Creamy Tubettini
Tubettini Rigate: I grew up eating bowls of ancini di pepe or tubettini in soup with lots of cheese and chicken broth. Because tubettini are so tiny, like a grain of rice, I thought why not make it as if you are cooking risotto? It’s so dreamy and creamy with the mascarpone cheese and crumbled pecorino Romano. I drizzled egg yolk on top instead of olive oil, but please add both if you like the extra richness!
Yield: 4 servings
Total Time: 30 minutes
Gather the Goods
olive oil
2 cups dried Benedetto Cavalieri Tubettini Rigate Pasta
8 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 cups chicken stock
Salt (to taste)
1 tablespoon brine from pepperdew peppers
1 cup mascarpone
1 cup pecorino Romano, grated plus more for the top
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
Make It
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In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, sweat the garlic in olive oil until aromatic.
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Add the pasta and stir for about one minute. The pasta should start to smell toasty!
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Start by pouring in the chicken stock, one cup at a time just as you would when making risotto. Season with salt.This will help cook the pasta slowly, but also continue to pull the starch out at the same time.
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The stock should bubble gently and the pasta may begin to stick, so continue to stir. This will continue for about 15-20 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the pasta is super creamy.
(Taste as you go!! Even if this means tasting the pasta raw, you must taste)
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Pour in the secret ingredient- Sweet vinegar from the picked peppadew. It helps cut the richness of the starch, but also adds a hint of acidic sweetness.
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Remove pan from heat and fold in the mascarpone and the pecorino Romano.
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Mix half of the egg yolks with parsley and leave the other half plain. Drizzle each egg yolk (with the parsley and without) around the top of the pasta.
I love the way the green and yellow swirl together on the top of the pasta. PLUS the egg yolk is super rich and a great alternative from olive oil or butter. But, heck! Add that too if you like.
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Absolutely, eat this right away, because the pasta will begin to absorb the liquid and it won’t be as creamy!!!