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In controversial moves at home, LeftField's Owner Rachel has been trying her hand in the kitchen (after years of being bullied out of the kitchen by Phil) . Using food from the cupboards, freezer and some foraging around their home in the Scottish Borders the freestyle attempt took way longer than usual but all good things come to those who wait....
Langoustine & wild garlic pesto cappelletti with garlic & harissa oil, ramson flowers, pecorino & lemon zest.
Lockdown has destroyed my concentration. Like most people I can't think straight at the moment, and I'm forever fighting off an overwhelming sense of panic, and sadness. One thing I think we are all having no trouble focusing on is when and what shall we eat.In our house we've no sooner finished one meal and we're thinking about the next, searching for comfort.
I always cooked for the family up until we opened LeftField and then there just wasn't time.
In this enforced quiet time I had my first go at making pasta using ingredients from the cupboard, freezer & from wild garlic I picked at home here in the Scottish Borders when out on my dog walks.
I made this up as I went along so there is no recipe, other than Phil's guidance of 1 egg to 100g flour makes enough pasta for one person.
It took me ages to make, only 5 mins to eat but it was very very tasty.
Have fun with it, Love Rachel xxx
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
PASTA
4 eggs
400g flour (ideally fine 00 grade but I used plain, as that's what we had)
Pour yourself a glass of wine
Put flour on worktop & make a well in the middle, Crack eggs into the well, use your hands to mix & knead until its a dough. Add a wee bit of water if it's feeling very dry. Make it into a round, quarter it and wrap each piece in clingfilm and pop in fridge for at least 30 minutes while you make the filling.
MAKE THE PESTO & PASTA
Pour yourself a glass of wine
I made the pesto with wild garlic and wild leeks,olive oil, dry roasted cashews from the Co-op & pecorino. You can use any nuts & hard cheese and if you can't get the wild garlic spinach and herbs would work instead. Whizz it all up with a stick blender, you know what pesto should look like.
The Langos were from our freezer so they are only good for fillings or stuffings, they are easily switched out for frozen raw prawns or any fleshy fish you can get, just make it up as you go! Chop up into small pieces and mix into a bowl with the pesto.
Roll the pasta through the machine if you have one, if not just use a rolling pin and go as thin as you can. Cut out the pasta, pop a blob of the mixture in it and get folding.
Remember you’ve had a few drinks by now and your sizing is fairly random, shrug and accept that portion control is not your thing, just keep going. I highly recommend looking at some videos on how to make the shapes - it's harder than it looks! Make sure you pop the made cappelletti's on a floured surface as you go, so they don't stick together.
MAKE THE OIL
Pour yourself a glass of wine
Use a very generous amount of olive oil here. Fry off whatever greenery you’ve got, spring onions for me, add even more chopped garlic because who cares and brown it off so its slightly chewy, listen to Phil when he says add harissa as that wee bit of spice tastes amazing. If you don't have any harissa, use some chilli flakes or paprika and a smidge of tomato puree.
PLATING UP
Boil the pasta for 3 mins, drain and plate up, pour over oil, grate over more cheese and lemon zest, top with some ramsom flowers if you have them. Serve & pour yourself another glass of wine.
PAIRING WINE
I went for Cave de Ribeauville, Riesling, Alsace. Citrus, floral, mineral this organic Riesling from the Vosges mountains in Alsace went down a treat.
Have fun with it, enjoy and don't let any Chef's rush you
Much love, Rachel xx
Instagram: @racchisholm
Check out the brilliant Italian Nonna's who make it look so simple
Instagram: @pastagrannies