As one does, I spend a bit of down time trawling through ebay seeing what bargains can be had, and quite often have to forcefully tell myself that no I do not need vintage Mello Yello crown caps, even if my home brew bottles would look awesome, but every now and then I just can't help myself, especially when it’s a gnocchi board for less that $5 and free shipping, it’s a must purchase if you want to hand roll cavatelli, which ever since the machines purchase I have wanted to have a go on a proper wooden gnocchi board. Well, order placed, I had hopes that it’d turn up before I left on holiday, in fact I had a few packages I hoped wouldn’t be sitting on the doorstep for a week while I was away, maybe I have an online shopping problem.
Cavatelli
180g flour
180g fine semolina
168g warm water
10g salt
- Dissolve salt in water.
- Mix flour and semolina together.
- Form a well and pour in water.
- Mix together and knead for 10 minutes.
- Cover tightly with cling film and rest at room temp for 30min.
- Cut off about quarter of the dough, cover the remainder.
- Using your hands roll out into a thin log, about a pencil width thick.
- Cut into 1cm segments.
- Place a piece on the top edge of a gnocchi board
- Push down with your index finger across the board and drag with pressure towards the bottom, it should curl over itself. (Kind of like stroking the length of the board with the flat of your index finger with some pressure)
Chicken poached in stock with peas, thyme, pulled apart.
Peas from the poaching liquid passed through a mouli to purée and remove the skins, then with an immersion blender, olive oil and cider vinegar are emulsified into the purée. Seasoned with a little Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Transferred to a little piping cone made from parchment paper.
The poaching liquid is topped up with enough water to boil the cavatelli, cook for 5 minutes.
Asparagus sliced in half, sautéed in pan then finished with pasta stock to poach. Fresh garden peas tossed in at the last second to warm through.
The pasta is tossed with some of the cooking liquid, chicken, fresh peas, asparagus and olive oil, seasoned, arranged on a plate, the pea “mayo” piped on, and finished with a little grated parmesan.
