CHESTNUT TAGLIATELLE WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS PESTO

Ok, I have to admit it: I’m in love with the entire cabbage family! I actually ignored them until a couple of years ago when I started receiving a bio-box* weekly. In winter the box is often full of savoy, broccoli, cabbage... and brussels sprouts! That’s how our love story started :).

Now, I know cabbage, broccoli & co. are not the most fun veggies on the planet, but let’s just try to forget their usual smell and all the related childish nightmares and let’s, instead, try to cook them in a “modern” way. I promise they won’t disappoint you. AT ALL :).

I was looking for a nice “sauce” for chestnut tagliatelle when I had my very own Epiphany seeing all the sprouts at my favourite fruteria del barrio :).

Tagliatelle:

150g chestnut flour
100g wheat flour
2 eggs

Place both flours in a bowl or on a board (I actually use my Kitchen Aid). Make a well in the centre and crack the eggs into it. Use a fork to beat the eggs until smooth, then mix them with the flour and start kneading. The result should be a smooth and elastic dough that you will cover with clingfilm and let rest for about 30 minutes before rolling and shaping it into tagliatelle.

Sauce:

250g brussels sprouts - external leaves
1/2 clove of garlic
100g hazelnuts
50g parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
20g butter

Blanch 2 handful brussel sprout’s leaves for about 1 minute; strain them and then use a food processor - or a mortar, if you have some more time - to mash them with the half clove of garlic, the hazelnuts and the olive oil. Season to taste then add Parmesan cheese. Your pesto should have an oozy consistency; if it’s not the case just add a bit more olive oil or parmesan cheese.

Once the pesto is ready, slice the remaining brussels sprouts; melt the butter in a saucepan on a medium heat and add the sprouts. Cook them for a couple of minutes and then add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water. I like them better when they’re crunchy, but this is personal taste so just add some more water if you like them a bit softer.

In the meantime cook the tagliatelle in a pan of boiling salted water for 3 or 4 minutes; drain and then stir them into the pesto. Season to taste and serve adding some brussels sprouts slices.


*In case you're wondering what it is, a bio-box is a box containing bio veggies/fruits. You don't choose them, you just take what the season, the weather and the farmer give you :).

In Madrid it's pretty easy to find such thing: lots of bio-shops prepare boxes and there's a lot of online shops-farms, too, such as Cajanature, Milhistorias, Cestaverde…

Just google "cajas de fruta biologica madrid" and you'll find an entire bio world :)!