The Pasta Man’s caramelle with sweet potato and goats’ cheese recipe

Details

• Cuisine: Italian
• Recipe Type: Pasta
• Difficulty: Medium
• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Step-by-step

For the rich egg dough:

1. Tip the flour onto a clean work surface or board and shape it into a mound. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and yolks. Using a fork, break the yolks and start to gently whisk them.
2. Draw in the flour a little at a time and continue to combine with the fork. When everything starts to come together, use your hands to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth.
3. Use the heel of one hand to push the dough away from you and use your other hand to turn it 90 degrees after each knead – you will soon develop a lovely rhythm.
4. When the dough is smooth, form it into a flat disc (this will make it easier to roll out later). Place it in an airtight container in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes.

For the sweet potato filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/410°F/gas mark 6. Halve the sweet potato if you’re using a large one, otherwise leave them whole.
2. Prick all over with a fork and bake until fully cooked, for around 35 minutes. Leave to one side to cool down.
3. While the oven is on, toast the almond flakes or pine nuts you will use later for serving. Scatter them on a baking sheet and place it on the lower shelf of the oven for 5-6 minutes until they look golden brown. Keep a close eye on them as nuts tend to burn quickly. Set to one side.
4. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and discard the skins. Use a potato ricer if you have one, otherwise mash the potato in a medium bowl; you should end with around 310g (11oz) of mashed potato. Combine with the rest of the filling ingredients and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Rolling, filling and shaping the caramelle:

1. Start with a quarter of the dough, keeping the rest in an airtight container, and prepare a tray or baking sheet dusted with coarse semolina, on which to lay out your finished pasta.
2. Roll out the dough to setting 7 on your pasta machine.
3. Lay the rolled sheet flat on the work surface or a board and cut out rectangles to a size of around 7 x 9 cm (2.75 x 3.5 in).
4. Place about a heaped teaspoon of filling at the bottom centre of the longer side of each rectangle. Using a piping bag will give you a more precise and a slightly denser filling (because it’s compressed as it’s pushed through the nozzle), but you can use a teaspoon if you prefer.
5. Fold the dough over twice to create a small tube, press your index fingers into the dough at either end of the filling to seal it inside, then pleat the outer long edges together to create a shape like a small wrapped sweet (candy).
6. Now use your fingertip to make a dip in the centre of each caramelle, creating a little crater to catch the sauce.
7. Place each caramelle onto the prepared tray, then continue to roll, shape and fill the rest of the dough.

Step-by-step guide to shaping caramelle pasta (Photography: Dave Brown)

To serve:

1. Place the butter in a saucepan, add a ladleful of warm water and set it over a low heat. As the butter starts to melt, swirl it around the pan to combine with the water, then add the spinach, cover with a lid, and cook for 2 minutes until the spinach has wilted. Season to taste.
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Set a large pan of water on the hob and, when the water is boiling, season it generously with table salt. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Carefully drain the pasta, taking care not to split any of the parcels.
3. While the pasta is cooking, arrange the spinach on 4 warmed plates, then divide the caramelle between them. Scatter the toasted nuts over the top and finish with a grating of pecorino or Parmesan.

Recipe adapted from Pasta Masterclass by Mateo Zielonka. (Quadrille, £26) Photography: Dave Brown