Conchiglie With Guanciale And Peas Recipes

GLAZED CARROTS WITH GUANCIALE

Steps:

• Carrots, part 1: Gently clean the carrots under running water with a clean scrubby pad. Trim where the stalk meets the carrot, scraping away any grit with a small knife. Set aside.
• Guanciale: Cut the guanciale into matchsticks or cubes. Place in a skillet, and set it over medium heat. Sauté guanciale until crispy and fat has rendered, 5 minutes. Transfer meat to a paper towels to drain, and pour rendered fat into a bowl. Deglaze the pan with a few tablespoons of water, using a small spatula to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom.
• Carrots, part 2: Add butter, carrots (in an even layer), and maple syrup to the pan. Season with a pinch of salt, then add enough water to fill the skillet halfway. Bring to a simmer and cook 3-5 minutes to reduce the liquid. Carrots are done when you can pierce them with a knife and meet just a little resistance. (If they're not quite done, add a bit more water, about ¼ cup, simmer several minutes, and check again.)
• When the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency and the carrots are cooked, taste for seasoning-but don't add salt. Instead, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of guanciale fat: the more, the saltier. (If this "breaks" the sauce-i.e.,the fat separates from the liquid-stir in a few tablespoons of water to bring it back together.) Mix in ¾ of the guanciale.
• Assembly: Spoon carrots with sauce onto a serving platter. Garnish with red sorrel and remaining guanciale. Serve.

LINGUINE ALLA CHITARRA WITH CLAMS, GUANCIALE AND PEA TENDRILS

Steps:

• For the pasta: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, semolina and salt and pile up in the center of the bowl. Create a shallow well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg. Beat the egg and oil together with a fork. Using a plastic spatula, stir the egg and slowly incorporate into the flour. Mix until the dough ball forms, then remove from the bowl and place the dough on a clean work surface.
• Knead the dough into a smooth dough ball, about 10 minutes. Immediately wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap to avoid drying out. Rest the dough at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using.
• Cut the pasta to linguine size using a chitarra or other pasta machine.
• For the sauce: In a medium saucepot, add the olive oil and guanciale and cook over medium heat to render the fat from the guanciale until it starts to turn light brown.
• Add the garlic, oregano, crushed pepper and basil, and mix; cook until the garlic is fully cooked through and the herbs are infused in the oil. Add the clams, stock and wine, and increase to high heat; cover with a lid to steam open the clams, 3 to 4 minutes. As soon as the clams open, remove from the heat to avoid overcooking; remove all of the clams from the pot and reserve the sauce. Remove half of the clams from their shells and add to the sauce.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, about 3 minutes.
• Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat to allow the pasta to soak up some of the sauce, then add the lemon juice and pea tendrils. Toss, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary.
• To plate, twist the pasta and place in the center of the plate, then top with the remaining sauce. Place the clams in the shells on top and garnish with a few fresh opal basil leaves, some herb flowers, a drizzle of Ligurian olive oil and Calabrian chile oil and shavings from the mullet bottarga.

CONCHIGLIE WITH GUANCIALE AND PEAS

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Then add the guanciale and cook until rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 6 minutes more, making sure that the meat does not get too crunchy and the garlic does not burn. If you see that the guanciale is browning too fast, remove it from the pan, finish the garlic and then add it again to the sauce.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook about 6 minutes. Add the peas after the 6 minutes and cook until the peas are bright green, about more 2 minutes. Remove the peas and pasta to the guanciale sauce and saute for another minute or two. Then add the Parmesan and toss for 1 minute. Drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil and some pepper. Serve with a bottle of robust red wine.