Culurgiones carciofi e piselli [Guest Post]

credits: Phi – “Princess Tofu” blog

Come avrete già capito, la ricetta protagonista del guest post di oggi è una specialità Sarda: i culurgiones con carciofi e piselli realizzati da una nuova ospite, Phi Tran, fotografa del blog Princess Tofu, uno squisito blog vegetariano ricco di ricette appetitose che invogliano il lettore ad avvicinarsi a questo sano stile di vita, tant’è che è stato scelto anche dall’autorevole magazine Saveur tra i 6 migliori food blog del 2014. Mica pizza e fichi!

I Culurgiones invece sono dei tipici ravioli Sardi di semola di grano duro dalla caratteristica forma a spiga, realizzati in differenti modi in base alla zona di origine, la mia nonna per esempio li faceva con la menta e le patate e un sugo leggero di pomodoro con una abbondante grattugiata di pecorino rigorosamente Sardo, chevelodicoafà!

Ora vi lascio alle parole e alla ricetta di Phi, passate a trovarla e se vi piace il suo blog, votatela. Io vi aspetto tra qualche giorno per mostrarvi il “dietro le quinte” che ha realizzato per noi, non mancate!

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Amo l’ottimismo della Primavera, le lunghe giornate di sole e il verde vivace tutto intorno. È il momento esatto per riflettere sui fallimenti e cercare di farne di nuovi. Sarà colpa dell’ottimismo? Per me cucinare non è solo passare il tempo ma spenderlo facendo qualcosa di interessante e di diverso. Ecco perché sono stata attratta dall’idea di fare i culurgiones.

Quando ho visto questa ricetta su Tasting Table  dovevo provare una mia variante, in qualche modo dovevo alleggerirli. Ho deciso così di usare alcuni dei miei topinambur invece delle patate. Sono radici dolci e sanno di nocciola. Il ripieno di patate tradizionale può andare più che bene ma perché non provare qualche altra radice dolce e ricca di amido. Penso che la pastinaca possa funzionare perfettamente allo stesso modo.

credits: Phi – “Princess Tofu” blog

I culurgiones sono anche abbastanza difficile da capire, intendo geometricamente parlando. Penso di aver consumato 2/3 della pasta dei culurgiones prima di “capire” come sono fatti, come dire io non sono Italiana, ma amo la pasta. Per me, la pasta può essere mangiato quasi tutti i giorni, condita leggermente se non del tutto. Della buona pasta fresca è meravigliosa con un po’ di olio d’oliva, sale e pepe e una grattugiata di formaggio. Meglio un buon formaggio che una salsa mediocre ogni giorno. Questo è ciò che è davvero questo piatt: fresca e semplice pasta ripiena con radici dolci e buon formaggio che nuota in un mare di verde.

Spero che ti piaccia almeno quanto è piaciuta a me.

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Phi – “Princess Tofu” blog

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Original version

I love the optimism of spring, the elongated hours of sunshine, and the vibrant greenness of it all. It’s when I am most likely to reflect on failure and try to make new ones. Blame it on the optimism you know? For me, cooking is all about these wasted hours, it’s best when spent doing something foreign or different. It’s why I was fascinated with the idea of making curlurgiones.

When I saw culurgiones featured on Tasting Table I knew I wanted to try it as my own, but lighter somehow. I decided to use up some of my sunchokes instead of potatoes. They are sweet and nutty, and whips up magically. You can also go with the traditional potato filling or try some other sweet, starchy root. I think parsnips will work perfectly.

credits: Phi – “Princess Tofu” blog

Culurgiones are also quite difficult to figure out, geometrically. I think I went through 2/3 of the batch of culurgiones before I “got it” which is to say I am not Italian, but I do love pasta. For me, pasta can be eaten on most days, dressed lightly if at all. Good fresh pasta is wonderful with some olive oil, salt & pepper, and a good shaving of cheese. I’ll take a good cheese over a mediocre sauce any day. That’s really what this dish is about: fresh simple pasta filled with sweet roots and good cheese bathing in a sea of green.

I hope you like it as much as I do.

You can find me here:

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credits: Phi – “Princess Tofu” blog

Sunchoke Culurgiones on a bed of peas

Adapted from Tasting Table

Make Filling

• 1 c sunchoke puree
• 1TB cream
• 8 oz fresh sheep milk ricotta
• 3 oz grated pecorino
• 1/2 ts white truffle oil
• salt

1. Prepare sunchokes by peeling the tubers. This makes it easier to digest, reducing the gaseous side effects. IF you are afraid of eating sunchokes, parsnips make a lovely substitution. The roots need to be boiled until they are very tender – they will start to fall apart. Doing so will help to lessen the chance og gas.
2. Save your cooking water to boil artichokes and pasta.
3. Puree the sunchokes with cream – the cream helps to add a sweet creamy texture to the otherwise starchy texture. Next, add in the cheeses and oil. Salt liberally, to taste. I used ~1ts.
4. Set aside and start preparing your brown butter.

Make Pasta

• 3/4 lb semolina
• 5 oz water
• 1/2 ts salt

1. This pasta needs a lot of kneading. If you’ve never made pasta before, use a different dough recipe that includes egg or milk. Maybe even both. If you don’t have time to make your own pasta, you can use jumbo shells or cannelloni.
2. Begin by making a well and slowing incorporating the water into the flour, starting from inside the well. Once you’ve gotten all of the water mixed in with the flour, begin to knead. Do this until it is smooth and pliable. This can take quite a bit of effort. If you are having a hard time, use a rolling pin to make flattened sheets and fold the dough like a blanket. I find this helps when the kneading gets tiring.
3. Allow the dough to rest for 20-30 minutes, covered before final rolling. Take 1/3 of the dough and use a machine to make thin sheets. Alternatively, you can do this manually with a rolling pin. Cut rounds with a large cookie cutter, fill each piece with approximately 1 TB of filling and shape into curlurgiones. I find the photos from this site to be most helpful. I’ve watched numerous videos, and they are not that useful. It will take some practice and failure to get the desired shape. As you can see, the difference between my very first and my very last ones are a world of difference.
4. You should freeze your pasta discards to eat as fresh pasta another day. Don’t be tempted to reshape them. Unused culurgiones should also be frozen asap.

Serve

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 lb frozen peas
• 6 small artichoke hearts (or 1 14 oz can of hearts in water)
• 1/4 c mint, chiffonade
• 3 green garlic heads, thinly sliced, deep fried
• 3 oz pecorino, grated

1. Deep fry your green garlic in boiling oil and salt liberally. Green garlic does not need to be peeled separated, and are easier for this preparation. If that’s not available, substitute with shallots.
2. Cook your artichoke hearts in sunchoke water for 15 minutes, or until fork tender.  Remove, and use the water to cook the pasta. If you are using preserved artichokes, skip this step.
3. Bring the sunchoke water to a boil and blanch the peas. You don’t need to give them an ice bath. Just put them into the water and immediately remove them – just enough to thaw them out. What you are looking for is crispy little green rounds.  Keep the water boiling for pasta.
4. Next, half the artichokes and sear them until brown. I used my skillet.
5. Using a sauce pan, brown the butter slowly until nutty. Set aside.
6. Cook the pasta in the vegetable water for 2 1/2 -3 minutes. They will float when ready. Remove the pasta from the water and add to the butter.
7. Plating: Toss the peas with a bit of olive oil and the mint and cheese. Then place the pasta on top and garnish with some salt, fried garlic, and freshly ground pepper.

Thank you so much Phi, see you soon next with “behind the scenes” post :)

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