Handmade pasta

Cook it at home: Rye cavatelli with brown butter, mushrooms and greens

A soft dough of semolina and rye, pressed into little shells with two fingers, then tossed with browned butter, mushrooms and greens. Every component is simple, but the dough needs rest and the butter needs watching.

Pans and tools

• Large pot
• Wide skillet
• Baking tray
• Bench scraper or knife

You’ll need

• 1 1/2 cups (200 g) semolina flour
• 3/4 cup (90 g) dark rye flour
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• About 2/3 cup (160 ml) warm water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter
• 1 lb (450 g) mixed mushrooms, torn
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 cups (120 g) chopped kale or chard, stems removed
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup (120 g) fresh ricotta
• 1 oz (30 g) Parmesan, grated
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Black pepper and flaky salt

Steps

1. Mix the semolina, rye and salt in a bowl. Add the warm water and olive oil and stir until shaggy, then knead on the counter for 8 minutes until smooth and firm, like clay. If it cracks, wet your hands and knead again.
2. Wrap the dough and rest it 30 minutes at room temperature so it relaxes and is easy to shape.
3. Roll the dough into ropes about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick, then cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) pieces. Press each piece with two fingertips and drag it toward you so it curls into a shell. Dust with semolina and spread on a tray; this takes about 20 minutes.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Heat a wide skillet over high heat with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the mushrooms in one layer and cook without stirring for 3 minutes until browned on the bottom, then stir and cook 4 minutes more. Add the shallot, garlic and thyme and cook 2 minutes until soft. Move to a bowl.
5. In the same skillet melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, swirling, until it foams, smells nutty and turns the color of hazelnuts. Take it off the heat at once.
6. Cook the cavatelli in the boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes, until they float and are tender with a slight chew. Save 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water, then drain.
7. Add the greens to the browned butter over medium heat with a splash of pasta water and cook 2 minutes until wilted. Add the mushrooms and the pasta with 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the pasta water and toss 1 minute until glossy and the sauce clings.
8. Stir in the lemon juice and Parmesan. Add more pasta water if it looks tight. Serve in warm bowls with spoonfuls of ricotta, black pepper and flaky salt.

Contains: ['gluten', 'milk'].

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