curious about borraggine :)

March 3rd, 2009

I was in centro botanico, a nice organic grocer in Milan when I saw these bunches of borraggine (borage), I was very curios, I ate them before inside ravioli (super good) but never seen them fresh. Then Santina, who worked there, kindly gave me an explanation about it and patiently answered all my questions (I am a curious person and it gets worst when I see something ‘tickling’ me like these borraggine :)

I arrived at home, curiously try some raw and it smells like cucumber, very fresh but subtle! Very interesting vegetable, so I tried to find some information about borraggine. In Italy, it is a typical Ligurian vegetable, but it is originated from Syria. It is an annual vegetable, it is difficult to find in supermarket shelf or even at green grocer (it is true, I have been trying to find it everywhere but could not fine one and when I returned to centro botanico for some more the week after - want to play even more with borraggine - it was not there anymore). It is even called a vegetable of good mood as it has medicinal benefit, so I dig more:

“Borage (Borago officinalis L.), also known as “starflower” is an annual herb originating in Syria, but naturalized throughout the Mediterranean region, as well as Asia Minor, Europe, North Africa, and South America…Naturopathic practitioners uses of borage for regulation of metabolism and the hormonal system, and consider it to be a good remedy for PMS and menopause symptoms such as the hot flash. Borage is sometimes indicated to alleviate and heal colds, bronchitis, and respiratory infections in general for its anti-inflammatory and balsamic properties.”  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borage)

It turned out that borraggine is also good for health. So I really have to try it. I was thinking to make ravioli, but it is time consuming and I did not have pasta machine anymore. So I was thinking: why not use fresh pasta and all ingredients of ravioli in different form. Pappardelle is one of my favourite fresh pasta (they are are large and very wide fettuccine) So I will play around with it.

My first trial is with ricotta and natural hazelnut, I felt there was something still missing there:

Second trial is without ricotta but still with natural hazelnuts (small trial bowl, couldnt eat more :)

and the last trial and the winner (I think) is with ricotta and toasted pinolli (pine nuts), it was tested by my bunch of dinner people and they all liked it alot :) I did not take picture (too tired after 4 hours cooking) but more or less it looked like the one of ricotta and hazelnuts and just imagine it with the toasted pine nuts on the top :)

Pappardelle con Borraggine - Pappardelle with Borage

For 4 people as main

Cooking soundtrack: Kings of Convenience, Riot On An Empty Street :)

250g fresh pappardelle

300g fresh borraggine

40g pine nuts, toasted

150g fresh crumbly ricotta

Parmesan for grating

Some butter

Some twigs of thyme

5 sage leaves

Sea salt and pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Heat some water in a pot big enough for the pasta. Wash the borraggine, separate the leaves from the stalks, chop the stalk to 5mm pieces, leave the leaves or you can cut them in big portions. Heat some butter in a pan, then add the stalk, thyme and sage, and fry without browning until the stalk soften, season with sea salt and pepper. When the water boils add some salt, then add the leaves and cook for 3 minutes, then add the pappardelle, continue to cook for 1 minute (usually fresh pappardelle only need 1 minute or so to cook), drain and reserve some of the cooking water. Return to the pot, add the butter+stalk and the ricotta, stir well, if it feels too thick, add some of the reserved cooking water. Adjust the seasoning, transfer to serving plates, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, grated some parmesan on top and spinkle with toasted pine nuts. Eat with fresh ciabatta!

Buon apetito!

PS: Feel free to omit the ricotta if you and not in a cheesy pasta mood, or want it even lighter :)

filed under: food