Sourdough Discard Pasta with Garlic, Parmesan and Olive Oil

Name: Sourdough Discard Pasta with Garlic, Parmesan and Olive Oil
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1½ cups (240 g) semolina flour, plus about 2 tbsp (20 g) extra for dusting; 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting if needed; ½ cup (120 g) unfed sourdough discard (100% hydration), stirred well, cold or at room temperature; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature; 1 tbsp (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; 2 tbsp (30 ml) water, cool, added only as needed (start with 1 tbsp / 15 ml); 4 quarts (4000 ml) water for boiling; 2 tbsp (30 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use half as much if using fine salt; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces; ½ cup (50 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated, plus more for serving; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; ½ whole (40 g) lemon, zested, then cut into wedges for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fresh tagliatelle made with unfed sourdough discard, semolina and a single egg. The dough has a subtle tang and a chewy bite. It cooks in about 3 minutes on the stovetop and is tossed in a simple garlic, butter and Parmesan sauce.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 15 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 30 min
Makes: About 600 g fresh pasta (4 main-course servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the pasta dough
1½ cups (240 g) semolina flour, plus about 2 tbsp (20 g) extra for dusting
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting if needed
½ cup (120 g) unfed sourdough discard (100% hydration), stirred well, cold or at room temperature
1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature
1 tbsp (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
2 tbsp (30 ml) water, cool, added only as needed (start with 1 tbsp / 15 ml)
For cooking and sauce
4 quarts (4000 ml) water for boiling
2 tbsp (30 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; use half as much if using fine salt
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
½ cup (50 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated, plus more for serving
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
½ whole (40 g) lemon, zested, then cut into wedges for serving (optional)

Equipment (9)

Large mixing bowl or clean work surface
Kitchen scale
Pasta machine (hand-crank), or a long rolling pin
Sharp knife or bench scraper
Large pot, at least 6-quart (6 L)
12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or sauté pan
Large tray or cutting board dusted with semolina, for the pasta nests
Tongs and a ladle or heatproof measuring cup
Fine grater or Microplane

Steps

Before you start

Use unfed sourdough discard at 100% hydration (equal weights flour and water), cold from the fridge or at room temperature. Stir it well and weigh it. Discard that is more than 2 weeks old or has a layer of pink or orange liquid should be thrown out.
Take the egg out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so it is at room temperature.
The dough needs a 30-minute rest. Start heating the pasta water about 15 minutes before the rest ends. No oven is needed for this recipe; everything happens on the stovetop.
Set up a clean work surface and a large tray dusted with semolina for the cut pasta before you begin rolling.

1
Mix the dough
- On a clean counter or in a large bowl, combine 240 g semolina, 120 g all-purpose flour and 3 g fine salt.
- Make a well in the center.
- Add the 120 g sourdough discard, the egg, 14 ml olive oil and 15 ml (1 tbsp) water to the well.
- Beat the wet ingredients with a fork, gradually pulling in flour from the walls of the well, until a shaggy mass forms.
- Use your hands to press it together.
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Ready when: Most of the flour is hydrated and the dough clumps when squeezed, with few dry crumbs left.
Tip: Add the remaining water 1 tsp at a time only if the dough will not hold together. This dough should feel stiff, not sticky. Discard varies in thickness.
2
Knead until smooth
- Knead firmly with the heel of your hand for 8 to 10 minutes: push the dough away, fold it over and turn it a quarter.
- It will start out dry and rough.
- If it stays crumbly after 2 minutes, wet your hands (or add the remaining water 1 tsp at a time) and keep kneading.
- If it sticks, dust lightly with all-purpose flour.
- Shape into a ball and press it with a finger.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth, firm and elastic, and a fingertip press springs back slowly.
Tip: Don't skip the full kneading time. It builds the gluten that keeps the noodles from tearing in the water.
3
Rest the dough
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap or place it under an inverted bowl.
- Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Resting relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls out without springing back.
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Ready when: The dough feels softer and less tight, and it stretches without snapping back.
Tip: Wrapping well matters. An exposed surface dries out and makes brittle flecks in the pasta.
4
Roll the sheets
- Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and keep the rest wrapped.
- Flatten one piece into a rectangle about ½ inch (1 cm) thick and dust with semolina.
- Pass it through a pasta machine on the widest setting.
- Fold in thirds like a letter and pass it through again, repeating 3 times.
- Then narrow the setting one notch at a time, passing once on each, until you reach setting 6 of 7 (about 1.5 mm thick).
- Without a machine, roll out on a lightly floured counter with a long rolling pin into a rectangle about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick.
- Dust each finished sheet with semolina and lay it on the counter.
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Ready when: Each sheet is smooth, about 12 inches (30 cm) long, and thin enough that you can faintly see your hand's shadow through it.
Tip: If a sheet feels sticky or tacky, dust it with semolina rather than all-purpose flour. Semolina is coarser and won't gum up the dough.
5
Cut and nest
- Let the sheets dry on the counter for 5 minutes so they are leathery but still pliable.
- Cut each sheet in half crosswise.
- Loosely roll each piece into a flat cylinder and slice crosswise into ⅜-inch (1 cm) ribbons with a sharp knife, or use the tagliatelle attachment.
- Shake out the strands, toss them in semolina and gather them into loose nests on the semolina-dusted tray.
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Ready when: The strands separate easily when shaken and don't stick to each other.
Tip: Keep the nests loose. Tightly packed nests glue together and cook unevenly.
6
Boil the water
- Fill a large 6-quart (6 L) pot with 4 quarts (4 L) of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat, about 10 to 12 minutes (start this when the dough has 10 minutes of rest left if you want to save time).
- Meanwhile, slice the garlic, chop the parsley, grate the Parmigiano and zest the lemon if using.
- When the water is boiling hard, stir in 30 g kosher salt.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break constantly across the whole surface of the water.
Tip: Use plenty of water. Crowded pasta releases starch, turns gummy and sticks together.
7
Start the sauce
- Just before the pasta goes in, set a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add 45 ml olive oil and the sliced garlic.
- Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add a few grinds of black pepper and remove from the heat if the garlic colors before the pasta is ready.
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Ready when: The garlic is fragrant and pale gold at the edges, with small bubbles around the slices.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter and can't be saved. If it browns past light gold, start over with fresh slices.
8
Boil the pasta
- Lower the nests into the boiling water and stir gently with tongs to separate the strands.
- Cook at a steady boil for 2 to 3 minutes, tasting a strand at 2 minutes.
- Before draining, ladle out and reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the starchy pasta water.
- Lift the pasta straight into the skillet with tongs.
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Ready when: The pasta floats and is tender but still slightly chewy at the center, with no raw, floury taste.
Tip: Fresh sourdough pasta cooks very fast and goes soft if left in. Check it early.
9
Toss and finish
- Set the skillet over medium heat.
- Add the pasta, butter, ½ cup (120 ml) of the reserved pasta water and half the Parmigiano.
- Toss with tongs for 1 minute until the butter melts and the sauce turns glossy and clings to the noodles.
- Add more pasta water 1 tbsp at a time if it looks dry or tight.
- Stir in the parsley and the lemon zest if using.
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Ready when: The sauce is creamy and coats the strands rather than pooling in the pan.
Tip: The starch in the pasta water is what binds the oil and cheese into a sauce, so don't skip reserving it.
10
Serve right away
- Divide the pasta among 4 warm bowls, twirling it into nests.
- Top with the remaining Parmigiano, extra black pepper and a lemon wedge if using.
- Serve immediately, since fresh pasta firms up and sticks as it cools.
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Ready when: The pasta is glossy, steaming and loosely coated with sauce.

Good to know

Tips

Weigh the flour and discard rather than measuring by cup. Pasta dough depends on accurate hydration.
The dough should feel stiff, much firmer than bread dough. If it is sticky, knead in a little extra semolina, 1 tbsp at a time.
Salt the water generously. It is the only seasoning the pasta itself gets.
The sourdough tang is mild. Lemon zest and Parmigiano bring it forward, so don't leave them out unless you want a more neutral flavor.

Make ahead

Make the dough up to 24 hours ahead: wrap tightly and refrigerate, then let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling. You can also cut and nest the pasta up to 2 hours ahead and leave it uncovered on a semolina-dusted tray at room temperature.

Storage & reheating

Cooked, sauced pasta keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, tossing until hot. Uncooked fresh nests keep in the fridge for up to 2 days on a semolina-dusted tray, loosely covered. For longer storage, freeze the nests on a tray until firm (about 1 hour), then bag them and keep for up to 2 months. Cook from frozen, adding 1 minute to the boiling time. Not recommended at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Substitutions

semolina flour → Additional all-purpose flour or 00 flour (240 g). The pasta will be softer and less chewy, and the dough may need slightly less water.
large egg → 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra water plus 1 tbsp (14 ml) extra olive oil. Gives a vegan-style dough that is a bit less rich and a little more fragile. Roll it slightly thicker.
unsalted butter → Extra olive oil (1 tbsp / 14 ml). Makes the sauce dairy-free apart from the cheese. Use vegan hard cheese or nutritional yeast to make it fully dairy-free.
unfed sourdough discard (100% hydration) → Active, fed sourdough starter (120 g). Works fine with a slightly milder tang. Rest the dough no longer than 30 minutes, since a lively starter can make it gassy.