Orecchiette and Peas
Smoked Almonds, Parmesan Broth, Fiore Sardo, Lemon Breadcrumbs
Chef Katy Millard of Coquine | Portland, OR
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Adapted by StarChefs | April 2018
INGREDIENTS
Parmesan Broth:
200 grams Parmesan Broth
½ medium onion, quartered
1 sprig thyme
Lemon Breadcrumbs:
100 grams coarse breadcrumbs, lightly toasted
15 grams Arbequina olive oil
Zest of ½ lemon
Sea salt
Crushed Peas:
500 grams shelled English peas (about 3 to 4 pounds in shells), small and large peas reserved separately
Sea salt
½ ounce butter
Lemon jucice
To Assemble and Serve:
Salt
500 grams
2 ounces butter
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
Fiore Sardo
50 grams smoked almonds, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
Lemon juice
METHOD
For the Parmesan Broth:
Fill a pot with 2 liters water. Bundle rinds, onion, and thyme in a sachet. Secure sachet to the handle of a pot with enough twine to ensure it will remain submerged but not touch the bottom of the pot. Simmer 90 minutes, until broth is rich and fl avorful. Strain through a chinois.
For the Lemon Breadcrumbs:
In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, oil, and zest. Season with salt.
For the Crushed Peas:
Reserve small peas for pick-up. Prepare an ice bath. To a large pot boiling salted water, add butter. After butter melts, add large peas and cook 2 minutes. Immediately shock in ice bath. Transfer peas to a food processor and pulse to consistency of cottage cheese, scraping down the sides and adding a little water as necessary. Transfer crushed peas to a bowl over the ice bath. Season with salt and lemon juice.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a saucepot, gently warm crushed peas. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook orecchiette al dente; drain. To a large saucepot, add ½ cup Parmesan Broth followed by butter and crème fraîche. Bring to a boil, reduce by half, and add the pasta. If sauce breaks, add more broth. Add reserved small peas and turn off heat. In a warm bowl, spread a generous ¼ cup of Crushed Peas. Top with orecchiette mixture. Shave Fiore Sardo over top. Garnish with Lemon Breadcrumbs and almonds. Season with lemon juice.
