Pappardelle Tricolori al Sugo di Aragosta e Zucchini
(Tricolor Pappardelle with Lobster and Zucchini Sauce)

Photo by John Haigwood, Haigwood Studios Photography

Recipe by Andrea Montobbio, Executive Chef, Firenze Ristorante

Yield: 12 servings (pasta), 2 servings (sauce)

Tricolor Pappardelle with Lobster and Zucchini Sauce

8           ounces fresh baby spinach
1            pinch salt
2            tablespoons olive oil
White Pappardelle* (recipe included)
Red Pappardelle* (recipe included)
Green Pappardelle* (recipe included)
Lobster and Zucchini Sauce (recipe included)
1            tablespoon chopped chives
1            tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

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Sauté spinach over medium heat; add salt and olive oil. Cook until spinach is wilted. Let cool, squeeze moisture out by hand and set aside. At this point the spinach will be soft and mushy.

Prepare pasta dough. When ready to serve, drop prepared pasta into salted boiling water and cook until pasta floats to the top, about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and add pasta to the sauté pan with Lobster and Zucchini Sauce, add chives and extra virgin olive oil and toss over medium heat for about 30 seconds until nicely coated. Pour into a heated bowl and serve. Buon appetito!

*Each pasta flavor has two different kinds of flour in varying amounts. This is important because each one needs to reach the same consistency and strength. This recipe will make about 12 servings of pasta total. To freeze any remaining portions, just divide it out, dust well with flour and use quality Ziploc bags.



Lobster and Zucchini Sauce
 1            tablespoon olive oil
 2            cloves garlic, chopped
 1            small zucchini, cut into ¼-inch dice
 6            cherry tomatoes, quartered
 1            live lobster, steamed for 10 minutes, cooled, 
                    cracked and cut into ½-inch dice
 1/8      cup white wine
 2          ½ inch cubes of butter 
 1          pinch saffron
salt to taste

For the Lobster and Zucchini Sauce
In a medium sauté pan, heat oil until smoking; add garlic and cook until golden brown. Add zucchini and cook until golden brown; add tomatoes, lobster and wine and simmer 2 minutes. Add butter, saffron, and salt and serve.

Firenze Ristorante
6025 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross
770/817-8733
firenzeristorante.net

White Pappardelle
 3            cups unbleached all-purpose flour
 ½          cup semolina flour
 4            extra-large eggs

For the White Pappardelle
Mix the 2 flours together in a separate bowl. Dump the mixture out onto a wooden cutting board or marble countertop, shaping flour like a shallow volcano. Crack eggs into the middle of the volcano; using a fork, beat eggs like they are in a bowl and begin to incorporate flour. As you incorporate eggs, keep pushing flour up to retain the well shape of the volcano (it will look messy). The dough will come together slowly.

Once eggs are completely mixed with flour, start kneading dough with both hands, primarily using the palms of your hands. If it is too sticky, you can add more flour in 1/4-cup increments, being careful not to add too much too fast. Once dough is a cohesive mass, remove from work surface and scrape up any leftover dry bits and incorporate into the dough. Lightly flour work surface and continue kneading for 3 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue to knead for another 3 minutes, remembering to dust your board with flour if necessary to keep it from sticking. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes at room temperature to roll out later.

To roll out dough, start in the middle of the ball and push away from you with a rolling pin, easing up on the pressure as you approach the edge. Continue rolling the dough into a sheet, turning occasionally, until you can see your fingers through the bottom. Let dry about 10 minutes. To cut pappardelle, dust the top of the sheet of dough with flour and loosely roll it into a cylinder (similar to rolling up a poster or piece of paper). Using a very sharp knife, cut the cylinder into 3/4-inch-wide slices. Unwrap noodles; dust with flour and gently toss to separate. Place on a sheet pan and cover.
Red Pappardelle
 3 ½      cups unbleached all-purpose flour
 ½          cup semolina flour
 4            extra-large eggs
 2           tablespoons tomato paste

For the Red Pappardelle
Follow the same method as the White Pappardelle, adding tomato paste at the beginning with the eggs.

Green Pappardelle
 3 ½      cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4            extra-large eggs
 1           cup semolina flour
prepared sautéed spinach (see above)

For the Green Pappardelle
Follow the same method as the White Pappardelle, adding spinach at the beginning with the eggs.