SAFFRON SPAGHETTI ALLA CHITARRA

Making homemade Saffron Spaghetti alla Chitarra is an extraordinary culinary experience that elevates traditional pasta to new heights. The unique, rich aroma and vibrant color of saffron infuse the dough with an exquisite flavor profile that is both luxurious and subtly complex. The process of crafting the pasta on the traditional chitarra, a wooden frame strung with fine metal wires, adds an artisanal touch that enhances the texture, giving it a perfect al dente bite. The saffron's distinct earthiness and slight sweetness meld seamlessly with the pasta, transforming a simple dish into a gourmet delight that is both visually stunning and tantalizingly delicious.

My son and I successfully made this pasta from scratch in Chianti, Italy! Tasty, fresh, easy recipes and new methods from Chef Genty at Terre di Baccio.

 
INGREDIENTS

Pasta Dough 
200 g '00' flour (approximately 1 ½ cups*)
300 g semolina flour (approximately 2 ½ cups*)
5 fresh eggs
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
*For precision, it’s best to measure with a scale. If you don’t have a scale, fluff the flour with a spoon and scoop into the measuring cup rather than packing it down into the cup. 

Sauce 
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 cup heavy cream 
Extra virgin olive oil 
Salt and white pepper, to taste 
4 tbsp parmesan cheese
Pinch of saffron 

Tools
Cutting board 
Knife 
Mortar and pestle 
Large pot 
Large skillet 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add the saffron and a pinch of salt to a mortar and pestle and grind to a powder. Add the powder to one cup of hot water and let it infuse for about 24 hours. 
2. Combine the flours in a large bowl and mix well. Transfer the mixed flours to the center of a large cutting board and create a cavity in the center that can accommodate the eggs, salt, and olive oil. 
3. Add the eggs, egg yolk, salt, and oil. Begin mixing everything together with a fork. When the dough starts to take shape and become more solid, it’s time to knead with our hands until smooth and homogenous. The dough is ready when it’s elastic and there is no flour left on the cutting board. 
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for between 20 mins and a maximum of 3 hours. 
5. Start with your pasta machine at a 0 and run the sheet through. After each trip through the machine, increase the number by 1, working all the way up to a 5. Affix the pasta machine with the spaghetti cutter and run the dough through to cut. 
6. In a large skillet, add the butter, shallot, olive oil and salt and fry the mixture lightly.
7. Stir in the heavy cream and saffron water. 
8. Allow the mixture to reduce by about half. 
9. While the mixture reduces, cook your spaghetti in a large pot of salted, boiling water for about 4 minutes. 
10. Drain the spaghetti and add it to the sauce along with a bit of the pasta cooking water. 
11. Allow the spaghetti to simmer in the sauce for about 2 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.

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