Trofie Pasta With Ligurian Pesto Recipes

TROFIE PASTA WITH LIGURIAN PESTO

Steps:

• For the trofie pasta: Mix the 2 flours and knead them with around 1/2 cup water and a pinch of salt. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, covered with a cloth or bowl. Remove a few little pieces at a time from the dough (about the size of chickpeas). Roll them up in your hands, holding the top of each piece and twirling them. Then flatten them with your hands, pressing each piece slightly with a diagonal movement.
• For the pesto: Crush the garlic clove in a mortar with a few grains of coarse salt. Add the pine nuts and basil, crushing them gently with a pestle. Incorporate the grated parmesan and pecorino cheese. Finally, mix in the oil. If you prefer using a blender, start by creating an emulsion with the pine nuts, chopped garlic and a little oil. Then add the basil and the rest of the oil. Finish by mixing in the cheeses with a spoon.
• Cook the trofie in boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes. Drain when cooked al dente and season with the pesto, diluting it with 1-2 Tbsp. of pasta cooking water.

TROFIE AL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine flour, 1/4 cup water, eggs, olive oil, and salt for pasta in the bowl of a food processor; pulse a few times until just combined. Pinch dough to see if it sticks together and forms a small clump. If it's dry or crumbly, add more water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, just until the dough forms a ball.
• Dump dough onto a floured surface. Knead until dough is smooth and bounces back when you poke it. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator and pull off a small chunk, about 1/2 teaspoon or smaller. Place dough at the bottom of a wooden cutting board and starting with the tips or your fingers, firmly roll up the board, like you are rolling the dough into a tube. Once the dough is at the base of your palm, keep pressure on it and pull it back and down the board, diagonally at a 45-degree angle to create a spiral shape. Repeat until all dough has been shaped.
• Combine garlic and pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor; process until sandy in texture. Add basil and oil and process until smooth. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until combined. Taste and add salt if needed.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add trofie and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Toss cooked trofie with pesto and serve immediately.