Capunti Pasta with Summer Beans, Feta and Dill

For 2-4

Making homemade pasta may seem daunting to some but strascinati pasta (meaning ‘dragged’ pasta) doesn’t require any equipment other than a fork. Strascinati pasta is a great way to keep little hands busy, if you are looking for a creative way to spend an afternoon inside!

Capunti pasta is a perfect spring pasta. It has its name due to the pea pod it resembles, therefore what better accompaniments than braised peas and beans?

If you have always wanted to learn how to make fresh pasta this is a perfect beginner one, simple yet delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of peas

• 4 handfuls of mixed green/ white beans (whatever you can find)

• 4 cloves of garlic

• 2 tsp of dried dill

• 1 block of feta

• 1 tbsp of butter

• 1/2 a lemon

• olive oil

• salt

• pepper

Pasta dough

• 350g semolina

• 175ml warm water

Method

Step 1: Make pasta dough

Weigh up 350g of semolina flour and tip into a mound on a clean countertop. Make a well in the middle of the flour and gradually pour in 175ml of warm water. Using a fork, gradually incorporate the flour (like you are whisking scrambled eggs) until it forms a ‘custard-like’ batter. Then fold the rest of the flour into the wet mixture until a shaggy ball forms, knead for 10 minutes until smooth. The dough should bounce back when slightly pressed with a finger. Cover with a bowl that just fits over the ball of dough and leave to rest on your counter top at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Braise beans

Cut all 4 handfuls of beans into 3 finger length peices and place to one side. Finely chop 4 cloves of garlic and add to a cold large saucepan along with a splash of oil. Heat the pan on a medium heat until the garlic starts to fry. Add your beans to the pan, along with a generous pinch of salt and fry for a few minutes. Then add 1 cup of water, 2 tsp of dried dill and 1/2 a cup of peas, then place a lid on top of the pan and keep on a medium heat. Braise the beans until soft (with no colour).

Step 3: Shape your Capunti pasta

Place a large saucepan filled with water on the stove and heat on a high heat.

Roll the dough into a long rope, then cut into 1 inch long pieces. Roll the 1 inch pieces so they become more round, putting more pressure at the ends so they become pointed. Place 3 fingers across the centre and dig them into the dough, dragging it firmly towards yourself. The dough should flip over and should show 3 deep imprints of your fingers, repeat on all the dough.

*If you don’t want to use all the pasta on the day you make it, it is best to freeze them so that they retain their distinctive chewy texture. Place on a tray in the freezer (so none are touching) once frozen you can move them to a tupperware so that they don’t take up too much room. You can cook them from frozen but keep in mind they will take much longer to cook.

Step 4: Cook pasta

Once the water is boiling, season well with salt and add your pasta. When al dente, drain your pasta and keep 1 cup of pasta water to the side. Put your beans and pasta on a high heat with 1 tbsp of butter and a couple of ladels of the pasta water. Using a wooden spoon rapidly stir and toss your pasta so that the starch thickens the liquid into a sauce. Give the pasta a squeeze of a lemon and adjust the seasoning to your preference.

Step 5: Plate up

Spoon the pasta into a bowl or plate and top with some crumbled feta.

Et Voilà!