Foglie d'Ulivo & Tomato Pesto

Puglia, the region of Italy where I come from, is famous for having so many olive trees that it is one of the most productive areas. This pasta format, which can be counted in the family of "cavatelli" (a pasta format from the south of Italy), was invented between the 1980s and 1990s to pay tribute to the regional olive-growing tradition. I propose it with a rustic and easy-to-prepare pesto made from sun-dried tomatoes and then preserved in extra virgin olive oil.

Add <quantity>200<unit>g</unit></quantity> of fine semolina to a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add <quantity>50<unit>ml</unit></quantity> of water

Mix with a fork to incorporate the water. Add <quantity>25<unit>ml</unit></quantity> of water and mix to obtain a wet sand crumbly texture

Add <quantity>25<unit>ml</unit></quantity> of water and knead until the dough comes together, but is still quite crumbly. Add a little more water if necessary, but not much, or the dough will become sticky. Move it to a cutting board

Knead for 2-3m. If the dough is too hard and crumbly, add a few drops of water and continue to knead to obtain a compact, elastic, and firm dough that doesn't stick to the board

Let the dough rest covered for 30m before shaping. The egg-free pasta dough is ready

Add <quantity>1<unit>cup</unit></quantity> of sun-dried tomatoes, <quantity>1<unit>cup</unit></quantity> of picked mint leaves, and <quantity>1<unit>tbsp</unit></quantity> of dried oregano to a tall jug

Add <quantity>2</quantity> peeled garlic cloves and <quantity>3<unit>tbsp</unit></quantity> of sunflower seeds

Add <quantity>3<unit>tbsp</unit></quantity> of extra virgin olive oil and a bit of water, enough to help blending

Blend with a hand blender until smooth. The sun-dried tomato pesto is ready. You can add more olive oil or water if you want a more liquid consistency

Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat

Roll the dough into a <quantity>2<unit>cm</unit></quantity> diameter cylinder. Divide it into <quantity>2<unit>cm</unit></quantity> pieces

Rub each piece against the surface until it has a tapered shape. With a knife, drag the pasta toward you and with the thumb of the other hand block it in the opposite direction, forming a leaf

Transfer the pasta leaves to the boiling water and boil them until cooked through but still firm

Add the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto to taste in a bowl. Strain the pasta and add it to the bowl

Stir to combine. Add a little water from the pasta pot if you wish a more loosen sauce

Transfer to a serving plate. The foglie d'ulivo & tomato pesto is ready

Enjoy!

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