International Pasta Day
International Pasta Day
Italy, told al dente
If Italy had a common language across all its regions, it would be pasta. It is the dish that unites family Sundays, trattorias with paper tablecloths, and bar counters where one eats standing between services. Pasta is precise simplicity: durum wheat semolina, water, bronze die extrusion so that the sauce adheres, and cooking that always ends with the same word: al dente.
This week, our star product belongs to a family with an illustrious name: pasta.
The "grammar" of Italian pasta
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Raw material: 100% Italian semolina.
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Texture: bronze die extruded = fine porous surface that hugs the sauce.
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Cooking: test one minute before the package time; the center should offer resistance.
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Cooking water: save half a cup to thicken sauces and adjust salt.
How to combine pasta shape and sauce (quick rule)
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Long (spaghetti, linguine): smooth and silky sauces (oil, fine tomato, pesto).
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Short (penne, rigatoni, elicoidali): sauces with chunks (ragù, amatriciana, vegetables).
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Curly (fusilli, farfalle): creamy sauces that "grip" (pesto, cheese cream).
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Whole wheat / gluten-free: same rules, adjust 1' less and test.
Let's create this dish together!
Pesto pasta with burrata and pistachio granola
Ingredients (2 servings)
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180–200 g long pasta (tagliatelle/pappardelle). GF/whole wheat if you prefer.
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1 burrata (125–150 g).
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Finely grated zest of ½ lemon (optional, it goes great).
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Fine salt and black pepper.
Quick pesto
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40 g fresh basil (leaves and some tender stems)
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25 g shelled pistachios (or pine nuts/almonds)
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40 g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
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1 small clove of garlic (germ removed)
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70–80 ml EVOO (add little by little)
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1–2 tbsp hot cooking water (for emulsifying)
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1 pinch of salt
Crispy pistachio granola
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35 g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
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1 tbsp EVOO
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1 tsp honey (or syrup), optional
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1 pinch of salt and, if you like, chili flakes
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Preparation (20 minutes)
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Granola: In a pan over medium heat, toast the pistachios with the EVOO for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Add honey, a pinch of salt, and (optional) chili; stir for 30 seconds and transfer to parchment paper to crisp up.
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Pesto: Blend basil, pistachios, cheese, and garlic with a drizzle of EVOO. Keep adding EVOO until it reaches a creamy texture. Adjust salt. Tip: add 1–2 tbsp of hot cooking water at the end to make it silky and adhere well to the pasta.
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Pasta: Cook in plenty of water with 10 g of salt per liter. Stir at the beginning. Test 1 minute before the package time; it should be al dente. Reserve ½ cup of cooking water.
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Sautéing: Transfer the drained pasta to a large pan, add the pesto and a little cooking water. Sauté for 30–60 seconds until coated and shiny.
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Plating: Serve, top with the opened burrata, lemon zest, black pepper, and pistachio granola. A drizzle of EVOO and it's ready.
Notes and variations
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Greener and lighter: Substitute ⅓ of the basil with baby spinach blanched for 30 seconds and well drained.
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Dairy-free: Use vegan burrata and replace the cheese in the pesto with 1–2 tbsp nutritional yeast + 1 tsp white miso.
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Gluten-free: Use GF pasta and reduce cooking time by 1 minute; it's key to thicken with cooking water.
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Extra protein: Add grilled chicken strips or shrimp sautéed for 1 minute in the pan before the pasta.
Express service sheet (10 servings, kitchen/pro)
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Long pasta: 1 kg
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Burrata: 10×125 g (or 5 large burratas, portioned)
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Pesto: Multiply by 5 (200 g basil, 125 g pistachios, 200 g cheese, 5 garlic cloves, 350–400 ml EVOO)
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Granola: 175 g pistachios, 5 tbsp EVOO, 5 tsp honey
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Zest of 3 lemons, black pepper
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Mise en place: Pesto in covered gastro container; thin with cooking water at service. Granola dry. Burrata drained and chilled.
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Service: 100 g raw pasta per serving; toss in pan with 30–40 g pesto + cooking water. Top with ½ burrata and 8–10 g granola. Ready in <2 min
Now all that's left is to try it! Buon appetito!
