Italian Saffron Pappardelle

Luxurious handmade pappardelle pasta infused with precious saffron, creating golden ribbons of silky perfection. This restaurant-quality dish showcase...

4 servings
Italian Cuisine
🟡Intermediate★★★☆☆
May 30, 2025
19 views

Ingredients

🥩

4 whole

large eggs

room temperature, preferably free-range

💧

60 ml

white wine

dry, such as Pinot Grigio

💧

2 tablespoons

warm water

for blooming saffron

🥩

100 g

Parmigiano-Reggiano

freshly grated, aged 24 months

🥬

1/2 teaspoon

black pepper

freshly cracked

🫒

1 tablespoon

extra virgin olive oil

premium quality

🌾

400 g

00 flour

Italian tipo 00 flour preferred for silky texture

🌶️

1 teaspoon

fine sea salt

📦

1 pinch

saffron threads

high-quality threads, about 20-25 strands

🥛

4 tablespoons

unsalted butter

European-style, cold

🥛

120 ml

heavy cream

35% fat content

Categories:🥩protein🥬vegetable🍎fruit🌾grain🥛dairy🌶️spice🫒oil💧liquid📦other

Instructions

Step 1
Bloom the saffron threads by crushing them gently between your fingers and steeping in warm water for 15 minutes. This releases the maximum color and flavor compounds, creating an intensely aromatic liquid that will be the soul of your pasta.
Step 2
Create a flour well on a clean work surface using the 00 flour, forming a crater with walls high enough to contain the eggs. This traditional Italian method allows for gradual incorporation and prevents the eggs from escaping.
Step 3
Crack the large eggs into the center of the flour well, add the bloomed saffron mixture with its liquid, extra virgin olive oil, and fine sea salt. Using a fork, begin whisking the eggs while gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well.
Step 4
Once the mixture becomes too thick to whisk, begin kneading with your hands, incorporating remaining flour until a shaggy dough forms. The dough should feel slightly tacky but not sticky - this indicates proper hydration.
Step 5
Knead the dough vigorously for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and develops a beautiful golden hue from the saffron. The surface should be silky and spring back when pressed with your finger.
Step 6
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax and the saffron to distribute evenly throughout the dough.
Step 7
Divide the rested dough into 4 portions. Using a pasta machine or rolling pin, roll each portion to setting 6 on a pasta machine (about 1.5mm thick). The sheets should be thin enough to read through but sturdy enough to handle.
Step 8
Cut the pasta sheets into pappardelle ribbons approximately 2cm wide using a sharp knife or pasta cutter. Dust lightly with flour and nest the ribbons to prevent sticking.
Step 9
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt generously until it tastes like seawater. The abundant water ensures even cooking and prevents the pasta from sticking together.
Step 10
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, reduce the white wine by half, then add the heavy cream and half the unsalted butter. Simmer gently until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Step 11
Drop the pappardelle into the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes until al dente. Fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried, so taste frequently to achieve the perfect texture.
Step 12
Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pappardelle. Immediately transfer to the skillet with the cream sauce, adding the remaining unsalted butter and half the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Step 13
Toss vigorously using pasta tongs and a wooden spoon, adding pasta water gradually until the sauce becomes glossy and coats each ribbon perfectly. The starch from the pasta water creates the silky emulsion that defines great Italian pasta.

✨Chef's Tips

  • ★The key to exceptional saffron pasta is patience during the blooming process - never rush this step. Quality saffron should release a honey-like aroma and deep golden color. If your saffron lacks potency, increase the quantity slightly rather than the steeping time.
  • ★When kneading pasta dough, the surface temperature of your work area matters significantly. A cool marble or wooden surface prevents the dough from becoming too warm, which can make it difficult to roll and cause the eggs to break the gluten structure.
  • ★Test your pasta machine settings with a small piece of dough first. The ideal thickness for pappardelle allows light to pass through but maintains enough body to hold the sauce. If too thin, the pasta will tear; too thick, and it won't cook evenly.
  • ★The mantecatura technique - the vigorous tossing of pasta with sauce and cheese - is crucial for restaurant-quality results. This creates an emulsion that makes the sauce cling to every surface of the pasta rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • ★Always finish your saffron pappardelle with a final grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table and a light drizzle of your finest extra virgin olive oil. The residual heat will release the cheese's nutty aromatics and the olive oil will enhance the saffron's floral notes.
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