Originating in Umbria, this "pasta dolce" (sweet pasta) is a treat often made around All Saint's Day. So it's sort of like a Halloween dessert, which is quite fitting considering its rich, chocolate flavor! Served cold and in slices, the pasta is intentionally overcooked to achieve its sticky, semi-solid state.
Watch the Pasta Grammar video where we made this recipe here:
For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 2/3 cup (200g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (180ml) water
- 7 oz. (200g) dark chocolate (around 70% cocoa), finely chopped
- 5.25 oz. (150g) walnuts, finely chopped
- 3.5 oz. (100g) bread crumbs
- 2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 oz. (30ml) sweet cherry liquor or marsala wine
- 3 tbsp. honey
- Orange zest
- Powdered sugar
Pour the flour into a pile on a large work space. Use your hand to hollow out the middle so that it resembles a volcano. Pour the water into the hollow and, using a fork, begin gently mixing the flour and water together. Once the mixture thickens into a goopy texture, finish mixing thoroughly by hand.
Knead the dough vigorously until it is very smooth and consistently textured. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the dark chocolate, walnuts, bread crumbs, cocoa powder and liquor with a grating of orange zest in a large mixing bowl.
After the pasta has rested, roll it out in a large circle until it is quite thin—about 1/16th-inch thick. It's very important to dust the dough and the work surface often with extra flour to prevent sticking. Roll the sheet up in 4-inch folds (like a flattened carpet roll). Cut into 1/4-inch slices and unravel these strands, placing on a floured baking sheet for later. If the pasta is sticking together, be sure to dust it with more flour as you work.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, heat the honey in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the fresh pasta into the water and cook for 5-6 minutes. Don't be alarmed: the pasta will be overcooked by normal standards but this is necessary for the dish.
Reserve 3-4 oz. of pasta water (about a cappuccino cup's worth) and drain the pasta. Add it directly into the chocolate/walnut mixing bowl along with the warm honey.
Stir all together until the chocolate completely melts. If the pasta becomes too thick and sticky, add a little of the reserved pasta water to thin the mixture.
Transfer into a pie or small casserole dish and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least three hours before topping with powdered sugar and serving.
Buon appetito!
In my life I often have to cook food and to be honest I have absolutely no ideas, no strength, no desire to do it. Cooking this is like collecting water from the ocean. It will never end. That is why I have recently discovered edible arrangements and stopped cooking food myself. Now I have much more free time and I can pay attention to what really interests me.
I made these for a Thanksgiving meal for 14 people. Was enjoyed by everyone. I did have trouble with making the pasta. Either I rolled it too thin, or got something else wrong. the noodles would pull apart as I tried to open them up after cutting them. Thanks for the delicious recipe.
I made this as part of a full course meal based on your recipes for my wife's birthday a couple of weeks ago, it was the dolce of course. We loved it! With this recipe I learned that my wife isn't a huge fan of dark chocolate and asked why it was so bitter after the first bite, but she said that even still she wanted more and had a couple of pieces, maybe just to be nice IDK, but it was good. I'd maybe use a bit of milk chocolate next time since she likes that more but to swap entirely would make it too sweet I think.
@TelamonianTeukros Yes, that’s correct, although humidity and the type of flour can alter the ratio a little bit, of course
Is the recipe correct? It looks like the pasta would be 90% hydration, which would be much too wet to knead by hand.