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Nettle and Toasted Walnut Cappelletti with Radicchio Purée

An earthy, smooth dish that combines the lightness of mascarpone with the bitterness of radicchio. And something tasty to do with those nettles invading your garden!
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: cappelletti, green pasta, italian, mascarpone, nettle, nettle pasta, nettles, Pasta, purée, radicchio, recipe, salami, white wine, wine
Servings: 4
Calories: 2253kcal

Ingredients

Pasta Dough

  • 40 g nettle leaves
  • 200 g plain flour
  • 80 g semolina
  • 80 g light rye flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Pasta Filling

  • 220 g mascarpone
  • 90 g walnuts
  • 25 g breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • Zest of one lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Radicchio Purée

  • 4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 6-7 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 heads radicchio
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp pecorino cheese grated

To Serve

  • 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 120 g cacciatore thinly sliced

Instructions

Pasta Dough

  • Wearing a durable pair of gloves, pick the leaves from the tops of the nettle plants. These will be the newer, softer leaves. Boil in water for 2-3 minutes to neutralise the sting, before draining and puréeing in a blender or food processor.
  • Form a well of flour with the eggs, oil, nettle purée in the centre and salt, and then use a fork and your hands to gradually incorporate into a ball of dough. The moisture levels should be such that it’s soft without sticking to anything. If it’s too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
  • Knead firmly for 10 minutes, and then rest covered and away from direct sunlight and heat for 30 minutes.

Pasta Filling

  • Toast the shelled walnuts in a medium-hot pan for 4-5 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown. Allow to cool, and then grind into a paste using a mortar and pestle.
  • Blend the walnuts together with the other filling ingredients, and season with salt and pepper. Load into a piping bag with a medium round tip.

Radicchio Purée

  • Begin by frying the thinly sliced cacciatore in 2 tbsp of olive oil, in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy, 2-3 minutes. Remove, leaving the oil in the pan.
  • Lower the heat to medium, and another 2 tbsp of olive oil, and then gently sauté the garlic for one minute.
  • Add the radicchio to the pan and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, until it has reduced in size.
  • Stir in the white wine, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Then scoop out the radicchio, return the liquid to the heat, and reduce to a syrup.
  • Mix the radicchio back in, along with the pecorino and vinegar. Season to taste, and then blend it all up into a purée.

Making the Pasta

  • Pass the dough through the pasta machine on the thickest setting a few times, folding in half over itself in between each pass. Then step incrementally down to a medium-thin thickness.
  • Cut the dough into 6cm circles and then place a large pea-sized dollop of filling into the centre of each.
  • Fold in half, sealing into semicircles, and then bring one corner around the filling to slightly overlap with the other corner; pinch the overlap together firmly.

To Serve

  • When you're ready to eat, drop the cappelletti into a large pot of salted boiling water, and cook until the dough is still firm but shows no rawness when cut into, usually 4-5 minutes.
  • Scoop out the pasta and toss in 2 tbsp of olive oil, before serving on top of the purée, with the salami crumbled on top, and a crack of black pepper.

Notes

If you prefer less bitterness, substitute some or all of the radicchio for red cabbage.

Nutrition

Calories: 2253kcal | Carbohydrates: 128.4g | Protein: 49.2g | Fat: 180.2g | Saturated Fat: 32.5g | Cholesterol: 331mg | Sodium: 5624mg | Potassium: 1427mg | Fiber: 12.3g | Sugar: 4.2g | Calcium: 561mg | Iron: 11mg
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