Maccheroni alla Chitarra di Farro con Pesto di Cavolo Nero

Guitar Cut Farro Pasta with Black Kale Pesto

I was craving a hearty, but meatless pastasciutta, whole grain and packed with nutrients. The pasta was the easy part. When I want hearty pasta, I go right to the famous maccheroni alla chitarra of Abruzzo. Also known as pasta or spaghetti alla chitarra, the noodles are satisfying and toothsome.

I figured farro would be perfect for the pasta. An heirloom grain (triticum dicoccum), it is also known as emmer, and sometimes erroneously called spelt. Farro has been around for ages, literally. Documented as far back as the dawn of agriculture in Mesopotamia and The Fertile Crescent, the Roman legions conquered the world on their daily ration.

These days we see polished farro kernels (farro perlato) in cold salads with vegetables, in soups, and as side or main dishes. It is also great as a breakfast cereal and even in dessert, like the Baked Farro Pudding at DomenicaCooks. Farro can also be ground into flour, and used in equal proportion with all-purpose flour yields pasta with a distinct bite and the pleasant smell of wheat. This dough is extremely easy to work with, surprisingly supple and satiny, not at all sticky. You can find farro flour in most Italian markets these days. Bartolini makes a particularly fine brand. If you prefer not to make your own maccheroni, Pasta Latini offers a number of excellent pasta varieties made with farro. Both Bartolini and Pasta Latini products are available from Amazon.

I decided on pesto as a condimento, and I went for Black Kale. A member of the cabbage family (Brassica oleracea), kale is high in antioxidants, iron, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein and calcium. Guilt free, I am telling you, guilt free. This Tuscan native is known by several names, Tuscan Kale, Palm Tree Kale, Nero di Toscana, Cavolo Nero, Dinosaur (“Dino”) Kale, and Lacinato. If you are looking for it in supermarkets, ask for Dino Kale; most commercial organic farms market it as such.

I have used pistachios, blanched almonds and toasted walnuts in this pesto, and I still have no definite favorite. The pistachios are rich and quite mild in taste and texture, the least assertive of the three. The almonds retain a nice bite and texture, and so they go nicely with the hearty raw kale. The toasted walnuts also are a fine complement to the dark leafy greens.

If you opt for the walnuts, be sure to toast them first. The toasty flavor marries beautifully with the kale. To toast the nuts: preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet, and toast on the middle rack 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant, stirring twice. Be sure to remove them from the oven once they become fragrant. Toast them too long, and they will develop a decidedly unpleasant bitter taste.

The kale is spicy enough on its own, and the peperoncino flakes amp it up. Unless you like grassy, green olive oil with a marked bite, go for something smooth, like DaVero from California, or a Ligurian oil made from Taggiasca olives. This one is sure to please the vegetarians at your table.

Maccheroni alla Chitarra di Farro con Pesto di Cavolo Nero

serves 6 as a primo

Pasta
 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup farro flour
2 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons water
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Place flours in workbowl of food processor fitted with metal knife. Pulse twice to combine. combine eggs, oil and water in measuring cup and beat lightly to combine. With processor running, pour egg mixture through feed tube in steady stream, scraping cup clean. Process until mixture forms ball. Process 40 seconds more. Remove from processor, and knead one minute. Wrap in plastic and set aside to rest 30 minutes.

Roll dough to 1/8 inch thick sheets the length of the chitarra. If your chitarra cuts two sizes of maccheroni, place sheet of pasta on the side that makes the wider cut. With floured rolling pin, roll back and forth to cut noodles. If you have no chitarra, you can use a pasta machine. Roll to setting #4 and cut with fettucine blade. Form maccheroni into loose “nidi” (nests), tossing with semolina. Place on semolina lined towels as you proceed.
 
 

For a step by step photo essay on how to make maccheroni alla chitarra, click here to read my article Maccheroni alla Chitarra con Ragu d’Agnello.

Pesto
 
9 oz. kale, well washed, roughly chopped, tough inner ribs removed
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tablespoons Pecorino Sardo
2 tablespoons nuts – pistachios, blanched almonds or toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, very soft
pinch peperoncino flakes
sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or more, to taste

Parmigiano or Pecorino for service
 
 
 
Place garlic, nuts, peperoncino and ½ teaspoon salt in bowl of food processor fitted with metal knife. Pulse 3 or 4 times to roughly chop. Add kale. With machine running, add lemon juice and olive oil in steady stream until desired consistency is reached. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and add cheeses and butter. Combine well. Check for seasoning, adding salt, lemon juice, or oil as needed.

To finish the dish

Bring 6 quarts water to rolling boil. Add handful coarse sea salt and stir. When water returns to boil, add pasta. Cook until al dente, just a few minutes, depending on how dry pasta was when you began cooking.

Drain maccheroni reserving some of the water, and toss with half of the pesto, adding a few tablespoons of pasta water if necessary to loosen maccheroni. Add more pesto as desired. Serve immediately. Pass Parmigiano or Pecorino Sardo at table.

Note: You can click on any picture for a larger image, and to see a slide show!

I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.