Saffron-Infused Hand-Rolled Pasta with Seasonal Vegetables
A minimalist yet luxurious dish featuring tender hand-rolled pasta ribbons coated in a delicate saffron emulsion, accompanied by lightly sautéed seaso...
4 servings
Italian Cuisine
🟡Intermediate★★★☆☆
Jul 14, 2025
32 views
Ingredients
🥩
6 units
egg yolks
🥩
1 unit
whole egg
🥩
1 ounce
Parmigiano-Reggiano
frozen solid for grating
🌾
200 grams
00 flour
plus extra for dusting
🌾
60 grams
semolina flour
🌾
1/2 cup
reserved pasta cooking water
as needed for emulsifying
🥛
3 tablespoons
unsalted butter
cold, cubed
🥬
8 units
thin asparagus spears
woody ends trimmed
💧
2 tablespoons
warm water
🥬
6 units
baby rainbow carrots
peeled and halved lengthwise
💧
2 tablespoons
dry white wine
🥬
1 cup
sugar snap peas
strings removed
🥬
to taste
freshly cracked black pepper
🫒
2 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp for dough, 1 tbsp for sautéing vegetables
🫒
2 teaspoons
white truffle oil
🌶️
1/2 teaspoon
fine sea salt
🌶️
to taste
flaky sea salt
📦
1/2 teaspoon
saffron threads
divided
Categories:🥩protein🥬vegetable🍎fruit🌾grain🥛dairy🌶️spice🫒oil💧liquid📦other
Instructions
Step 1
Combine the warm water with a generous pinch of the saffron threads in a small bowl and let steep for 5 minutes; this blooming step extracts both color and aroma that will infuse the pasta dough.
Step 2
Mound the 00 flour and the semolina flour on a clean work surface, create a well, and add the egg yolks, the whole egg, 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil, the fine sea salt, and the saffron-tinged warm water. Using a fork, gradually pull flour into the liquid center until a shaggy dough forms, then knead with the heels of your hands for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic; wrap and rest 30 minutes at room temperature so the gluten relaxes.
Step 3
While the dough rests, bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch the thin asparagus spears for 1 minute, the baby rainbow carrots for 2 minutes, and the sugar snap peas for 30 seconds. Shock each vegetable immediately in ice water to lock in color, then drain and pat dry.
Step 4
Divide the rested dough in half. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface (or with a hand-crank machine) to a 2 mm thickness. Cut into 1.5 cm ribbons, dust lightly with semolina flour, and arrange on a tray covered with a tea towel to prevent drying.
Step 5
In a wide sauté pan over medium heat, reduce the dry white wine by half, then add the remaining saffron threads. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the unsalted butter one cube at a time, creating a glossy saffron emulsion. Hold on the lowest flame just warm enough to keep the butter fluid—overheating will break the sauce.
Step 6
Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil. Drop the hand-rolled pasta and cook 60–90 seconds; as soon as the ribbons float and the center turns opaque, transfer them with tongs directly to the saffron emulsion, adding a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water to stabilize the sauce.
Step 7
In a separate skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the blanched thin asparagus spears, baby rainbow carrots, and sugar snap peas; sauté just 1 minute until heated through and lightly glazed, seasoning with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Step 8
Toss the pasta in the sauté pan, agitating constantly until the saffron emulsion thickens and clings silkily to each ribbon. Off heat, drizzle in the white truffle oil for its volatile aroma and adjust seasoning with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Step 9
Twirl the pasta into shallow warmed bowls, spoon any remaining saffron emulsion over the top, and arrange the seasonal vegetables artfully around the nests for visual contrast.
Step 10
Using a Microplane held vertically, shower the dish with the frozen Parmigiano-Reggiano, creating an ethereal Parmesan snow. Finish with a final whisper of white truffle oil and a final pinch of flaky sea salt, then serve immediately while the aromas are most vibrant.
✨Chef's Tips
- ★Knead until the dough springs back when poked; under-kneaded dough will tear when rolled, while over-floured dough will feel dry and resist stretching.
- ★Keep the unsalted butter refrigerator-cold right up to the moment it meets the pan—this temperature difference is what creates a stable, glossy emulsion without added cream.
- ★Freezing the Parmigiano-Reggiano for at least 2 hours transforms it into a feather-light snow that melts on contact with the hot pasta, adding flavor without heaviness.
- ★Blanching the vegetables separately lets you tailor cooking times to each one’s structure, preserving vibrant color and crisp-tender texture—shock in ice water immediately to halt cooking.
- ★White truffle oil loses its aroma above 60 °C; always add it off heat at the very end to capture its full bouquet.
hand-rolled pastasaffronseasonal vegetablestruffle oilParmigiano snowluxury vegetariandinnerspecial occasion