Top pesto for the ring pasta

Spizzulus and Malloreddus are two closely related and spectacularly beautiful pasta varieties from Sardinia, yet incredibly easy to make yourself. I've described exactly how to roll Malloreddus in my "Try It or Not" book , along with a very summery recipe for Malloreddus as pasta fredda with watermelon, sesame, and herbs. Spizzulus come from the village of Orroli near Cagliari. They are created when Malloreddus are folded into a ring—this makes the pasta look even more elegant, like little necklaces. Their cooking properties are similar; with their grooves and hollow center, both pasta varieties are ideal for holding sauces. Traditionally, these are often sughi (braised sauces) with sausages or with tomatoes, vegetables, and basil. Sometimes a splash of Sardinian red wine, Cannonau di Sardegna, is added to the dough, and sometimes a pinch of saffron threads is added to the sauce.

However, I first cooked a version with tarragon pesto – this friendly herb sprouts before any others in spring. Perhaps not so much in Sardinia, but in many gardens and flowerpots. I often add tarragon to asparagus sauces or use the herb for spaghetti pestonara – tarragon deserves much more attention! For pesto – including basil pesto, by the way – it's sometimes worth omitting the Parmesan. This makes the pesto much creamier, and the herb flavor comes through best. If you like, you can grate some Parmesan over the finished dish later – but it's not necessary.

1. Knead the semolina, a generous pinch of salt, and 135 ml water into a smooth, non-sticky dough. This works best by hand, and the dough will benefit from some time to knead: Knead gently for 5-10 minutes. Then cover and let rest while you prepare the rest of the dough.

2. Wash the lemon and dice it finely, including the peel. Wash and peel the peas – that is, remove the peas from their pods (save the pea shells for a broth, freeze them if necessary – either for pasta risotto or vegetable broth; the recipe will follow next week). Peel the garlic and cut into very thin slices. Fry in olive oil until light golden. Pour through a sieve, reserving the oil, and return to the stove. Fry the pine nuts until light golden. Pour through a sieve again. Lightly salt the chili flakes with garlic and half of the pine nuts, then stir into the hot oil. Let cool.

3. Strip the tarragon leaves from the stems, keeping the thin ones. Set aside a small handful of attractive leaves. Cover and sauté 3 tablespoons of peas with a little water until soft. Blend the tarragon with the remaining 20 g of toasted pine nuts, a generous pinch of salt, and 6 tablespoons of olive oil as finely as possible. Add the steamed peas, almond butter, and miso, blend even finer, and season to taste.

4. Form the pasta dough into pencil-thick rolls without adding any semolina, then cut into 7 cm long pieces. Using a spatula or the back of a smooth knife, pull the dough across a grooved wooden board (Malloreddu board) to create the typical grooved shape. Without the special board, simply flatten a piece of dough on the work surface with a gentle pulling motion. It will roll up beautifully, but remain smooth on the outside. The difference is comparable to that between smooth and grooved penne. Fold each pasta into a circle, pinching the ends together. Repeat until all the spizzulus are formed.

5. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Skim off some of the pasta water and steam the remaining peas until al dente. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon cubes. Drain the Spizzulus and set aside, reserving some of the pasta water. In the pasta pot, combine the pesto with 2 tablespoons of the pasta water and gently stir in the Spizzulus. Serve with lemon peas, chili oil, and tarragon leaves.

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