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| Squid Ink Pasta with Cloudy Bay Clams |
love fresh pasta, one of my favourite memories from my food travels is of fresh pappardelle with wild boar sauce in Florence. There is just a better texture you get - some call it al-dente; I just call it delicious. This dish is one of my signatures at Depot and it epitomises the way I like to cook - fresh, fast and made to order. Prepare your pasta dough a day in advance and roll it on the day
Serves 4
Cloudy Bay Clams ingredients: 1 and 1/2 kilogram clams, diamond shell or tuatuas, small. 200 grams cured chorizo. 2 tablespoons olive oil. 1 shallot, thinly sliced. 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced. 400 grams tomatoes, vine or cherry. 3/4 cup sauvignon blanc. 3/4 cup chicken stock squid ink pasta. 100 grams unsalted butter, diced flat-leaf parsley, freshly picked chives, finely sliced crusty bread to serve
Cloudy Bay Clams recipe: Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Use a large wok with a tight fitting lid. The key to success on this dish is not to be afraid of heat. You need to create steam to open the clams, and you need intense heat to reduce the sauce and bring all the flavours together Rinse the clams under cold water and put aside to drain in a colander. Dice half the chorizo and finely slice the other half then set aside. Wash and quarter the tomatoes. Heat your wok over a high heat for 1-2 minutes. Do not allow the wok to become smoking hot. Add the olive oil and diced chorizo and fry to release some of the oils from the meat. Add the shallot, garlic and tomatoes, and continue to fry over a high heat until they begin to brown. Add the clams, and toss once or twice to combine the ingredients allowing the wok to get hot again. With the lid ready in hand, add the sauvignon blanc and quickly cover; being aware of the steam. Keeping the lid on, toss a few times, and cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the clams have opened. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 1 minute then remove from the heat. Blanch your linguine for 1-2 minutes, until slightly softened, strain and add to the wok (for prepared pasta follow the packets instructions). Add the diced butter and stir until combined. Add the herbs and sliced chorizo and stir once. Serve with crusty bread. By then, the cloudy bay clams is ready
This recipe is inspired by a Thomas Keller recipe for seven-yolk pasta. You can find a method of making the dough by hand in his cookbook The French Laundry
Squid Ink Pasta ingredients: 1 and 1/2 cups strong pasta flour. sea salt. 6 egg yolks. 1 egg. 1 and 1/2 teaspoons squid ink. 1 and 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. 1 and 1/2 teaspoons milk. extra flour for kneading
Squid Ink Pasta recipe: Blend the flour and salt in a food processor and make a well in the flour Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured bench and knead for at least 10 minutes, adding extra flour if needed until smooth when stretched between your fingers. Press into two flat rounds and cover with plastic wrap. Rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature or in the fridge overnight. Using a pasta roller, roll out to on the second smallest setting. Cut to your desired pasta shape. My favourite is linguine - the thickness of it is between spaghetti and fettuccine. By then, the Squid Ink Pasta with Cloudy Bay Clams is ready
