Recipes Suggested By Chefs

Salt cod Tortello puttanesca, with olives and capers from Pantelleria

Recipe type: Pasta
Serves:
4
Preparation time:
1 hour
Resting time:
1 hour

Ingredients

For the fresh pasta
3 cups Italian organic 00 soft wheat flour
2/3 cup organic semolina
8 egg yolks
2 whole eggs, cracked open and lightly beaten
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt

For the filling
10 ½ ounces soaked, and desalted, salt cod fillet (skin and any bones removed)
8 ounces peeled, diced, potatoes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (preferably a delicate one)
1 teaspoon, or to taste salt
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
¼ heavy or whipping cream
Parsley to taste
White wine, as needed

For the sauce
1 clove of garlic, lightly crushed but still mostly whole
4/5 parsley stems, chopped
1 anchovy, chopped
4-6 tablespoons capers
1 lb datterini tomatoes, chopped, or 14-15 oz canned small tomatoes, plus their juices
1 cup pitted, chopped Gaeta (or other flavorful black olives such as Kalamata) olives,

Method

Method for the fresh pasta
Combine the soft wheat flour with the semolina and place on a work surface.
Make a well, put the egg yolks and lightly beaten eggs in the center, along with the olive oil. Work mixture well, until it forms a smooth dough.
Cover with plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator for an hour or so, to rest.

Method for Filling
Poach the cod, (reserving the water, which will be used later).
In a tall saucepan, sauté the chopped shallot, then stir in the diced potatoes and steamed cod, cooking together for a minute or two.
Pour in the wine, raise heat and cook until evaporated, then add the cream and a little of the cooking water. Simmer gently until the potato falls apart and then work everything with a whisk, until you get a full-bodied mixture. Finally, add some finely chopped parsley as you like.

Method for the sauce
Sauté the garlic in a skillet with the extra virgin olive oil, when it is golden, remove it and add the parsley stalks, the anchovy, the capers and the tomatoes then cook for about ten minutes. Add the olives and set aside.

Method for the Tortelli
Take the dough from the fridge and using a rolling pin, roll into sheets of pasta about 1/16 inch thick (or thinner).

Cut the dough into circles about 1 1/4-1 ½ inches in diameter.
Place the filling in a piping bag. Wet the edges of each circle then pipe in a tablespoon or more of the filling into the center of each. Top with a second dough circle, also with its edges wet. Press the edges together with your fingers, and using a fork press to seal the filling inside.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add salt, then add the tortelli and cook for about three minutes.
Drain gently, then place the tortelli in the skillet with the sauce. Over a medium heat, toss them gently to heat through together, for 1 or so minutes.
Plate the tortelli and finish with a sprinkling of parsley.

Enjoy to Viviana Mattocoli!