Well I have been dreaming about this pasta for the past 2 days. I don’t know if that is a good thing to admit or not. I’ve been adding and deleting ingredients in my head as I walk around town. Finally I finished off the shopping this morning so I could indulge in my fantasy for lunch.
In Bra, we have our own type of salsiccia (sausage) that is made with the local breed of cow and often eaten raw. It is deliciously sexy and I like to prepare it as the french steak tartare. For this pasta, I cooked half briefly and left the other half raw. Both were gorgeous.The lemon, please do not omit. You will be doing yourself a great disservice by leaving it out or substituting it with the fake concentrate. This recipe will easily serve 1-2 people. Just note the quantity of pasta per person. Orecchiette means “little ears” and is a traditional pasta from Puglia in the south.
Extra virgin olive oil 1 good splashing and more to serve
Garlic 1 clove
Salsiccia 70g, skin removed
Capers 4, if salted wash clean
Radicchio 2 leaves, sliced into small bite sized pieces
Ricotta 70g, the freshest you can find or substitute fresh goats cheese
Lemon juice & peel of half a lemon
Thyme and basil, washed
Orechiette 70g per person
This all really happens very quickly. By the time you have brought the salted water to the boil and you are ready to add the pasta, the prep for everything else is also done. Just some notes on the preparation. To have the best garlic and lemon, I recommend using a fine grade microplane. They grate wonderfully, saving so much time and it means no big garlic bits or likewise with the lemon peel. However, assuming you haven’t just rushed off to purchase one, chop both the garlic and lemon peel as finely as you can. With the lemon peel, avoid white pith as this is unpleasantly bitter.
Cook the pasta according to the instructions and suggested timing. When there is 3 minutes left, be ready to start cooking the sausage. Heat the oil and garlic in a frypan. When hot, add the sausage and capers. The radicchio will change colour with cooking, so to keep some of the vibrant purple, add in the final 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice.
The pasta should be al dente by now, so drain well, especially for this dish. Mix together the sausage “sauce” and pasta in the best suited frying pan/pot. Stir well and then add the ricotta and lemon peel. Serve onto plates and top with the herbs and extra olive oil.
Filed under: In 15 minutes, Puglia, Recipes , lemon, orecchiette, pasta, radicchio, recipe, salsiccia
