Skip to main content

Cappelletti filled with cod, potato & herbs, served with cherry tomato & butter sauce

SERVES 4

For the dough

For the filling

  • 200g/7oz mashing potato, washed and with the skin left on
  • 250ml/8½ fluid oz milk
  • 5 whole peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 strips of fresh lemon peel
  • 200g skinless, deboned cod or haddock fillet
  • 30g/1oz olive oil or butter
  • 30g/1oz plain or 00 flour
  • ½ bunch of dill, picked and chopped, plus a few sprigs to finish
  • ½ bunch parsley, picked and chopped
  • Zest of half a lemon

For the sauce

  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 75g/3oz butter
  • Juice of half a lemon

 

Firstly, cook the potatoes, either by boiling them for 20-25 minutes or by baking them for 45-50 minutes at 180°C/350°F. When cooked, peel off the skins, place them into a large bowl and mash to a smooth texture.

Meanwhile place the milk, peppercorns, bay leaves and lemon peel into a small pan and set the pan over a low heat to warm – keep an eye on it to make sure the milk doesn’t boil. Once bubbles appear, add the fish fillet, cover with a lid, and simmer gently on a medium low heat for 10 minutes. When the time is up the fish should be cooked through; remove it from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to the bowl of mashed potato. Pour the milk into a jug through a sieve, discarding the peel, peppercorns and bay, and leave to one side.

 

Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan (or melt the butter, if using instead) and then add the flour to make a roux. Combine with a wooden spoon and continue to cook on a low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring to ensure the roux doesn’t stick to the pan. Start to pour the warm milk slowly into the roux, mixing it in with a whisk to create a thick, smooth sauce. Transfer to the bowl containing the mashed potato and fish.

Add the chopped herbs and lemon zest to the bowl and use a wooden spoon to combine everything together into a good firm paste. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Now you are ready to roll and shape your cappelletti.

Prepare the butter emulsion. Add a ladle of water to a wide saucepan set over a low heat and drop in the butter. The butter will slowly melt, so keep stirring to create an emulsion, then add the tomatoes and lemon juice and leave on a medium low heat until the pasta is cooked.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil before adding the salt. Add the cappelletti and cook for 1½–2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to lift them out of the water and drop them straight into the butter sauce.

Mix everything together either by very gently shaking the pan or turning with a spatula to avoid breaking any of the cappelletti. Loosen the sauce, if necessary, by adding a spoonful or two of the pasta cooking water.

Check the seasoning and serve straightaway.