Chestnut Flour Trophy with Basil Pesto
Ingredients: For 2 servings: 100 g chestnut flour (ground with stone) 100-120 g white flour (not necessarily cake flour) warm water as needed salt and a little oil if desired Sauce: 3-4 tablespoons of basil pesto
To prepare these delicious pasta, we start by sifting the two types of flour, which we will carefully place on the work surface. It is essential to add a pinch of salt, which will enhance the flavor of the pasta. Also, if you wish, you can incorporate a teaspoon of oil, although it is not a mandatory ingredient. After mixing the flour well with the salt, we begin to gradually add water. The amount of water will vary depending on the type of flour you are using; some flours may require more water, while others less.
We knead the dough until we achieve a consistency similar to play dough. It is crucial that the dough is not too hard, as this will lead to tough pasta, but also not sticky, as this will make shaping difficult. If we feel that the dough is too dry, we add a little water, and if it is too wet, we can sprinkle a bit of white flour. Once we obtain a soft and elastic dough, we form a ball that we wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
After this time has passed, we unwrap the plastic and sprinkle a little flour on the work surface. Depending on the desired size of the pasta, we break off a piece of dough that allows us to form a ball of about 1 cm in diameter if we want standard trofie. For trofiette, the size should be smaller, similar to a pea. Shaping the pasta is a simple and enjoyable activity; to learn more easily, you can search online for video tutorials that guide you.
After breaking off a piece of dough, we pinch it between our fingers to form a ball, which we place on the work surface. Using our palm, we gently roll the ball forward to obtain a stick. Then, we lift our palm perpendicular to the table and roll back, pressing with our little finger. This quick motion will create sticks with a thicker center and thin ends. Another method is to rub the stick between our palms, as if we are forming a shoelace.
Regardless of the method chosen, it is important that the dough is perfect to achieve tasty pasta with a pleasant texture. Once shaped, the pasta is boiled in salted boiling water. We stir gently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot and let it boil for a few minutes, depending on their size. Trofiette are ready when they rise to the surface, while longer trofie require 5-8 minutes of boiling, depending on preferences. After they are cooked, we drain the pasta and immediately transfer them to a bowl, where we season them with pesto sauce. Serve immediately to enjoy the aroma and exquisite taste of freshly prepared pasta. Bon appétit!
