Gulf News Food Show's Tagliatelle pasta made with rescued bread

100 gms Semolina

2 Whole eggs

Puttanesca sauce

2 Anchovies

2 Garlic cloves

10 ml Olive oil

5 gms Capers

30 ml Peeled tomato puree (store-bought)

10 gms Chopped parsley

5 gms Black olives

Salt to taste

Method

For the fresh pasta:

Start by soaking the stale bread in water, then squeeze out the excess liquid and blend it using a mixer or hand blender.

Combine the blended bread with flour, semolina, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs. Knead the mixture until the dough becomes elastic.

Cover the dough with cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Use a pasta machine or roll out the dough to make pasta sheets. Then, cut the sheets into tagliatelle-sized pieces and set them aside.

For the puttanesca sauce:

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan with a clove of garlic, anchovies, capers, olives, and chilli flakes.

Once the ingredients are sautéed, add crushed peeled tomato puree, a pinch of oregano, and cook for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil water and add a pinch of salt. Cook the freshly made pasta in the boiling water for a few minutes, then drain and set it aside.

In another pan, add the cooked pasta and the sauce. Heat it over a medium flame, mixing well. Finish with chopped parsley and black olives.

Tips:

1. Use stale bread for making the fresh pasta at home. It's a great way to rescue bread that might otherwise go to waste.

2. When making the fresh pasta, allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes after kneading. This helps to develop the gluten and improves the texture of the pasta.

3. For the puttanesca sauce, make sure to season the ingredients well to bring out the flavors. Adjust the amount of chilli flakes according to your spice preference.

4. When cooking the freshly made pasta, keep an eye on it as it will cook quickly due to its freshness.

The Tagliatelle pasta recipe made with rescued bread and puttanesca sauce is a brilliant example of sustainable and flavourful cooking. This recipe demonstrates an innovative approach to reducing food waste while producing a delicious dish by utilising leftover stale bread to create the pasta. The puttanesca sauce, with its bold flavours from anchovies, garlic, capers, and olives, complements the homemade pasta perfectly, creating a satisfying and environmentally conscious dish. Creating this kind of recipe is not only delicious but also environmentally responsible.

- Marco Gattone is the Chef de cuisine at Felini garden, Radisson Blu, Yas Island.

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