INGREDIENTS
Pasta
9 egg yolks
350g Tipo OO flour
150g semolina
Olive oil
Salt water
king prawn and fennel sorpresine
10 raw king prawns
4 shallots, peeled and diced
1 bulb fennel, diced
1 large red chilli, seeds removed, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 heaped tsp baby capers
1 lemon
100ml white wine
100g butter
Herbs
Salt flakes, to taste
Pepper, to taste
METHOD
Pasta
- Place the flour and semolina in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolks and a splash of olive oil.
- Sprinkle in two pinches of salt. Use your hands to break up the yolks in a circular motion and slowly stat to incorporate the flour.
- Add a splash of water, not too much. Start with around 30ml. Mix the well, you want it to come together but not be too wet or too dry. Add more water if needed. All flour will be a little different and take more or less water.
- Once the dough has come together kneed it really well for a few minutes. Leave the dough covered to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Once the dough has rested, cut it in to 4 even pieces. Take a piece and dust well with semolina. Keep the rest of the dough covered to avoid drying out.
- Press the dough out as thinly as possible with your hands. Start on the largest setting on your pasta machine. Mine is number 7. You need to roll the dough out and fold it into thirds to a rectangle that will fit back in the machine.
- Add more semolina if needed. Repeat this four times to laminate the dough.
- Next roll the dough a little thinner, to setting number 5. Then down to number 3. Dust the sheet with semolina.
- Cut the sheets into roughly 3cm squares. Dip your finger into water and touch one corner of the square. Fold the opposite corner over and pinch.
- Fold the other corners in the opposite direction and pinch together. Continue till you have the desired amount. Leave the pasta out to dry.
Prawn stock
- Remove the heads, shells and tails from the prawns.
- Place a medium sized pot on the stove on high heat. Add a splash of oil.
- Add the prawn shells and sauté for a few minutes until the shells go translucent and fragrant.
- Add 2 litres of water. If your fennel bulb has tops, chop them off and add to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. Once cooked pass out the solids and discard.
king prawn and fennel sorpresine
- Gently run your knife down the back of each prawn and remove the vain. Slice in half and then half again. Then chop into small pieces and set aside.
- Place a large pot of water on a high heat to boil. Add a large pinch of salt.
- Place a large frying pan on a medium high heat. Add a splash of olive oil and the fennel and shallot and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the chilli, garlic and a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes until soft.
- Add 500ml of the prawn stock. Turn up to a high heat and reduce by half.
- Add half the butter and shake the pan to incorporate the butter. Add the prawn meat and stir well.
- Place the pasta into the boiling water and stir. Cook until the pasta floats to the top.
- Add the remaining butter to the frying pan.
- Once the pasta has risen, add it to the frying pan, toss through the sauce and cook for a further minute or two and season to taste.
- Stir through the lemon zest and capers.
To serve
- Serve the pasta into bowls, garnish with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Hints and tips
- Tipo OO flour has a high gluten level and made specifically for pasta. If not available, use bakers flour and failing that plain white flour is fine.
- This pasta dough recipe makes a large volume. I like to make extra pasta and dry it for another time. The recipe can also be halved.
- Leftover stock can be kept for up to one week in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.