Chestnut Pasta Recipe: Gianni’s Gluten-Free Experiment
I’m hosting this year’s holiday party with my office mates this week. It’s a challenge because I have to put together a meal that satisfies all of the dietary requirements of the guests at my table.
No shellfish, no nuts, one vegetarian and one who’s gluten-free among us. How will I serve a 4-course meal that all can enjoy?
You’ll find out soon. I’ll be back in front of the camera this Wednesday to shoot 2 new cooking episodes. The first new episode, a 7-Fish Christmas Eve dinner will post on Saturday, December 21. You’ll be amazed at how fast and easy it is to get this fabulous meal on your table. Watch for it in time for your holiday celebration.
The second episode, tortelloni in brodo will kick-off Gianni’s North Beach’s new season in January. This one is my most challenging holiday party dishes. I’m making tortelloni in brodo 3 ways, regular wheat flour pasta stuffed with a rich roasted meat and vegetable stuffing in chicken broth; roasted vegetable stuffed tortelloni in a vegetable broth; and gluten-free tortelloni too.
I’ve never made gluten-free pasta so I experimented today and created this tasty pasta dish with gluten-free and chestnut flours. The fresh chestnut pasta turned out really well. Now I’m confident that I can make gluten-free tortelloni on Wednesday.
The pasta is silky and tender bathed in a subtle rosemary butter sauce all brought together with a healthy helping of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. You won’t even know it’s gluten-free!
Buon appetito!
- CHESTNUT PASTA
- 1 cup chestnut flour
- 1 cup gluten-free flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- BUTTER AND FRESH ROSEMARY SAUCE
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary needles
- 3 tablespoons fresh flat Italian parsley
- 11/2 cups pasta cooking water
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- PASTA DOUGH
- Put the chestnut and gluten-free flour in a food processor and pulse several times to aerate the flour.
- Put the eggs in a bowl and beat them well.
- Add the olive oil and water and mix well.
- With the processor running add the egg mixture slowly.
- When the dough balls up around the blade remove the dough to a floured board and knead it until it is smooth and silky.
- Form the dough into a round and cover it with plastic wrap.
- Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Cut the ball into 4 pieces and run them through a pasta machine ending with the smallest setting or use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a 1/8 inch thickness.
- Flour the pasta sheets well and loosely roll them up.
- Cut the rolled up sheet into your favorite sized long pasta.
- Make little nests with the cut pasta and set them aside on a floured kitchen towel to dry a bit.
- BUTTER AND FRESH ROSEMARY SAUCE
- Put on a large pot of well-salted water on to boil.
- Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of butter to a skillet over medium-low heat.
- When the butter begins to sizzle add the rosemary needles and cook until the rosemary begins to release its aroma, about a minute.
- Raise the flame to medium-high. Add the pasta cooking water to the skillet and cook
- at a simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 3 minutes.
- Keep the sauce warm until the pasta is cooked.
- When the water is at a rapid boil add the pasta. Stir it well so it doesn’t stick.
- When the pasta floats to the surface let it boil for another minute. Drain the pasta when it is al dente and add it to the sauce skillet.
- Toss the pasta until most of the sauce is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat under the skillet and add the Parmigiano and parsley and toss the pasta well.
- Sprinkle with remaining olive oil and serve immediately.