PANSOTI WITH A WALNUT SAUCE

Credits: PH. Malgarini

Method

In this creation, chef Cracco wanted to offer a traditional recipe from Liguria, the region that’s home to his latest restaurant. Its simple ingredients combine perfectly with each other to balance flavours and colours that satisfy the eye in addition to the tastebuds. A tribute to the local culture and its traditions, pansoti are a type of pasta filled with preboggion that, in this recipe, almost seem to dance with the walnut sauce. 

Preboggion is the star of the dish: this blend of wild herbs varies according to the season. To create this recipe, Cracco uses herbs harvested in the Ligurian mountains by a special woman named Lella. With years of experience, she picks only the best ones as Mattia, resident chef at Cracco Portofino, accompanies her, learning all their secrets from his wise teacher. Everything about this dish embodies Liguria, even the walnuts (peeled to ensure they aren’t bitter) and the classic pesto (prepared with a mortar and pestle, as per tradition) with the addition of a little marjoram.