When I get a craving for pesto, nothing else can possibly satisfy me. I don't care if it's mid-February and there's not a basil leaf to be found - I must have it.
So when I woke up yesterday with this unfortunate wanting for something I could not have, I decided to give good ol' rocket a try. I also had long beans in the fridge, so I used them instead of haricot vert. I must give a brief warning, this is not a quickfire recipe. I didn't leave the kitchen for over 3 hours. But, with a bottle of crisp white wine at hand, it really doesn't get better than mashing fresh pesto and feeling the cut pasta pass through your fingers.
Ingredients:
Pesto:
6 big handfuls of organic baby arugula
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
approx. 3/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil
2 egg yolks (try to get the freshest organic eggs you can find)
1/2 cup Pecorino Tuscano Fresco, finely shredded
1/2 cup Pecorino Antico Mugello, finely shredded
2 handfuls of dark green long beans, chopped into 3 inch pieces
Fresh Fettucini:
2 cups organic semolina flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 brown, organic eggs
1 tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
cold water
Green Garlic Bread:
Rustic Baguette
3 stalks of green garlic
pinch of salt
extra virgin olive oil
Fresh Oregano
First - The Pasta
I used a Kitchen Aid stand mixer this time around, but I often make pasta by adding the eggs to a well in the flour. Either way is fine...
- Pour the two flours and the salt into the bowl of the mixer.
- Beat together the eggs and the olive oil in a separate bowl.
- Put the mixer on low, and slowly add the egg mixture.
- Slowly start adding cold water. I used about one cup. When the dough starts to come together, you've added enough water.
When the dough pulls away from the bowl, put it on a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 10 minutes. Then, form it into a ball and cover it with a damp towel. Let it rest while you make the pesto.
Second - The Pesto
Baby Organic Arugula, from Monterey Market in Berkeley.
I am a firm believer that pesto should only be made with a pestle and mortar. When using a food processor, the flavors don't quite meld the same way, and, I feel, you don't get the same appreciation for the food.
- Toast the pine nuts and walnuts in a cast iron skillet. They should be lightly browned.
- Add the garlic and a pinch of salt to the mortar, and crush it into a paste.
- Add the nuts to the mortar a little at a time, and keep pounding until the entire mixture looks like a thick peanut butter.
- Add the arugula in batches (this takes a while). You can roughly chop the leaves before adding them. Keep mashing until it looks like a thick paste.
- Add half of each of the cheeses and crush until combined.
This is what my pesto looks like up to this point. I like it nice and green so the garlic doesn't overpower the arugula.
Remove the pestle and add the olive oil in a slow stream while stirring. It should be thick, so don't get carried away. My measurement of 3/4 cup is an approximation.
If it tastes good to you, leave it alone and get back to the pasta. Transfer it to a bowl – you'll need the mortar and pestle for the green garlic.
Cutting the Fettucini
I used a pasta machine for this, but feel free to cut it by hand if you prefer.
Unwrap the dough and divide it into about 5 pieces.
Taking one piece at a time, pass it through the first setting of the pasta machine. Fold the ends of the dough onto itself, like a letter, and put it through again. Repeat this two or three times on the same setting.
Set the machine to the second setting, and put it through again. Repeat through the second to last setting, dusting with flour often so the dough doesn't stick. You should now have a long, thin sheet of pasta. I cut the sheet into pieces that are 14 inches long when making fettucini.
Pass the dough through the fettucini cutter. Place the noodles on a floured surface and move on to the next piece of dough. This makes about 1 1/2 pounds of pasta. Since I was only cooking for Alejandro and myself, I froze half the pasta. I know what you're thinking... but we were REALLY hungry!
Getting tired yet? Now onto the bread and the beans, which I prepared simultaneously.
Long Beans
- Put on a large pot of water to boil, with a generous amount of salt.
- Meanwhile, wash and cut the long beans into pieces about 3 inches long.
- When the water boils, throw the beans in for about 4 minutes. Remove with tongs and place into an ice bath to stop them from cooking. Set aside. Keep the water boiling because you're going to use it for the pasta.
Crusty Bread with Green Garlic Puree and Fresh Oregano
Preheat oven to 350F.
- Slice bread in half and place on a baking sheet. Put it in the oven for 5 minutes, while you prepare the green garlic.
- Remove the dark green ends of the green garlic, and roughly chop the rest.
- Place in the mortar with a pinch of salt and start mashing. Add about 2 tbls. of olive oil and keep mashing until it looks like green mush.
- Roughly chop the leaves of fresh oregano and set aside. I used about 1 tbls.
- Take the bread out of the oven and lightly coat it with the green garlic mixture.
- Then sprinkle with the oregano, and put back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Keep an eye out so the oregano doesn't burn.
Now the fun part.
Cook the fettucini in the boiling water for about 4 minutes. It cooks very quickly, so start tasting it after about 2 minutes.
- Remove 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water before you drain it. Beat together 2 egg yolks, the rest of the cheeses, and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. This mixture will thicken up the sauce.
- Drain the pasta. Put it back in the pot and gently stir in the pesto and the long beans. I had about 2 tbls. of pesto left over, but you can use as much as you want.
- Stir in the egg and cheese mixture, and the remaining pasta water. You should now have a beautifully creamy pesto.
Dish out and serve with the crusty bread. Although very different from traditional basil pesto, it definitely hit the spot. Serves 4 - the two of us had plenty left over.
Tips and Changes:
- I don't think I'd use long beans again. They were a bit too bitter for the flavor of the arugula. I'll stick with haricot vert.
- When rolling out the pasta, if the dough starts to fall apart you may be overcrowding the machine. Use a smaller piece and try again.
- I love my pasta spicy, and freshly crushed red pepper is a great garnish to this dish. It adds a new layer to the flavorful greens, and some welcomed red to a very green plate.
Where I shopped (all in Berkeley, CA):
Organic Arugula: Monterey Market
Pine Nuts and Walnuts: Monterey Market
Long Beans: Berkeley Bowl
Organic Semolina Flour: Berkeley Bowl
Pecorino Cheeses: Berkeley Bowl
Fresh Oregano: Tuesday Farmers' Market
Green Garlic: Tuesday Farmers' Market
