For the most delicious pasta, it’s best to make it yourself – so why not dare to experiment with the ingredients? Try our recipe for delectable noodles with espresso and port wine shallots. 

If you fancy a very special kind of pasta, why not try making it yourself? This recipe shows you that it’s really not that difficult, and that espresso and thyme go together perfectly. Espresso also makes a great addition to the port wine sauce as it gives the blanched shallots a unique flavour. Add the finishing touch by garnishing with fresh parmesan and rocket – a treat for the eyes and the taste buds! 

Portions: 4

Ingredients for the ribbon noodles:

• 150 g durum wheat semolina
• 150 g white flour and a little extra for the work surface (fine white flour)
• 1 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 110-115 g cold double-strength espresso, e.g. Miele Black Edition N°1
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp rape seed oil

Ingredients for the port wine shallots:

• 100-120 g butter
• 400 ml port (Ruby)
• 3 tbsp each of espresso, e.g. Miele Black Edition N°1, and soy sauce (naturally fermented) 
• 4 bay leaves
• 350 g small shallots
• 2 tbsp cassis liqueur

Other ingredients:

• 100 g rocket
• 1-1 ½ red pepper
• approx. 8 tbsp parmesan (freshly grated) and a little parmesan to serve
• salt

Preparation:

1. Mix the ingredients for the ribbon noodles in a food processor using the cutting blade, then knead by hand for 5 minutes to form an elastic dough. Wrap the dough in foil and leave to rest for at least an hour.
2. Place a clean tea towel on a baking tray. Divide the noodle dough into four portions, roll out thinly on a floured surface and cut into ribbon noodles, about the width of a pencil (this is easier using a pasta machine). Spread the noodles out loosely on the tea towel until you need to cook them.
3. Cut 40–50 g butter into small pieces and refrigerate.
4. Bring the port, espresso and soy sauce to the boil with the bay leaves and simmer uncovered to reduce. In the meantime, blanch the shallots for a few seconds in boiling water, drain, peel and cut into quarters lengthways.
5. Sauté the shallot quarters in 50–60 g butter over a low heat in a large frying pan until they are a light golden brown. Add the reduced port mixture and the cassis liqueur, cover and braise for 5-7 minutes.
6. Warm 4 deep plates.
7. Wash the rocket, sort the leaves and spin them dry. Wipe the pepper, core it and dice it finely. Bring 3 l water to the boil in a large pan with 2 tbsp salt. Add the espresso noodles and cook for 1-3 minutes, drain and mix loosely with the parmesan in a pan.
8. Add the diced pepper to the shallots, remove the pan from the hob and swirl in the cold cubes of butter. Season with salt if required.
9. First, place the rocket leaves on a deep plate, then add the espresso noodles and shallots together with their sauce, sprinkle with a little parmesan and serve immediately.

Tips: 

• The noodles can be rolled out, cut and dried several days in advance.
• The espresso for the noodles can be measured more precisely by weight.
• The fresher and thinner the rolled-out dough, the faster it will cook.
• If you’re in a hurry, simply stir lots of soft butter, parmesan and pepper through the espresso thyme noodles and serve on the rocket instead of adding the port wine shallots.

Production: Regine Smith Thyme
Food styling: Marlies Klosterfelde-Wentzel
Styling: Katrin Heinatz
Photo: © Wolfgang Kowall