Homemade Pasta with Black Olives, Basil, Tomato & Pangritata

Sasko fettuccine pasta

Domestic deities are created during lockdown, in their own kitchens, not true?

Add some carby creations to your repertoire with this easy recipe for home-made pasta. You’ll be popular and admired, for sure.

Five ingredients, a basic technique and a little patience are all it takes. Serve it with the classic Italian Pangritata (crunchy fried breadcrumb) topping. Carbs on carbs – what’s not to love?

SASKO FETTUCCINE WITH TOMATOES, BLACK OLIVES, BASIL & TOASTED BREADCRUMBS

Ingredients:

Pasta:

2 whole eggs
3 extra egg yolks
500g SASKO white cake flour
100ml water
Olive oil

Sauce:

20 black olives, pips removed, flesh roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeds squeezed out, flesh roughly chopped
1 large handful torn basil (cutting with a knife will turn the leaves black, rip them up with your fingertips)

To serve:

1/4 cup (60ml) Parmesan, grated

2 slices SASKO oats and honey bread, crumbled finely

Small handful chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp (15ml) pickled capers, briefly rinsed under cold running water, squeezed dry and chopped

To make the fettuccine pasta

1. Put flour in bowl of a food processor, adding a good splash (about 2 tsp/10ml) extra virgin olive oil while processor motor is running.
2. Whisk the eggs and water together, then gradually add to flour till dough begins to come together. Dough should not be sticky or wet. (This is actually much easier to do by hand, as you can guage the texture and moisture levels of the dough much more accurately.)
3. Remove dough from the mixer, put on lightly dusted kitchen counter and knead lightly for about 5 minutes till dough begins to soften and relax. Wrap dough in clingfilm and let rest for 30 minutes before rolling out.
4. Using a pasta roller, gradually roll out thd dough until you reach the final setting. Cut into strips of 20cm long and ½ cm wide.
5. Hang pasta over a rack place for about an hour till dry enough to cook.

Pangritata:

1. Add SASKO bread to a blender and blend till you have coarse crumbs, or grate using hand-held grater.
2. Heat a splash (about 1 tbsp/15ml) extra virgin olive oil and gently toast breadcrumbs, stirring constantly, until crunchy and golden. Stir in minced capers, stir well.
3. Scoop out into a serving bowl, mixing in the grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.

To assemble:

1. Cook pasta in salted boiling water for 2 minutes or until just cooked, with some bite to it, or as Italians say, ‘Al dente’ (a little resistance to the teeth). Drain and set aside.
2. In a moderate pan add a good glug of olive oil, about 1tbsp/15ml.
3. Gently cook garlic for 1 minute, add chopped tomato, olives and cooked pasta.
4. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, toss in the torn fresh basil, stir and serve in 4 separate bowls, sprinkled with a little pangritata.