Gorgonzola Mezzelune with “Salsa di Noci” (Walnut Pesto Sauce)
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 1556
- Total Fat
- 116
- Saturated Fat
- 32
- Carbohydrates
- 83
- Dietary Fiber
- 8
- Sugar
- 7
- Protein
- 54
- Cholesterol
- 282
- Sodium
- 1057
- Total: 1 hr 25 min (includes resting time)
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
Dough:
3 1/2 cups (454 grams) "00" flour, plus more for dusting
5 large eggs (258 grams), beaten
Filling:
6 ounces mascarpone
6 ounces ricotta
4 ounces Gorgonzola dolce
1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pinch kosher salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Salsa di Noci:
2 slices white bread
1 cup milk
3 cups walnuts
1 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs fresh marjoram, leaves picked
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
1 large egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
Special equipment:
a pastry bag; a pasta machine; a 3 1/2-inch round cutter- For the dough: Sift the flour onto your work surface in a mound and make an 8-inch-diameter hole, or well, in the center so the work surface shows through in the middle but the well's walls are high enough to contain the eggs.
- Pour the beaten eggs into the well. Working from the interior edge of the well, use a fork to incorporate the flour into the eggs. Continue mixing, incorporating a bit of flour at a time, until the dough is the consistency of pancake batter. Clean off any flour mixture stuck to the fork and add it to the dough.
- Using a bench scraper, scrape any remaining flour from the work surface into the dough. Working in a clockwise motion, cut the dough together similar to making biscuits: scrape, fold, and cut. Continue working the dough until a shaggy mass forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Parts of the mass will be rather wet, while other parts will be floury. Scrape any dough from the bench scraper into the mass.
- Knead the pasta dough with both hands, pulling the far end of the dough toward you quickly and energetically, then folding it over itself, then pushing it away from you using the heels of your palms. Rotate the dough a quarter turn and repeat the kneading for 3 to 5 minutes until the dough is a compact mass. The dough will be slightly tacky. Continue kneading the dough as before until it reaches a relatively smooth, leather texture, an indication of gluten formation, 3 to 5 minutes more. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then set aside and rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- For the filling: Add the mascarpone, ricotta, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano-Reggiano and salt to a food processor, then process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and pulse to loosen slightly. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag (no tip needed). The filling will keep, refrigerated in the pastry bag or in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Let soften at room temperature for about 15 minutes before using.
- For the salsa di noci: Cut the crusts off the white bread, then place the crusts in a bowl along with the milk (discard the middle bread or save for another use). Allow to soak for 1 minute. Add the soaked bread to a food processor along with the walnuts, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic, marjoram, thyme, salt and pepper. Blitz together until combined, then gradually add the olive oil while pulsing until the sauce comes together. It should be a pesto-like consistency. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more olive oil.
- Once the pasta dough has rested, lightly dust the work surface with flour. Cut the pasta dough into 4 pieces and start to roll through a pasta machine on the widest setting until there is a long sheet of medium thickness. Fold each side of the sheet inward to meet in the middle, then fold in half. Run through the machine a few times until there is a long sheet of medium thickness again. Cut the ends off the sheet with a knife to square it off. Run the pasta through, reducing the thickness each pass, until it is thin enough to just see a hand through, but not thin enough to break once filled. Repeat with the other balls of dough until there are 4 sheets of pasta on the floured work surface.
- Using a 3 1/2-inch round cutter, stamp out 32 circles. Carefully remove the pasta around the circles and set aside just in case you need more. Pipe a mounded round of filling into the center of each of the pasta circles, about a heaped teaspoon. Beat the remaining 1 egg in a small bowl, then carefully brush the outer edge of the circles with the egg and fold in half. Lightly press the edges together so they stick to the egg. Repeat the process until all of the pasta has been filled.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and then lower the heat so the water simmers vigorously. Carefully add the mezzelune to the water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until they float to the surface.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the walnut sauce, then heat through and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Carefully remove the mezzelune from the water with a slotted spoon and add to the pan with the walnut sauce. Toss, ladling in 1/4 cup pasta water to loosen the sauce as you toss. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more pasta water. Serve garnished with more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.