River Cafe Cook Book Green

Put the flour and salt in a processor, add the eggs and egg yolks, and pulse-blend until the pasta begins to come together into a loose ball of dough. Knead the pasta dough on a flat surface, lightly dusted with the semolina and a little extra flour, until the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. If the dough is very stiff and difficult to knead, you may have to put it back in the processor and blend in another whole egg. Cut the dough into eight equal-sized pieces and briefly knead them into individual balls. Wrap each ball in cling film and allow to rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (and up to 2 hours).

Prepare your pasta machine, setting it on the widest setting. Scatter the work surface with more flour, and push each piece of pasta dough through the rollers ten times, folding the sheet into three each time to return it to a short strip, then turn it by a quarter and push it through the rollers again. This process introduces air into the dough and stretches it to develop the texture. After ten such folds at this setting the pasta should feel silky. Only then reduce the setting gradually down to thin, as required. You should achieve long sheets; cut them in half if you find that they become too long to handle.

To cut tagliatelle, dust the sheets with flour and while still pliable fold each sheet loosely over and over again on itself until the whole sheet has been folded into a long, flat, rectangular roll 8 cm wide. Using a wide-bladed knife, cut the roll across into ribbons, 1 cm wide. Carefully unfold the ribbons, using both your hands with your fingers separated to lift and separate the ribbon rolls. Alternatively, if you have a cutter on your machine, put the pasta through the widest cutter. Make sure your surface is generously scattered with flour and separate the ribbons as they emerge from the pasta machine.

Rich Egg Pasta

for 6

400 g Tipo ‘00’ pasta flour, plus 100 g for dusting

20 large organic free-range egg yolks

1 tablespoon Maldon salt

Put the flour into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, then add the egg yolks and salt. Mix slowly to knead to a dough, about 10 minutes. Remove from the mixer, wrap in cling film and leave to cool and rest for 1 hour.

Dust your work surface with the remaining flour. Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Pass the pieces through your pasta machine set on the widest setting at least ten times, folding the dough and turning it each time. The dough should feel silky. Then reduce the setting gradually until you have long sheets. Do not make your final sheet too thin – about 2–3 mm, or No 1 on your machine.

Fold the pasta sheets over three or four times back on themselves, then cut the pile as finely as you can into tagliarini, 2–3 mm wide. Toss the cut tagliarini to loosen and lightly coat with flour. Use as soon as possible.

Ligurian Basic Pasta

serves 6

500 g Tipo ‘00’ pasta flour, plus extra for dusting

4 organic free-range eggs

50 ml white wine

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Maldon salt

Sieve the flour into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the eggs, wine, olive oil and salt. Knead slowly, allowing the mixture to come together. Keep the mixer on low speed and knead for 10 minutes. The dough may be quite dry.

Dust your work surface with plenty of flour. Divide the dough into four pieces and work each piece by hand until completely smooth. Wrap each ball of dough in cling film and put in the fridge to chill for 1½–2 hours.

To prepare the final stage of the dough, use a pasta machine. Put each ball of dough through the widest setting ten times, folding the thick sheet into three as it emerges, to form a short, very thick piece. Turn this around, and put it through the machine again. Keeping the machine on this setting, repeat this process until the pasta feels silky. Only then reduce the setting gradually down to a fine pasta sheet.

Cut as specified in individual recipes.

Pizza Dough

The dough quantity will serve six.

step 1

4 teaspoons granular dried yeast

125 ml warm water

150 g rye flour

step 2

250 ml warm water

2 tablespoons milk

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Maldon salt

500 g plain flour

Warm a bowl large enough to take the entire dough mixture.

For Step 1, mix the yeast with the warm water in the warm bowl. When ‘melted’, add the rye flour and stir well to combine. Leave in a warm place to form a sponge, at least 30 minutes.

When the mixture has formed a sponge, add the ingredients for Step 2. Put the mixture in a processor fitted with a dough hook and knead for 10–15 minutes. The dough will be quite wet and sticky (this texture will make a crisper crust). Place the dough in a bowl greased with extra olive oil and drizzle a little oil over the top. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours.

Knock the dough back and knead a couple of times, then return to the bowl and leave to rise for a further 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven as instructed in the individual recipe, and have ready a large flat baking tray or pizza stone (place the latter in the oven to preheat).

When the dough is ready, divide into three cricket-ball-sized pieces and individually form into balls. Roll out each ball on a floured surface with quick light motions as thinly as possible. A cricket ball of this dough should roll out to make a 30 cm pizza base, large enough for two people. Place on a baking sheet ready for the topping, then top and bake as advised in the individual recipe.

Potato Gnocchi

for 6

1 kg Desirée or other floury potatoes

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large, organic free-range egg yolks

150 g plain flour

100 g semolina

Cook the potatoes with their skins on in a large amount of boiling salted water. Drain and peel while hot. The potatoes must be very dry for successful gnocchi.

Put the potatoes through a mouli into a bowl, or mash with a potato masher. Lightly fold in the egg yolks, flour, semolina and salt, and work together quickly to obtain a dough.

Divide the dough into four. On a clean surface roll out each piece of dough into a long roll shape a little fatter than your index finger. Cut into 2 cm lengths. Roll each small piece over the back of a fork to make indentations which will catch a bit of the sauce.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the gnocchi and cook over a high heat until they rise to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon, letting the spoon rest on a clean folded cloth to drain off any excess water.

Chicken Stock

In a perfect world – i.e. in Bologna for instance – the stock would include a veal bone, a beef shin and a piece of pancetta.

makes 2 litres

1 × 1.5–2 kg free-range chicken, all fatty parts removed inner white heart of 1 head celery, white parts only, washed

2 large carrots, scrubbed

1 small red onion, peeled

2 tomatoes

1 head garlic, unpeeled

5 bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

3 litres cold water

Maldon salt

Put the chicken and the rest of the ingredients, apart from the salt, into a large saucepan, and gently bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and skim, then gently simmer for about 1 hour. Remove the chicken and strain out the vegetables and herbs. Season the broth.

Fish Stock

makes 1.5 litres

heads and bones of 1–2 large turbot

1 piece sea bass or head

a handful each of fennel and parsley stalks

1 whole head garlic

½ head celery with leaves

2 large plum tomatoes

½ tablespoon each of fennel seeds, coriander seeds and white peppercorns

1 large branch fresh bay leaves

2 dried red chillies

150 ml dry white wine

1.75 litres cold water

Maldon salt

Put all the ingredients, apart from the salt, into a large pan and bring to the boil, skimming off any scum if necessary. Lower the heat and simmer very gently for about 30 minutes. Strain and use immediately, seasoning to taste with salt.