![\"Emilia_Romagna-390x244\"](\"https:\/\/adribarrcrocetti.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Emilia_Romagna-390x244.jpg\" "\\"Emilia_Romagna-390x244\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nEmilia-Romagna<\/a> is the home of world famous sfoglia, rich fresh egg pasta rolled paper thin. From that divine pasta comes garganelli.<\/p>\n Ridged tubes of pasta formed from a square of pasta rolled around a bastoncino (stick), and passed over a ridged tool known as a comb or pettine (PEH-tee-nay), garganelli are one of my favorites, both to eat and to make.<\/p>\n Artisanal Pasta Tools<\/p><\/div>\n Until recently the traditional implement used to make garganelli, the pettine (comb), was impossible to find in America, but once again Terry Mirri of Artisanal Pasta Tools<\/a> has stepped up to the proverbial plate with two completely handmade versions. His combs come with 4 different sizes of dowels for forming the garganelli. This dowel, or stick, is known as a bastoncino (bass-tone-CHEE-noh.)<\/p>\n A note; if you come across a small ridged rectangular board, about 2 \u00bd X 4 3\/4 inches with a bastoncino attached, say Eureka. Often marketed as a gnocchi board, it is in fact a mini pettine. As shown here, these tools are often set into a larger board with a hole for hanging on a wall.<\/p>\n The story goes that in 1725 the cook of Cardinal Cornelio Bentivoglio d’Aragona ran out of filling for her stuffed pasta. The broth was ready, but whether a pesky creature consumed the meat filling or whether extra guests arrived, the result was the same – more pasta than filling. Resourceful and clever, she made the best of the situation and worked with what she had. The cook borrowed a weaver’s tool, gathered some twigs, picked up her squares of dough and went to work. She wrapped the dough around the twigs, rolled it over the weaving implement, and garganelli entered the Pantheon of Pasta. Necessity is the Mother of Invention.<\/p>\n The name itself comes to us from the Latin word for trachea, gargala. The ribs on a single garganello (when are you EVER going to use that word again!) span the circumference of the pasta, like the rings of cartilage in your throat. Honest, that is how this pasta got its name. Funny, but this little bit of pasta trivia has popped up everywhere over the last two years. Prior to that, one had to dine with a Latin scholar or an anatomist for that little bit of enlightenment.<\/p>\n Penne Rigate<\/p><\/div>\n Garganelli<\/p><\/div>\n And don’t confuse this pasta with penne rigate. Garganelli, because they are hand rolled from a square of dough, have a seam. Penne, both lisce (smooth) and rigate (furrowed), are extruded and thus have no seam. Garganelli are made with eggs, and often enriched with nutmeg and Parmigiano. Penne are made from flour and water. Poor penne. Lastly the ridges on garganelli run a circuit around the body of the pasta, while on penne rigate, they run the length of the pasta. No need to be confused. Consider garganelli penne rigate’s wealthy cousin. Made by hand, this pasta reaps the benefit of the textures of the tools used to make it; the wooden counter and rolling pins and the pettine itself impart a rough surface that holds condimenti better than the smooth surface of machine made pasta.<\/p>\n Traditionally garganelli are served with a hearty ragu. But I love them with a light sauce and Spring vegetables. So right now is Garganelli season in our house. If you have no tiny young asparagus, you may substitute 1 cup of young peas.<\/p>\n Pasta<\/em> Sauce<\/em> Make the pasta<\/em><\/p>\n Place flour, semolina, salt and nutmeg in workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse to combine.<\/p>\n Lightly beat eggs and Parmigiano in 1 cup measuring cup. With processor running, pour egg mixture through feed tube. Process until mixture comes together. If mixture is too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until mixture comes together.<\/p>\n Remove from processor. Knead several minutes on floured board.<\/p>\n Form into disk, and wrap in plastic. Set aside to rest 30 minutes to 1 hour.<\/p>\n How to blanch asparagus<\/em><\/p>\n Rinse asparagus and break off ends. Slice in 2 inch lengths. Drop in large pot of heavily salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to ice water to shock and stop cooking. Drain and dry. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate. This step may be done 1 day ahead.<\/p>\n How to toast and skin hazelnuts<\/em><\/p>\n Toasting hazelnuts amplifies their natural favor. And since the skin can be bitter, removing as much of it as you can is a must. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place nuts on rimmed baking sheet and toast on center rack of oven 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove from oven and transfer nuts to rough kitchen towel. Rub nuts together in towel to remove as much of the skin as possible. Some of the skin will be quite tenacious; don’t worry if you can not remove all of it. Shoot for about half to three quarters. This may be done days ahead. If you are not using the nuts that day, store them, as with all nuts, in the freezer.<\/p>\n How to make garganelli<\/em><\/p>\n Work with a quarter of the dough at a time, keeping the remainder wrapped.<\/p>\n Roll dough by hand or using a pasta machine to 1\/16th inch thick.<\/p>\n On lightly floured board, cut dough into 2 X 2 inch squares.<\/p>\n Place 1 square of dough on floured pettine with one of the corners pointing toward you.<\/p>\n Place floured bastoncino on square of dough and roll pasta around it.<\/p>\n Maintaining firm pressure, roll dough around bastoncino forming a tube and imprinting ridges. Be certain the tip is sealed.<\/p>\n Slip garganello off bastoncino and place on semolina lined towel. Cover until ready to cook.<\/p>\n Make the sauce<\/em><\/p>\n Cook garganelli 1 to 2 minutes in large pot of well salted boiling water. Drain pasta and reserve water.<\/p>\n As pasta water finishes coming to the boil, heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook briefly to soften but not color, about 2 minutes. Add blanched asparagus, and cook another minute or two. Add 1\/4 cup pasta water and hazelnuts. Cook until water is almost evaporated. Add cooked pasta and stir until coated. Remove from heat and add Gorgonzola and herbs, stirring until pasta and vegetables are well coated and cheese is almost completely melted. Season with salt and pepper, adding bit more pasta water if pasta appears too tight. Serve at once. Pass Parmigiano at the table.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nGarganelli con asparagi e nocciole
\nGarganelli with Asparagus and Hazelnuts<\/em><\/h4>\nserves 4 to 6<\/h6>\n
\n1 3\/4 cups 00 flour
\n1\/4 cup semolina
\n1\/4 teaspoon kosher salt
\n1\/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
\n1\/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
\n3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
\nextra flour and semolina for forming garganelli<\/p>\n
\n1\/3 cup finely diced red onion
\n1 pound young asparagus, trimmed and cut in 2 inch pieces
\n1\/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned, coarsely chopped
\n5-6 ounces Gorgonzola dolce
\n1\/3 cup chopped Italian parsley or basil, or a combination
\n1\/3 cup fruity olive oil
\nsalt and pepper
\nParmigiano to serve at the table<\/p>\n
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