Pasta Fredda at Massara. Credit: Alex Staniloff
Ingredients
FOR THE SALSA DI PASTA FREDDA
Extra virgin olive oil: 50 g
Carrots: 50 g
Onion: 25 g
Celery: 25 g
White wine: 30 g
Passata pomodoro (tomato purée): 300 g
Basil: 25 g
Sea salt: 10 g
Almond milk: 25 g
FOR THE PASTA
Spaghetti di Gragnano: 160 g
Salsa di pasta fredda, cold (see above): 40 g
Extra virgin olive oil: 15 g
Lemon juice: 5 g
Red shrimp: 4
Sea urchin lobes: 4
Maldon salt: to finish
Marino sea salt: to finish
“Cold pasta is a typical food in Italy’s southern Campania region,” explains chef Stefano Secchi. “When we first opened Massara, it was the last thing anyone was thinking about—but now it’s become a staple.”
How to make Pasta Fredda with Red Shrimp and Sea Urchin
01.
Make the Salsa di Pasta Fredda
- Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the carrots, onion, and celery; sweat until the onions are translucent.
- Add the white wine and reduce fully.
- Add the passata pomodoro and reduce heat to a simmer.
- Cook for 3–4 hours, scraping the sides of the pot as needed.
- Add the sea salt, then remove from heat.
- Add the basil and blend with an immersion blender until very well combined.
- Cool completely in the refrigerator, then stir in the almond milk once cold.
02.
Cook and Chill the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente.
- Transfer directly to a metal bowl set over a larger metal bowl filled with ice.
- Add a small amount of pasta water and the cold salsa di pasta fredda.
- Stir with tongs until the pasta is completely cold.
03.
Finish and Serve
- Add the finishing olive oil, lemon juice, and season with sea salt.
- Plate the pasta and top with red shrimp, sea urchin, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of coarse finishing salt.
