You have to try the best mafaldine pasta recipe with snapper, parsley, and lemon butter sauce! It is one pasta recipe you won't want to miss!
This mafaldine pasta recipe is a take on a dish I had in Milan a few years back when i had the opportunity to eat at the 2 star michelin restaurant Seta at the mandarin oriental hotel. The 8 course lunch I had was absolutely fantastic. I had 4-5 dishes that still stand out in my mind to this day. The risotto, the pasta, the sweetbreads and the desserts was really some of the best I have ever had. I highly recommend if you are ever in Milan.
The pasta dish was so simple in concept but full of flavor from the red snapper, fish stock, which is the backbone to this recipe. You basically make a really good fish stock and puree it with lots of parsley for a really fresh look and taste. I added a lemon butter to the bottom of the bowl to give a little richness and acid. A fairly straightforward recipe that have a few steps but shouldn't be something to slave over all day long. Here is the recipe I hope you enjoy it!
Snapper Mafaldine Pasta with Lemon Butter and Parsley
Fish Stock
- 1 whole carcasse of snapper (scraps and skin)
- 1 whole carrot (chopped)
- 1 whole onion (chopped)
- 1 whole leek (chopped)
- 3 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 whole garlic bulb (cut in half)
- 1 each bay leaf
- 1 sprg thyme
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 10 cups water
Parsley Sauce
- 3 cups fish stock
- 2 cups parsley
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 salt to taste
Snapper
- 1 lb red snapper (cut into large dice)
- 10 oz mafaldine pasta (cooked al-dente)
Beurre blanc (Lemon Butter Sauce)
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup cream
- 10 tbsp butter
- 1 whole lemon (juiced plus zest)
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 whole garlic clove
- 1 salt (to taste)
Garnish
- 3 tbsp parsley (leaves)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
For the Fish Stock
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Have your butcher fillet the snapper, if you don't know how or go here (the link is for flounder but gives you the basics). Then cut the collar of the fish and reserve for another use. Take the gills out and discard. Then take the whole fish and rinse well under cold water to rid of any blood ( blood will turn your stock cloudy) The place in a pot with the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Turn down to a simmer and reduce by at least half. The stock should have a rich deep flavor. If the stock still taste very mild and watery, then reduce a little more until you have a deep flavor profile. Strain out and discard the contents. Then take 3 cups of the fish stock and place in a blender with the blanched parsley. Puree until smooth and season with a little butter and salt. Set aside and keep warm
For the Beurre Blanc (Lemon Butter Sauce)
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In a small sauce pot add white wine, zest, thyme, and garlic. Reduce the liquid by until the wine is just about evaporated (about 3/4 reduced). Then add the cream and reduce that by half. Then finish by adding to the sauce the butter 1 tbsp at a time until it has emulsified. Season with salt and lemon juice, strain if desired. Set aside and keep warm.
To Finish
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Bring a pot of salted to water to a boil. Place mafaldine pasta in the pot, cook until al dente. Meanwhile in a large saute pan add 2 cups of parsley sauce. Season snapper with salt and place in the sauce. Have the heat on medium.
You gently want to cook the snapper in the sauce until it is just done. It should only take a minute or two. Toss in the strained out pasta and cook for another minute or two so the pasta soaks up the sauce. Season everything with salt and pepper. Then place a few spoonfuls of the beurre blanc sauce in the bottom of the bowl.
Place the snapper mafaldine pasta on top. Then with the left over 1 cup of parsley sauce use a hand blender and froth the sauce. Spoon the froth over the pasta. Finish with parmesan and parsley sprigs. Serve and enjoy!
