Different flavors come together in one dish
Revisiting well-known dishes by blending ingredients, preparation methods and culinary secrets from different cultures and geographical areas: this is also what great chefs do. Effecting such contaminations without running the risk of creating clashes between the different flavors employed, however, requires a lot of preparation, as well as unfailing background talent.
With “tortelli cacio e pepe, cozze e lime”, chef Salvatore Aprea takes on this grand challenge: to bring together the typical stuffed pasta of the Po Valley, the iconic condiment of Roman cuisine and the seafood par excellence, which, with its veracious taste, recalls the strong flavors of Capri. How will he have managed to combine three pieces of our peninsula so seemingly distant from a culinary point of view into one irresistible dish?
Let’s find out together by poking around his kitchen!
Ingredients for the pasta, for 4 people:
- 400 of “00” flour;
- 4 eggs;
- 5 g salt;
- 20 g extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients for the filling:
- 500 g pecorino romano (Scorza Nera) PDO;
- 300 g water;
- 20 g freshly ground black pepper
- lime
Ingredients for the dressing:
- 500 g mussels;
- 20 g extra virgin olive oil;
- 1 clove of garlic;
- Chives to taste.
Procedure:
Inside the planetary mixer set up with the hook, mix the flour, eggs, salt and extra virgin olive oil. When the dough is smooth and homogeneous, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate. To finish, in a food processor blend the pecorino cheese, pepper, water a little at a time, and lime until you have a nice firm cream to put in a pastry bag.
Roll out the pastry finely and, with the help of a pastry cutter, cut small discs, put the filling in the center and close tortello-style. Open the mussels with oil, garlic and a little water. Remove the fruit from the shell and put it in a pan with some of its water and finely chopped spring onion. Once the tortelli is cooked, add it to the mussel broth.