't that interesting. The curvy upstairs neighbor suggested using sheep ricotta or goat ricotta, either of which might provide more flavor. I suggested using a hard goat cheese instead of parmesan. Although at that point we're veering into the 14th c. cheese gnocchi territory and I might as well just make those...
Will I make it again? I won't rule it out, but since it's not high on my priority list I probably won't.
