I always considered fusilli a funny shape and now that my daughter is a big fan, I cook them every week. This new relationship I have with fusilli has opened new possibilities
Only now I realize that not only fusilli are funny and easy to eat (that’s why kids love them) but they’re amongst the best pasta shapes to collect brilliantly your sauce, and that’s a very big plus when you are a pasta lover like I am.
For this recipe, I paired the beautiful fusilli from Rustichella d’Abruzzo with a cavolo nero (Italian Cabbage similar to curly kale) pesto, definitely a more grown up variation to the famous basil pesto, and also a good way to get your daily quota of vegetables in. This hearty pesto is topped with a smoked ricotta sauce that gives a brilliant depth to the dish and plays well with the grassy notes of the cavolo nero and toasted almonds for the crunch and optional chili too.
Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
400 g of Fusilli ‘Rustichella d’Abruzzo’
150 ml of cream
150 gr of smoked ricotta (works with other smoked cheeses too)
Dried chili to garnish
Chopped almonds to garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
For the pesto
200 gr of cavolo nero
50 ml of extra virgin olive oil
40 gr of grated Grana Padano cheese
15 gr of almonds
1 garlic clove
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Start by preparing the pesto and remember any leftover can be kept for up to 3/4 days in the fridge well covered.
Trim the cavolo nero and remove the woody stalks. You only need the leaves and the tender parts of the stem. Rinse well and cook in salted boiling water for about 2/3 minutes until soft. Cool immediately in iced water to retain the color then drain well but do not over-squeeze.
To prepare the pesto blend the cooked leaves with the oil and all the other ingredients using a processor or blender until you have a grainy paste. If necessary, add a little of the cooking water to make it smoother. Check the seasoning and place it aside.
Now prepare the smoked ricotta sauce.
Gently heat the cream until just reaching the boiling point. Now crumble the ricotta into it, turn off the stove and mix to let the remaining heat melt the cheese gently. If necessary, you can of course blend the sauce until smooth. Check the seasoning and keep warm.
Drop the Fusilli in salted boiling water and cook until al dente following the packet instructions. When ready, drain the pasta but retain some of the cooking water.
Now in a bowl away from the heat toss the pasta with the cavolo nero pesto, add a splash of pasta water to losing it up and mix well until the fusilli are creamy and well coated with the pesto. Season to taste and plate in shallow bowls. You have to do this step away from the stove as the pesto is meant to stay fresh and vibrant in color and the excessive heat will prevent that.
Top the fusilli with drizzles of warm smoked ricotta sauce, a touch of dried chili (flakes or powdered) and toasted chopped almonds and enjoy straight away.
Recipe by Danilo Cortellini
Ingredients (Serves: 4)
400g of Spaghetti Rustichella d’Abruzzo, 2 whole eggs, 4 egg yolks, 50g grated pecorino cheese, 90g grated Grana Padano riserva cheese, 400g of guanciale (or pancetta), salt and black pepper to taste.
Preparation
Remove the rind from the guanciale, slice in ½ cm thick slices, and chop into thick strips. Gently fry the guanciale in a pan on low heat. This will slowly render the fat and the guanciale will crisp up to golden perfection. When done in about 10/15 minutes, drain the guanciale from the fat and pat dry on kitchen paper. Dispose correctly 3 quarters of the fat left in the pan and keep the rest to dress the pasta.
To create the sabayon, whisk the yolks, the whole eggs, and the grated cheeses in a large bowl. Now place the bowl on a bain-marie and cook gently while whisking to reach a thick custard-like consistency. It should take about 2/3 minutes. Never allow the water to reach the boiling point or it will scramble the eggs. It is not essential, but if you have a kitchen thermometer it will help you during this step as the sabayon will be ready when reached a temperature of about 62 degrees Celsius.
Drop the Spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water and cook until ‘al dente’ for about 9 minutes. Mix every now and then. Drain the pasta and make sure to save a mug of the cooking water. Place the pasta into the pan with the remaining fat and mix well. Away from the heat add the sabayon to the pasta and after that add a splash of pasta water to losing it up and reach a creamy sauce consistency. Stir and toss the pasta in the sauce to make sure it is well coated. Add the crispy guanciale and abundant freshly ground black pepper. Plate in large pasta bowls and top with extra grated cheese!
Recipe by Danilo Cortellini
