Pasta

Ingredients

2 to 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, Italian “00” flour, or durum semolina flour

3 large, whole eggs

I tablespoon squid or cuttlefish ink

Method

• Mound the flour on a clean work surface. Using your fingers, make a well in the middle of the flour.

• Combine the eggs and squid ink in a bowl, and whisk lightly until they’re well mixed. This step is optional, but it helps make sure the squid ink is evenly distributed through your dough so the noodles won’t have pale streaks.

• Carefully pour the egg and ink mixture into the well in the middle of the dough. Working from the middle with your fingers or a spatula, work your way around the well and incorporate flour into the eggs.

• Continue until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass, and incorporates most of the flour. The dough should be fairly stiff, and not sticky. Don’t worry if it doesn’t take up all of the flour; it will self-limit as you use up the moisture from the eggs. If you do use up all of the flour, and the dough is still sticky, just add a little more.

• Set the dough aside to rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge, or an hour at room temperature.

• Divide the dough into 4 to 6 pieces. Flatten the first with the heel of your hand, and cover the rest to prevent them from drying.

• Attach your pasta roller to the counter, if you’re using a manual model, or to your stand mixer if you’re using a mixer attachment.

• Roll and cut the dough as directed in the previous recipe, using your fettucine cutter to create the finished noodles. Dust the noodles lightly with flour as you finish cutting each sheet, and set them aside while you bring your pot of water to a boil, and prepare the sauce.

Sauce

Ingredients

2 shallots, finely diced

½ tbsp olive oil

½ cup dry white wine

1 ½ cups fish stock

2 cans Jersey crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp crushed Calabrian chilies

salt and pepper, to taste

4 ounces cooked lobster (approximately the amount you get from a cooked 1 lb lobster)

1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese 

Method 

• Place the oil and shallots in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, and heat over a moderate burner. Sweat the shallots for 3-4 minutes, until translucent but not browned.

• Add the white wine and raise the temperature to medium, stirring frequently until on a a couple of tablespoons of wine are left in the pan.

• Add the fish stock, and simmer until reduced by 1/3 to ½.

• Add the tomatoes and chilies, and bring to a simmer. Taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Don’t add salt until this point, because fish stock varies in saltiness depending on the brand and the salt will be concentrated when you reduce the stock.

• Remove the sauce from the heat. Coarsely dice or chop the lobster, folding it into the sauce. Sprinkle with about half of the Pecorino.

• Add the prepared squid ink pasta to the pot of boiling water, and cook for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until just al dente. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl. Ladle sauce over the pasta, and toss to combine. Divide the pasta between serving plates or bowls, reserving a few large pieces of lobster to garnish the top. Sprinkle with the remaining Pecorino.

Notes: Italians generally do not use cheese in seafood dishes, but the sharp, salty pungency of Pecorino makes a pleasant accent with the brininess of the pasta.