Spring Pasta (Sughetto Primavera)
garlic, onions, beef, tomatoes, asparagus, porcini, and paccheri
Lina, Giuseppe’s mom, made this for us last week. We’ve all been talking about it since, so you must make it too!
Porcini mushrooms are one of our favorite ingredients. We buy them fresh or frozen. In North America, porcini can be a challenge to find, so we made a list of places to check:
Local specialty food stores, frozen section and dried food section (Central Market in Texas, Market Hall or Rainbow in the Bay Area).
Trader Joe’s often has tasty surprises in the freezer section. They usually have a mixed mushroom blend.
Costco is another place worth checking, both online and in store.
For dried porcini, take a look at this guide for rehydrating, and do not throw away the soaking water! Add it to the pasta water, stir it into the tomato sauce, or save it for soup. It has so much flavor and is way too good to waste. Someone recently commented that the texture of porcini can get weird and slimy. Porcini are a mushroom that tend to fall apart when cooked. Follow our instructions on rehydrating and cooking for the best results.
Can’t find porcini? The next best option are cremini or shiitake.
Fresh Spring Onion
Fresh spring onions are noticeably sweeter than what you’ll find at any other time of year. And it makes such a difference. The asparagus are the same. Both are at their best right now and will be gone soon, so enjoy them while you can! You’ll have the best luck finding both at the farmer’s market.
Other options for spring onion are shallots or small red onions.
Use a food mill
A food mill is a stainless steel tool that turns soft, cooked food into a smooth, even consistency without turning it into a purée. It’s perfect for making super smooth tomato sauces. Someone on Facebook just told us they use theirs regularly for apple sauce. If yours has been sitting collecting dust, this is the perfect time to pull it out.
If you don’t have one, try this one or this one. Or check your local 2nd hand store and garage sales (always check for rust).
Do you have to boil the tomatoes and use a food mill?
Technically no. But boiling makes the tomatoes run through the food mill much easier. If you want to skip boiling, you can just run them straight through the food mill, but the tomatoes must be very soft, ripe, and cut up first. The food mill is worth the extra step in this recipe for a sweeter sauce.
Type of pasta: mezzi paccheri
We like to use mezzi paccheri for this because it’s a thick, wide tube with enough body to hold a bold, chunky sauce. The beef, asparagus, and porcini settle inside the pasta rather than sliding off it. Also, the strong flavors of the sauce need a pasta that can match them, with a bite. You can use another type of pasta if you prefer.
Fresh pasta would do really well here too!
Don’t make the sauce ahead of time
The tomatoes get too acidic as they sit. This isn’t a sauce that does well in the fridge or when frozen. Make it the day of and serve immediately.
What sides to make?
If you’re making this for a Sunday lunch, Parmigiana is always a good idea.
We’ve been eating a simple cucumber salad. Basically sliced cucumbers with chunks of tomato tossed in EVOO with salt, basil, and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice.
Simple fresh mozzarella, sliced provolone, cured meats.
You can also make grilled and marinated eggplants ahead of time and keep them in the fridge.
What kind of olive oil to use?
Only extra virgin of course! We used the Turi for cooking and the Lina for finishing. You can shop our olive oils that we make from our groves in Calabria below!
*Please read our recipes all the way through before beginning.
Lina’s Sughetto Primavera
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, smashed (not diced)
1/4 of a small fresh spring red onion, thinly sliced
180-200g / 6-7 oz lean beef fillet (filetto), sliced into thin strips, approx 1/4 inch by 1 inch
3 tablespoons Turi extra virgin olive oil for cooking, plus Lina extra virgin olive oil for finishing
400g / 14 oz fresh tomatoes (about 3-4 medium)
150g / 5 oz asparagus (roughly 6-8 medium spears), cut into bite-size pieces
20-25g / 3/4 oz dried porcini, rehydrated OR use a large handful frozen chopped into bite size pieces
350g / 12 oz dry pasta
50g / 0.5 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated (about 2 tablespoons per person)
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper
Directions
If you’re using dried porcini, follow this guide first.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cut a small X on the bottom of each tomato before adding to the water so they don’t explode. Boil for 10 minutes until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and pass through a food mill directly into a bowl. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
Heat a large pan over low heat. Add the Turi EVOO, garlic, and onion. Cook until the garlic is just starting to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add the beef strips and cook until nicely browned, about 7 minutes.
Add the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, crack the lid, and cook for 25 to 35 minutes. The meat should become tender, and the tomatoes reduce becoming slightly sweet. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water or a splash of the porcini soaking liquid or close lid. Add the basil in the last few minutes of cooking.
Add the asparagus and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until just tender. Add the porcini and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, depending on size. Cut heat.
Salt the pasta water generously and cook the pasta until 2 minutes before al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water.
Turn the sauce to high. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the sauce. Stir well, adding splashes of pasta water as liquid evaporates. Cook until the pasta reaches the right texture, usually 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmigiano.
Plate and finish with a drizzle of Lina. Let us know if you make this and how it turns out.
Need to stock up on oil?
Best,
-Giuseppe & Skyler
oh my word does this sound delicious!!
do you deliver?