In the kitchen

Vibrant Spring Cecamariti Pasta

by Katie

I wanted to celebrate spring’s bounty with a dish that featured asparagus. I’ve also been on a major mushroom kick and figured a pasta would be a wonderful way to marry both. Cue Justin Chapple‘s gorgeous recipe.

True to this pasta’s name, cecamariti was a near ‘husband blinder’. It rendered my husband near speechless. He was completely blinded by my prowess in the kitchen. Ha.

Ingredients
  • 1 3/4 cups (about 7 ounces) 00 flour 
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 1/2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms, cut into bite-size pieces
  • Black pepper
  • 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
  • Pecorino Romano, grated for serving
Preparation
  1. Place flour and 1 tablespoon salt in a food processor; pulse until combined. Beat egg yolks, whole egg, and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture to food processor, and pulse until dough just comes together. Gradually add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough is too dry or doesn’t come together. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface, and knead until very smooth, 5 to 10 minutes. Cover dough with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
  2. Pinch off a 1/2-inch piece of dough, and roll it between your hands to form a thin 2- to 3-inch-long rope; transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
  3. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Toss pasta with 1 teaspoon oil in a bowl to prevent sticking. Wipe out saucepan with paper towels.
  4. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to saucepan, and heat over medium-high. Add mushrooms to pan, and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add asparagus and crushed red pepper, and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine, and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
  5. Add pasta, heavy cream, lemon juice, and reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid to pan. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, tossing, until pasta is lightly coated, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately with grated cheese.

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