Bitter Honey by Letitia Clark

Author:Letitia Clark
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hardie Grant (UK)
Published: 2020-03-05T00:00:00+00:00

FEEDS 4 MODESTLY HUNGRY PEOPLE, 2 OR 3 GREEDY ONES

For the trofie

300 g (10½ oz/2 cups) semola di gran duro (semolina), plus extra for dusting

For the sauce

100 g (3½ oz/⅔ cup) pine nuts

1 garlic clove

30 g (1 oz) pecorino, grated

30 g (1 oz) Parmesan, grated

2 large handfuls fresh basil leaves, plus extra to serve

70 ml (2½ fl oz/generous ¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for frying

sea salt

1 handful of small, sweet tomatoes, sliced

150 g (5¼ oz) best-quality tinned tuna, halved

First, make your pasta. Mix the semolina and 145 g (5 oz/⅔ cup) warm water in a bowl until it comes together to form a rough dough. Take it out of the bowl and knead it on your worktop for 10 minutes or so, until you have an even, smooth dough. Wrap it in cling film (plastic wrap) and set it aside for half an hour while you make your pesto.

Blitz the nuts, garlic and cheese in a blender or mini food processor until they form a rough breadcrumb consistency. Add the basil and blitz for a second or two more, then add the oil and salt and continue to mix until everything is incorporated. Do not blitz for too long as you do not want a completely smooth paste – a little texture is a good thing.

Now shape your trofie. Break off small pieces of the dough, about the size of a hazelnut, and roll them into little twisted shapes. Set them aside on a clean, semolina-dusted baking (cookie) sheet.

In a frying pan (skillet), soften your sliced tomatoes in a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Stir through the pesto and half of the tuna, taste for seasoning, and set aside ready for your pasta.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Drop in your trofie and cook for a minute or two until they bob to the surface (if using bought pasta, follow the cooking instructions on the packet). Fish them out using a slotted spoon and place them straight into the pan with the sauce. Place this pan over the heat, add a small ladle of the pasta cooking water and toss your pasta and sauce by holding the pan and flicking your wrist, until it is well combined and beautifully saucy. Serve with the rest of the tuna and a scattering of basil leaves.

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