What is calamarata pasta?

Originating from Napoli, calamarata is one of the lesser-known pasta varieties consisting of short, thick rings which resemble calamari. It is made using durum wheat semolina flour and cannot be made by hand due to the shape so is normally only available dried in supermarkets (you can also find smaller versions called calamaretti). It is similar in shape to paccheri which looks like thick, slightly longer, tubes.

Pancetta is Italian cured pork belly — a bit like streaky bacon — with a strong, rather salty flavour and fairly fatty texture. You can buy it as a round, thick slice from a roll, as rashers or diced into cubes. Traditionally it is unsmoked, but you can buy smoked varieties nowadays.

What can I do with the leftover egg white?

There are so many ways to use up leftover egg whites (I know you only have one in this recipe, but if you made it several times…). Some of my favourites include: meringues, pavlova, macarons or chocolate mousse. Alternatively, they freeze well for a future recipe.

Pasta in Green Sauce

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Super simple and full of flavour, this Pasta in Green Sauce is my go-to pasta recipe when I was something quick, easy and delicious...

Author: Margie
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 2
Category: Pasta
Method: Stove Top
Cuisine: Global

Ingredients

Scale

Drizzle olive oil
150 g pancetta lardons
1 medium leek, washed, trimmed and finely chopped
200g dried calamarata pasta (or dried pasta of your choice)
3 garlic cloves
100g fresh spinach
50g peas, defrosted in a little boiling water for a few minutes
30g Parmesan, grated (plus extra to serve)
30g fresh basil
1 egg yolk, whisked
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan set over a low-medium heat and cook the pancetta until the fat renders out and it becomes crispy.
Push the pancetta to one side and add the leeks. Sauté in the pancetta fat for a few minutes, stirring often, until softened. Remove from the heat, scoop out the leeks into a blender and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water with the garlic cloves for a few minutes less than the packet instructions (you will finish cooking it in the sauce later and you want to ensure it is served ‘al dente’). Scoop out a mug of the pasta cooking water, then drain the rest. Set aside.
Add the spinach, peas, Parmesan, basil, and softened garlic (which should be nestled in your drained pasta) to the leeks in the blender with approx. 120ml of the pasta cooking water. Blitz until smooth.
Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the pancetta. Pour in the sauce and toss together really well to combine.
Return to the heat and cook for a minute or so until heated through and the pasta is perfectly cooked. Turn off the heat and add the whisked egg yolk. Keep tossing until you have a smooth and glossy sauce (you can add more pasta cooking water if you need it). Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed - Parmesan and pancetta are quite salty, so proceed with caution.
Spoon into bowls and serve with more freshly grated Parmesan. Enjoy!

Notes

Making it vegetarian: This recipe can easily be adapted for vegetarians. Simply skip the pancetta and use a vegetarian-friendly alternative to Parmesan.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/pasta-in-green-sauce/