Homemade garganelli with asparagus, Grana Padano sauce and black truffle
Chef Danilo Cortellini
If there is anything that I love more than cheese it’s homemade pasta, so the day that I share with you one of my favourite pasta recipes with Grana Padano cheese you should know it is a good one and save straight away!
I learned how to make Garganelli during the years I spent in the city of Imola, near Bologna. Garganelli is a handmade pasta similar to penne that is amazing when served in rich sauces. To make garganelli I use an enriched pasta dough with mostly egg yolks and, if not with a Bolognese sauce, I like to serve them with asparagus and a very tasty cheese sauce made with Grana Padano Riserva, aged over 20 months, a true umami flavour bomb.
A triumphant topping for this pasta dish is definitely a few shaves of summer truffle or a drop of truffle oil but if that is not available don’t despair, top with extra cheese and a few basil leaves and it will be equally delicious.
Chefs tip: to give the garganelli their traditional shape you need what in Italy is called ‘pettine per garganelli’, aka a pasta comb. If you can’t find one of these you can use a wooden butter paddle and a little wooden stick.
Ingredients
20 long green asparagus
100 g of grated Grana Padano ‘Riserva’ for the sauce
300 ml of fresh cream
20 g of unsalted butter
1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
80 g of black/summer truffle (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Grana Padano Riserva to garnish
For the yolk pasta
500 g of 00 pasta flour
200 g of egg yolk
1 whole egg
Preparation