Saffron Pasta Blossom

An elegant pasta dish featuring delicate saffron-infused cream sauce with tender pasta shaped into beautiful flower presentations, garnished with edib...

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

Ingredients

🥩

1 cup

Parmigiano-Reggiano

freshly grated, 24-month aged

🥛

4 tablespoons

unsalted butter

European-style, room temperature

🥛

1/2 cup

warm heavy cream

heated to 110°F for saffron blooming

🌾

1 pound

fresh pappardelle pasta

or high-quality dried

💧

1/2 cup

dry white wine

Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc

🥛

1 cup

heavy cream

additional for sauce base

📦

4 ounces

prosciutto di Parma

thinly sliced

📦

12 pieces

edible flowers

violas or nasturtiums

📦

2 medium

shallots

finely minced

🥬

1/4 teaspoon

white pepper

freshly ground

🌶️

1 teaspoon

sea salt

flaky Maldon

📦

2 tablespoons

fresh chives

finely chopped

📦

1/2 teaspoon

saffron threads

high-quality Spanish or Persian

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

Instructions

Step 1
Bloom the saffron threads in the warm heavy cream for 15 minutes, gently crushing the threads with the back of a spoon to release maximum color and flavor compounds. The mixture should turn a deep golden amber.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. The water should taste like seawater to properly season the fresh pappardelle pasta from within.
Step 3
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat until it begins to foam but not brown, maintaining the butter's sweet cream flavor.
Step 4
Add the minced shallots to the foaming butter and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent and fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent browning which would add unwanted bitter notes.
Step 5
Deglaze with the dry white wine, scraping up any fond from the pan bottom. Allow the wine to reduce by half, concentrating its acidity to balance the rich cream sauce.
Step 6
Pour in the additional heavy cream and the saffron-infused cream mixture, whisking gently to combine. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, indicating proper consistency.
Step 7
Cook the fresh pappardelle pasta for 2-3 minutes until al dente, reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. The pasta should have a slight bite to maintain texture in the final dish.
Step 8
Add the drained pasta directly to the saffron cream sauce along with the remaining unsalted butter, tossing vigorously with tongs to create an emulsion. Add pasta water gradually if needed to achieve a silky, cohesive sauce.
Step 9
Remove from heat and fold in half of the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, allowing the residual heat to melt the cheese without breaking the sauce.
Step 10
Meanwhile, quickly sear the prosciutto di Parma slices in a dry pan for 30 seconds per side until they become crispy and curl into petal-like shapes.
Step 11
Using tongs and a large spoon, twirl portions of pasta into nest-like blossoms on warmed plates, creating height and visual drama in the center of each plate.
Step 12
Garnish each pasta blossom with crispy prosciutto petals, edible flowers, remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, fresh chives, and a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt and white pepper.

✨Chef's Tips

  • ★Never add saffron directly to hot liquid as it can become bitter. Always bloom it in warm (not hot) cream first, and crush the threads gently to release the crocin compounds that provide both color and flavor.
  • ★The key to restaurant-quality cream sauce is temperature control - keep it below 180°F to prevent breaking. If the sauce separates, remove from heat and whisk in cold butter one piece at a time to re-emulsify.
  • ★When twirling pasta into blossom shapes, work quickly while the pasta is still hot and pliable. Use a carving fork and large spoon to create tight, tall nests that hold their shape on the plate.
  • ★Toast saffron threads lightly in a dry pan for 10 seconds before blooming to intensify their flavor - this technique is used in high-end restaurants to maximize the spice's impact.
  • ★Save some pasta cooking water even after plating - a tablespoon whisked into the sauce just before serving will refresh the silkiness and help the sauce cling better to each strand.
saffronpastacream sauceelegantdinnerItalianrestaurant-stylespecial occasion