Passatelli all'Urbinate
Passatelli are short round noodles formed by pressing dough through a potato ricer into simmering chicken stock. In Emilia-Romagna passatelli are made from a simple dough of bread crumbs, eggs, Parmigiano, lemon zest and nutmeg. In Urbino, in Le Marche, they throw in meat, such as the beef tenderloin here, and truffles too. |
| Passatelli all'Urbinate, with black truffles |
Ingredients
½ pound
fresh spinach
2
tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, softened
Kosher
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups
chicken stock
1
ounces beef marrow (optional, but recommended!)
¾ pound
beef tenderloin, cut into ½ inch dice
1 ½
cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¾ cup
dried bread crumbs
5 large
eggs
¼
teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2
ounces white or black truffles
Procedure
1.
Remove
and discard and large stems from the spinach. Place the spinach in a large bowl
of cold water and move gently to dislodge any sand or dirt, so it falls to the
bottom of the bowl. Lift out the spinach. If necessary, repeat with fresh
water, then dry in a salad spinner.
2.
Melt
1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the spinach,
season lightly with salt and pepper, and stir gently until the butter coasts
the spinach. Cover the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the the spinach
has wilted. Transfer to a colander and drain, pressing the spinach against the
colander with the back of a spoon or spatula to eliminate excess water.
3.
If
using the marrow, bring to a boil in a small saucepan enough chicken stock to
cover the marrow. Remove the pan from the heat, add the marrow, and cover the
pan with plastic wrap. Let the marrow poach for 2 minutes, then transfer to a
small plate. Reserve the stock.
4.
In
a food processor, combine the beef tenderloin, spinach, marrow (if using),
Parmigiano, bread crumbs, the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the lemon zest,
eggs and nutmeg. Blend until very smooth, up to 4 minutes, scraping the sides
of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing. Transfer to a bowl and season
lightly with salt and pepper. To check the seasoning, bring a small saucepan of
water to a simmer. Add a small spoonful of the mixture and cook until it rises
to the surface. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Cover the dough
and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
5.
Carefully
clean the truffles (if using) with a brush, removing any dirt on the surface.
Set aside.
6.
Bring
the chicken stock (including the marrow poaching liquid, if any) to a boil in a
large saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7.
Working
over the saucepan, press the passatelli mixture through a food mill fitted with
the coarse disk, using a knife to cut off 1 ½-inch lengths of dough and letting
them drop into the pan. Simmer until the noodles rise to the surface then
remove from the heat.
8.
Ladle
the broth and passatelli into warm bowls. Shave the truffle, if you have it,
over the soup. Serve immediately.
Note:
To prepare the marrow, soak 8 marrow bones in hot water for about 10 minutes to
soften the marrow. Drain, and push the marrow out of each bone. Put the marrow
in a small container and add 3 tablespoons white vinegar, a pinch of kosher
salt, and enough cold water to cover. Refrigerate overnight then drain before
using.
(This
recipe and more can be found in Fabio's cookbook, Cucina of Le Marche, on sale at the
restaurant.)
