Cappelletti a Petalo
Artisan flower-petal cappelletti served in a velvety parmesan foam with saffron and chive oil.
Artisan Ingredients
Silky egg-semolina sfoglia, delicate tomato filling, velvety parmesan foam, saffron threads, and bright chive oil.
The Flour Volcano & Whisking Eggs
Combine 75g '00' flour and 25g semolina rimacinata directly on your wooden board. Form a wide crater, add 1 large (or 6 yolks) fresh whole egg (or 6 yolks) and 1 pinch fine sea salt. Whisk gently with a fork from the center outward.
Optimal Emulsion
Room temperature eggs emulsify much faster with the starches of semolina and '00' flour, producing a velvety dough that will roll ultra-thin without tearing.
Bench Scraper Folding & Chopping
Once the egg mixture thickens, switch to a metal bench scraper. Slice, fold, and chop the borders inward, rapidly transforming loose flour and eggs into uniform, hydrated crumbles without warming the dough with your hands.
Steel Scraper Technique
The bench scraper is essential for stuffed pasta: it prevents gluten from tightening prematurely and keeps egg moisture evenly distributed.
Kneading to a Silky Ball & Resting
Gather the crumbs with both hands and knead vigorously with the heels of your palms for 8–10 minutes until completely smooth, resilient, and matte. Present the perfect spherical ball, then wrap tightly in cling film and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Mandatory 30-Minute Rest
Resting allows the coarse semolina grains to fully hydrate and gluten bonds to relax, ensuring the dough can be rolled thin without shrinking or resisting.
Patting the Ball & Rolling Sfoglia
Lightly dust the wooden board with semolina and gently pat down the rested dough ball with the palm of your hand to flatten it into an even disc. Roll out with a wooden rolling pin from the center outward, rotating regularly until you obtain an even, paper-thin sfoglia (0.8–1 mm thick).
Even Thickness & Touch
Glide your palms gently across the dough sheet to check for thicker zones. For cappelletti a petalo, consistent thinness is crucial for a tender, melting bite.
Cutting Semicircle Discs
Using a round metal pastry cutter (coppapasta) approximately 7–8 cm in diameter, cut clean circular discs from the rolled sfoglia. Then, with a sharp knife, slice each circle precisely in half to create semicircles.
Piping Filling & Sculpting Sails
Pipe a small portion of filling from the piping bag onto the center of each semicircle. Fold the straight edge over the filling to create '2 sails', press firmly around the mound to eliminate all air, fold the bottom corners toward each other and seal them together; once the bottom corners are joined, the upper sails will naturally lift and flare upward.
Parmesan Foam Plating, Saffron & Chive Oil
Cook cappelletti in salted boiling water for 2–3 minutes. Spoon several tablespoons of warm velvety parmesan foam into the bowl depending on its depth and size (made by gently simmering 80ml cream 36% with 40ml milk 3.2% and 40g grated parmesan with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, strained through a fine sieve, and lightly frothed with an immersion blender). Arrange the cooked cappelletti in the bowl, then finish with drops of vibrant chive oil and 1 pinch delicate saffron threads.
Aerated Foam & Herb Brilliance
The warm parmesan foam cradles the cappelletti, while intense chive oil and crimson saffron add freshness, vibrant color, and Michelin-worthy contrast.
