Crunchy bundles with fine herbs. The season of natural harvests has officially begun, and in my garden, numerous edible wild herbs are growing. I have imported some from the surrounding environment to preserve them from potential weeding, because unfortunately, many people still do not understand the need to leave some spaces without the use of herbicides or pesticides. Thus, my garden is an island where I cultivate traditional vegetables along with wild herbs. The experiment seems to be successful as the natural fertilization keeps the soil rich in nutrients, and the plants grow lush and healthy.
But let’s get back to our bundle. The herbs I collect also need to be consumed, so besides traditional dishes, I occasionally experiment. The bundle is one of many. They often succeed, while sometimes, I need to work on the recipe a bit more. The bundles are simple to make and tasty, ideal as a starter or a lunch on the go, as they contain all the nutritional elements of a meal. Carbohydrates, fats (few), proteins, and vitamins. Practical and delicious. With the ‘pasta matta,’ they’re special!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 2 Hours
- Portions: 4 large
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Ingredients
Silene, dandelion, wild fennel fronds, St. Peter’s wort, spring onions.
- 3 bunches silene, or carletti (Silene, dandelion, St. Peter's wort, fennel fronds, spring onions.)
- 7 oz sheep ricotta (I am fortunate to have it fresh from a local farm.)
- 1 egg
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- to taste olive oil (For sautéing the herbs with the spring onions)
- to taste salt (To season the herbs)
- to taste lard
Tools
Rolling pin, work surface, and baking tray
- Rolling Pins
- Bowls
- Baking Trays
Steps
Dough, filling preparation, bundle assembly…
Prepare your ‘pasta matta’ and place it in the refrigerator after wrapping it in plastic wrap. Let it rest for an hour. If the time is longer, even better.
In the meantime, prepare the filling: blanch your herbs, drain, and chop coarsely, then mix them with ricotta and the egg. Adjust the seasoning with salt and set aside until needed.
Take the ‘pasta matta’ and cut it into pieces; with this quantity, you will have 4 large or 8 small bundles. Roll out well as seen in the video: you can use a pasta machine or a rolling pin. Spread with lard and arrange the filling. Roll the bundles onto themselves or fold several times.
Small package bundles.
Roll bundles.
Bake in the oven at 375-392°F until golden brown. If you use more lard, you will get a crunchier shell with a baking until golden, whereas using less will result in reduced crispiness. I prepare them with different baking styles to please everyone.
The bundles are ready to be enjoyed. Crunchy outside and soft, fragrant heart.
An appetizer, a quick lunch, a picnic basket treat.
How to store your bundles…
They are excellent the next day, but they lose some crunch due to the moisture in the filling. Still great. If you want to prepare them in advance, you can put them in the oven to restore the crunch. It is a shell you can use for many different fillings, be they other varieties of herbs or vegetables. Onions and sausages are excellent.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I freeze ‘pasta matta’?
Yes, you can freeze it, just remove it from the freezer in advance.
Can I substitute lard with oil?
Using oil does not achieve the same result, definitely not the crispiness that lard provides.
