The recipe we are sharing today comes from Strada Pasta in Philadelphia, PA. The truck is owned by Chef Andrew Gerson who is hoping his truck will be ready to roll in a few weeks. He’ll serve hand-rolled pastas, fresh sauces, and lasagna, to name a few Italianate dishes. Gerson thinks of his truck as a sustainable, alternative method of bringing accessible food to different areas of the city.

Strada Pasta – Tagliatelle With Sage, Crispy Bacon, and Brown Butter

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs (preferably free-range)
• 2 cups pastry or all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup semolina
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the sauce:

• 4 slices thick-cut bacon
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 4 leaves fresh sage
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions:

• To make the dough, separate the yolks from the whites of two eggs, set aside. Mix flour and semolina in a bowl, then turn onto a wooden board or flat counter surface in a mound. Make a well in the center of the flour. In a bowl, beat 3 eggs with the two egg yolks (reserve whites for other use) and salt. Pour egg mixture into the well and, using a fork, slowly incorporate the flour into the eggs until all the egg is absorbed. Using dough scrapers or hands, work the dough until it comes together. Form into ball, scraping up any dough that sticks to the board. Knead for 7-8 minutes more. Cover with plastic wrap or clean dish towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place bacon on a sheet tray and cook until crisp, about 10-15 minutes, draining fat as needed. Let cool and cut into pieces. Heat butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add sage. Cook until butter browns, then remove from heat and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil as you roll the pasta.
• Set the roller of a pasta machine to the widest width. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. Flatten and form each piece into a rectangle. Dust with flour if sticky. Feed through roller 4-5 times, folding edges to form a rectangle. Once formed, begin to decrease the width of the roller, and pass the dough though once on each level. If the sheet gets too long, cut it in half. Place the tagliatelle (or other pasta) cutter on machine and cut pasta. Repeat with each ball. Dust with flour so cut pasta doesn’t stick.
• Cook pasta for 2 minutes and drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of cooking water. Reheat sage butter over medium heat. Add pasta and pasta water to pan, stirring a few times. Turn off flame, add cheese, and divide onto four plates. Sprinkle with bacon and garnish with chopped sage, if desired. Serve.

Strada Pasta