SPARKS LIVE | November Cook-a-long with Chris Baber & special guest Francesco Mazzei

Ever wanted to know how to make perfect pasta at home but weren’t sure where to start? Get ready for a class from the pasta master himself, Francesco Mazzei (chef patron of Sartoria and star of Cooking With The Stars) as he teams up with Chris Baber to show you how to make perfect tortelli with burrata from scratch AND serves up a side of answers to all your burning pasta questions.

RECIPE

Francesco Mazzei’s tortelli with burrata (serves 4)

YOU WILL NEED
• 3 large bowls
• Ice
• Cling film
• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• 2 saucepans
• Baking tray
• Rolling pin
• Cheese grater

INGREDIENTS
• 100g 00 flour
• 100g semolina
• 3 medium eggs
• 200g burrata
• 200g ricotta
• 30g 'nduja
• 30g & 70g Grana Padano, both grated & separated
• 200g rainbow chard or 100g spinach
• 50g butter
• Grating of whole nutmeg, to taste
• 100ml chicken stock
• 70g Grana Padano, grated
• 50g hazelnuts
• Balsamic vinegar
• Additional Grana Padano

METHOD

1. Place the flour, semolina and eggs in a bowl and mix by hand. When the dough starts to come together, place on a clean, lightly floured surface and continue to mix with the palm of your hand until you get a smooth dough. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
2. To make the filling, add the burrata to a bowl and break up with a fork until there are no lumps. Add the ricotta, ’nduja and Grana Padano and mix well.
3. Remove the green leaves of the chard from the stalk and place in a bowl of ice-cold water. Cut the stalks into pieces, around 5cm in length and 1cm in width. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add salt and cook the rainbow chard green leaves for 1 minute. Return the leaves to the iced water straight away. Cook the stalks in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then add to the iced water.
4. Place the hazelnuts in an oven that’s been preheated to 170°C fan/190°C/gas mark 5. Cook until they are light brown in colour, allow to cool, then chop each hazelnut in half.
5. Using a pasta machine or rolling pin, roll the pasta dough very thinly - you should be able to see your hand through it when you hold it up. Cut into 10cm squares.
6. Add half a tbsp filling to the centre of each square and dab water around the edges with your finger. Fold each square into a triangle and bring the two corners on the longest side together, pinching to make sure it sticks.
7. Heat the butter, nutmeg and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Once the butter has melted, pour in the chicken stock. Leave to simmer while you cook the pasta.
8. Cook the tortelli in salted boiling water for around 1 minute, until tender.
9. Add the blanched chard leaves and stalks to the pasta water and cook for just a few seconds. Add the chard to the saucepan of butter and stock.
10. Once the sauce has reduced a little, add the Grana Padano.

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