Black pasta with tomato and saffron sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 g wheat flour, type 405 or 550, in Italy 00
• 60 g semolina (durum wheat)
• 3 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 sachets of cuttlefish ink, 4-5 g each, available in delicatessens
• 1 pinch of salt
• n. B. water
• 1 shallot(s), finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400 g tomatoes, peeled, pitted, diced
• 200 ml fish stock
• 2 bags of saffron
• ½ bunch basil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 45 minutes

freshly prepared black pasta dough and basic recipe for fish, mussel or shellfish sauce

The dough is suitable for cut pasta (ribbon pasta, etc.) and filled pasta (ravioli, etc.) with fish or shellfish as a sauce or filling. For the cut pasta, you can also omit one egg and one egg yolk each. Sift the flour onto a work surface and pour the semolina over it, forming it into a mound with a deep well in the center. Add the eggs, oil, ink, and salt to this well, whisk with a fork, and then slowly mix the flour from the inside of the well with the eggs using circular movements. Gradually add more flour until a tough dough forms. Now work in the remaining flour with your hands and continue kneading vigorously. If the dough is too firm, add a little water. Knead for about 15 minutes until the dough is homogeneous, not too wet and not too dry, and the black color is evenly distributed. Don’t stop too soon; the dough needs time. Then wrap the dough in cling film or parchment paper and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour. Then use a knife to cut off a slice of about 1/2 cm and pull it through the largest setting on the pasta machine. Now fold the dough once and pull it through again using the same setting, repeating this process once more if necessary. In any case, the dough should be evenly distributed. Then reduce the setting on the pasta machine. You can also skip a setting and pull the dough through repeatedly, folding it once after each use. Continue in this way until you reach the smallest opening. Now place a long sheet of dough on a floured surface and create the desired pasta shapes as desired. Repeat this step until you have used up all the dough. Spread the finished pasta generously on wax paper and do not wait too long to cook it; use it straight away if possible. The dough will be al dente after about 3 minutes in boiling salted water. For the sauce, lightly sauté the shallot and garlic in oil. After 5 minutes, deglaze with the chopped tomatoes. Add the stock and wine, and reduce to a sauce that almost resembles a puree. Finally, stir in the saffron, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the basil. Serve as is with pasta or use it with shellfish, mussels, or fish fillets.