Fresh herb rag pasta with pancetta, peas and goat's curd

I came up with this after I had a bunch of spare herbs that needed to be pulled out of the garden. Taking a classic fresh pasta recipe and adding herbs brings a verdant freshness and makes the actual pasta the main event, rather than the sauce.

Credit: Danielle Abou Karam

• serves

  2

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch of mixed herbs (whatever is leftover in the fridge or needs to come out of the garden - basil, oregano, parsley and chives work well as a mix), picked
• 1½ tbsp extra virgin-olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 3 eggs
• salt, to taste
• 300 g (2 cups) strong (00) flour
• 5 strips pancetta, sliced into ribbons  
• 20 g butter  
• 65 g (½ cup) frozen peas
• 65 g (¼ cup) goat’s curd, to taste

Resting time: 45 minutes

Instructions

1. Place the herbs, olive oil, eggs and a good pinch of salt into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped and well combined.
2. Place the flour in a mound on your work surface and make a well in the centre. Slowly add the herb and egg mixture until well combined, then knead the dough into a ball. Cover in plastic wrap and stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Knead the dough again on a lightly floured work surface for about 5–10 minutes or until a smooth but not sticky dough forms. Cover and set aside to rest for another 15 minutes.
4. Cut the dough into 4 and flatten with the palm of your hands. Roll out each piece through a pasta machine (or use a rolling pin), until the sheets are thin enough that you can see the shadows of your fingers through the pasta. Cut into rough triangles, then toss with a little semolina and set aside until ready to cook.
5. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and salt it generously.
6. Meanwhile, place a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the pancetta until golden and the fat has rendered. Add the butter and stir until melted, then add the peas and toss to combine well.
7. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook just until it floats to the top. Using a large slotted spoon, scoop the pasta out of the water, straight into the pan with the pancetta and peas and toss to combine well, adding a little more pasta water if necessary. Season to taste, then divide between bowls and drizzle with a little extra oil. Top each bowl with a little goat’s curd and serve immediately.

 

Photography by Danielle Abou Karam.

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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.