Saffron tagliarini with snails, sorrel, tomato, zucchini and olive oil

Fresh pasta is a beautiful thing and is best served with a simple sauce. This Italian recipe uses snails as a key ingredient. Snails are farmed specifically for eating and are available from specialty suppliers.

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

To make saffon tagliarini

• 4 eggs
• 400 g plain flour
• 1 pinch saffron
• salt and pepper
• 1 splash olive oil

For the sauce

• 400 g saffron tagliarini (make or buy fresh)
• 24 snails (6 per person)
• 3 small zucchini, cut into strips
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 bunch sorrel
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes (organic if possible)
• 1 lemon rind finely grated

Chilling time: 30-60 minutes

Instructions

For the pasta

Combine ingredients in food processor until combined. Knead lightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes to rest the dough. Cut the pasta into 4 pieces and roll out through pasta machine, starting at the widest setti ng and taking it down the settings to make thin sheets. Then roll it through the taglieri cutter on the machine. Hang to dry over a broom handle.

For the sauce

Bring large pot of water to boil. In a large deep sauté pan over medium heat sauté the zucchini in olive oil with the cherry tomatoes and crushed garlic. When the zucchini has softened, add the snails and sorrel in at the last moment, season to taste and add lemon rind. Meanwhile, add salt to the pot of boiling water and cook the pasta for 1 minute. Drain pasta and toss though the snails and sorrel sauce. Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.