Squid Ink Tagliolini with...Squid Ink Tagliolini with Red Prawn Tartare and Pistachio Pesto

An avant-garde Italian coastal masterpiece featuring delicate homemade squid ink pasta, pristine Sicilian red prawn tartare, rich Bronte pistachio pesto, and a velvety burrata cream.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Make the Pasta Dough: Mound the Tipo 00 flour on a clean wooden board and create a deep well in the center. Add the egg yolks, whole egg, and squid ink to the well. Gently whisk the wet ingredients with a fork, gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls until a paste forms. Knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. 02

   Prepare the Pistachio Pesto: Blanch the pistachios in boiling water for 1 minute, drain, and shock in ice water. Slip off the skins to reveal bright green nuts. Transfer to a high-speed blender along with the blanched basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, 50ml of olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water. Blend until ultra-smooth and vibrant green. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside in the fridge.

3. 03

   Create the Burrata Cream: In a clean blender, combine the burrata cheese and heavy cream. Blend on high until completely smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh chinois for a silky, cloud-like texture. Season lightly with salt and store at room temperature.

4. 04

   Prepare the Red Prawn Tartare: Hand-dice the raw red prawns into precise 5mm cubes. In a chilled glass bowl, gently fold the diced prawns with the remaining 20ml of olive oil, Meyer lemon zest, and a pinch of Maldon flaky salt. Cover and keep cold in the refrigerator.

5. 05

   Roll and Cut the Pasta: Divide the rested pasta dough into four portions. Roll each portion through a pasta machine, gradually decreasing the thickness settings until reaching setting 7 (about 1mm thick). Dust lightly with semolina, fold the sheet loosely, and cut into 2mm wide tagliolini. Toss gently to separate the strands.

6. 06

   Cook the Tagliolini: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the fresh tagliolini for exactly 90 seconds. Drain, reserving 60ml of the starchy pasta water. Toss the pasta gently in a warm pan with a splash of olive oil and a tablespoon of the pasta water to create a glossy sheen.

7. 07

   Assemble and Plate: Draw a clean circle of the burrata cream onto the base of each warmed shallow bowl. Twirl a portion of the warm squid ink tagliolini into a tight, elevated nest in the center. Top each nest with a neat quenelle of the cold red prawn tartare. Dot the plate with the vibrant pistachio pesto and garnish with micro basil if desired. Serve immediately.