Paccheri dorati allo zafferano con salmone scottato, asparagi verdi e pistacchi
Golden saffron paccheri with seared salmon, green asparagus and pistachios
From my online supplier here in the Netherlands, Peccati di Gola: Rummo Paccheri No. 111 · Star Tigullio saffron sauce
Introduction
A creamy, golden pasta built on balance and texture: salmon and asparagus seared together, a silky saffron and Parmigiano cream, and crushed pistachios for a delicate crunch.
Paccheri are large, wide pasta tubes from Campania, in southern Italy.
Ingredients
Serves 1
- 80 g paccheri (about 3 oz)
- 120–140 g salmon, thawed if frozen, cut into medium cubes (about 4–5 oz)
- 6–8 green asparagus spears, pre-cooked and drained
- 40–50 g Star Tigullio Salsa con Zafferano (saffron sauce) (about 3 tbsp)
- 90–110 ml heavy cream, or plant-based cooking cream (about ⅓–½ cup)
- 10–15 g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated (about 2–3 tbsp)
- 5–8 g unsalted pistachios, roughly crushed (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp butter
- Salt, to taste
- Finely ground white pepper, to taste
- Your favorite fish seasoning blend
Method
1. Sear the salmon and asparagus
Cut the salmon into medium cubes and season generously with your fish seasoning blend.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Add the seasoned salmon cubes and the pre-cooked asparagus spears.
Cook until the salmon has light golden edges and the asparagus is lightly caramelized but still slightly crisp.
Take the salmon and asparagus out of the pan and set aside.
If the cooking fat has become too dark, discard it and wipe the pan clean.
2. Make the saffron cream
Return the pan to medium heat.
Add the Star Tigullio saffron sauce and the cream.
Season lightly with finely ground white pepper.
Stir gently and let the mixture reduce slightly until smooth and silky.
3. Cook the paccheri
Meanwhile, cook the paccheri in well-salted boiling water until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite), following the package instructions.
Drain well.
4. Finish the sauce
Add the cooked paccheri straight to the saffron cream.
Sprinkle in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and toss gently until the cheese melts and the sauce coats the pasta evenly.
The Parmigiano naturally enriches and thickens the sauce, giving it a velvety texture.
Add about half of the seared salmon and half of the asparagus to the pasta.
Mix gently two or three times, just enough to spread the ingredients while keeping their texture.
5. Plate
Arrange the paccheri on a warm plate.
Top with the remaining salmon cubes and asparagus spears.
Finish with the crushed pistachios.
Serve immediately.
Author’s note
This dish is built around balance and texture. The salmon and asparagus are gently sautéed together in olive oil and butter before being added to the saffron cream. At this stage, they exchange flavors: the asparagus absorbs some of the richness of the salmon, while the salmon benefits from the fresh, green character of the asparagus.
The combination of olive oil and butter helps a light caramelization, creating subtle crisp edges while keeping both ingredients tender.
Half of the salmon and asparagus is folded into the sauce, and the other half is kept for the final plating. This keeps the texture, shows off the ingredients and stops the saffron-Parmigiano cream from becoming monotonous.
The crushed pistachios are added at the end for contrast and a delicate crunch.
This saffron-Parmigiano cream is deliberately rich and enveloping. A moderate portion (80–85 g, about 3 oz, of dry pasta per person) keeps the asparagus, salmon and pistachios in perfect balance. Larger portions can make the sauce too heavy and take away the freshness and contrast that define the dish.
Allergens
Contains gluten (wheat pasta), fish (salmon), milk (cream, butter, Parmigiano Reggiano) and tree nuts (pistachios).
Also check the label of the saffron sauce and of your fish seasoning blend.
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