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!
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
40gnettle leaves
200gplain flour
80gsemolina
80glight rye flour
2eggs
1/2tspsalt
Pasta Filling
220gmascarpone
90gwalnuts
25gbreadcrumbs
1egg
Zest of one lemon
Salt and pepperto taste
Radicchio Purée
4tbspolive oilextra virgin
6-7clovesgarlicminced
2heads radicchio
1/2cupwhite wine
1/2tbspbalsamic vinegar
2tbsppecorino cheesegrated
To Serve
2tbspolive oilextra virgin
120gcacciatorethinly 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.