Heat & Knives

The Recipe

Source: La Cucina Italiana Magazine, May, 2010 Issue:

The Pasta

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
coarse sea salt

Artichokes and Shrimp

1/2 lemon
8 baby artichokes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
16 large head-on shrimp, peeled and deveined
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch arugula, washed and thoroughly dried

Make the Pasta:

On a clean work surface, mound flour and form a well in the center. Add eggs and egg yolks to the well. Using a fork, gently break up yolks and slowly incorporate flour from inside rim of well. Continue until liquid is absorbed, then knead for 10 minutes. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.

Divide dough into 3 pieces. Cover 2 pieces with plastic wrap. Flatten remaining dough piece so that it will fit through the rollers of a pasta machine.

Set rollers of pasta machine at the widest setting, then feed pasta through rollers 3 or 4 times, folding and turning pasta until it is smooth and the width of the machine.

Roll pasta through machine, decreasing the setting, one notch at a time (do not fold or turn pasta), until pasta sheet is scant 1/16 inch thick.

Cut sheet in half crosswise; dust both sides of sheets with flour. Layer sheets between floured pieces of parchment or wax paper. Cover with paper and repeat with remaining dough.

Loosely fold 1 pasta sheet in half so short ends meet. Fold again in half. Cut folded sheet crosswise into scant 1/4-inch-wide tagliatelle. Unfold tagliatelle strips and lightly dust with flour; spread on a lightly floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare artichokes and shrimp.

Prepare the Artichokes and Shrimp:

Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze juice from lemon half into water in bowl, then add lemon half.

Peel artichoke stems. Cut off top 1/2 inch of 1 artichoke with a serrated knife. Bend outer leaves backward until they snap off close to base, then discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves with pale green tips. Cut off green tips. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides of artichoke with a small shard knife, then cut in half lengthwise and thinly slice; put slices in lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.

In a large skillet, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add shrimp; cook, turning occasionally, until opaque and cooked through, about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Drain artichoke slices. Cook pasta in the boiling water until tender, about 3 minutes. Reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and transfer to a bowl. Immediately toss with pasta cooking liquid, arugula and half of the artichoke slices. Divide remaining half of the artichoke slices onto serving plates, and fan out toward rim. Divide pasta among plates, top with shrimp, drizzle with oil, season with salt and serve immediately.