Spaghetti Pomodoro

Spaghetti Pomodoro by Nicola Pelligana

Pasta World Championship Pre-Selection Competition

Serves 4

Ingredients
500g Barilla Spaghetti n5
1000g ripe round tomatoes
1000g grape tomatoes on the vine
800g basil
200g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
90g butter
4 garlic cloves, crushed
400ml EVOO, Coratina di Puglia
1 punnet micro basil
250g heirloom tomato
Rock salt

Method
White Tomato Water
In a pot add 4 litres of water and all the round tomatoes
Bring to 40C and after 5 minutes mix with stick blender
Strain using a sieve to remove skin and seeds, keep to one side

Basil Oil
Prepare the basil oil using the basil and EVOO
Pick the basil leaves and keep the basil stems to one side (for step 4)

Blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for 5 seconds and cool down in an ice bath
Drain the basil and mix with 300ml of EVOO, filter the oil with etamine and keep in a dispenser

Tomato Emulsion
Prepare the tomato emulsion with the grape tomatoes and EVOO
Using a Thermomix, blend grape tomatoes with 100ml EVOO
Season and strain, then keep in a dispenser in the fridge

Cook the Pasta
Bring the white tomato water to a boil, add rock salt & basil stems
Cook 400g of pasta for 4 minutes in the tomato water

Toss
Sauté the pasta in a fry pan with the tomato emulsion, garlic and a small amount of basil oil
Finish cooking pasta 'al dente", by adding some of the tomato cooking water
Add butter, Parmigiano Reggiano and toss together with EVOO

Spaghetti Foam
Prepare the Spaghetti foam
Cook 100g of Spaghetti n5 in 400ml of salty water in the oven at 180C for 20 minutes
Once cooked, process in a Thermomix with a touch of EVOO till smooth
Charge the siphon with the Spaghetti foam and basil oil

Finishing
Plate up
Create Spaghetti nest, decorate plate with Spaghetti foam and micro basil

Australian Rising Star Announced To Represent The Country In 2019 World Pasta Championships

Up-and-coming Australian chef, Nicola Pelligana of Vizio Sydney, has been chosen to represent the country in the upcoming World Pasta Championships, 10-11 October.

Now in its 8th year, the 2019 event will be held in Paris, where 14 contestants from 14 countries across the globe will battle it out in the kitchen to take out the prestigious 'Pasta World Champion' title.

Nicola secured his highly sought-after spot by showcasing his impressive pasta skills in a pre-selection competition at Casa Barilla, Sydney.

Nicola took out the winning title against four other Australian chefs with his Spaghetti Pomodoro dish, which was judged by celebrity chef Danny Russo, renowned food writer Carla Grossetti and previous Australian World Pasta Championship contender and semi-finalist Salvatore D'Alterio. According to the judges, Pelligana won the competition due to his clever thinking, technical skills, use of sustainable ingredients and concentration on flavours.

Judge and celebrity chef, Danny Russo, said of the winning dish: "It's not often that you come across a chef who takes a holistic approach to cooking, and in Nicola, we did."

Mr Pelligana said he is very excited to be representing the country in the upcoming championships, although he does feel the pressure to be the first Australian winner.

"Being Italian, pasta is in my blood. I have many tricks up my sleeve passed down through the generations, but I will be competing against the best, so the competition will be tough. I will work my hardest to showcase to the world Australia's impressive culinary skills.

"Australia has been part of the world event for five years now, and I'd be honoured to take out the championship title for the first time," Pelligana said.

The 2019 championships will be judged by an international, all-star jury, including three highly acclaimed chefs, an artist and Australian food influencer and content creator, Ashley Alexander of Gather & Feast.

For more information about the 2019 Pasta World Championship, visit the website www.barilla.com/en-au/pasta-world-championship-2019