Capunti con Pecorino Canestrato e Pomodoro

Ingredients

• For the capunti dough
• 400 g semolina rimacinata (fine semolina)
• 240 ml water, lukewarm, adjusted to 60–65% hydration
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• For the tomato sauce
• 500 g Datterino or San Marzano tomatoes, whole or roughly crushed
• 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 4 fresh basil leaves
• 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, to taste
• To finish
• 60 g Pecorino Canestrato di Moliterno DOP (stagionato, minimum 6 months), finely grated
• 2 tbsp pasta cooking water, reserved before draining
• 1 pinch dried Senise chilli, crumbled, to finish
• To shape
• 30 ml olive oil, for palms and fingers during shaping

Method

1. 1
   Combine the semolina and salt in a bowl. Add the lukewarm water gradually, mixing until a stiff, cohesive dough forms. Turn onto a clean surface and knead firmly for 8–10 minutes. The dough is ready when the surface is smooth and no longer sticky, and the mass pushes back firmly under the heel of the hand.
2. 2
   Wrap the dough and rest it at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly oil the palms and fingers. Divide the dough into portions and roll each into a rope approximately 8 mm in diameter. Cut the rope into segments roughly 3 mm thick. This is the raw material for shaping.
3. 3
   Lay a segment across the extended index, middle, and ring fingers of one hand. Press firmly downward with the thumb of the other hand while rolling forward in a single motion. The piece curls and hollows against the three fingers, forming an elongated, slightly ridged boat with a well-defined concavity. This is where the dish lives or dies: a shallow or collapsed form will not hold sauce; the concavity must be visible and continuous along the full length of the shape.
4. 4
   Transfer the shaped capunti to a lightly floured tray. Dry uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes. The surface should feel dry to the touch and the shapes should hold their curve without deforming when gently handled.
5. 5
   Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and allow it to colour lightly, 1–2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season with salt, and cook over a brisk flame for no more than 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the garlic. Add the basil. The sauce is done when it is still bright and loose, with no trace of a long-cooked, concentrated quality — the colour remains vivid red rather than deep brick.
6. 6
   Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a full boil. Cook the capunti until they rise to the surface and offer slight resistance when bitten, 3–5 minutes depending on thickness. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking water before draining.
7. 7
   Add the drained capunti to the pan with the tomato sauce. Add the reserved pasta water and toss over low heat for 1 minute, so the starch emulsifies the sauce. Remove from the heat. Add the grated Pecorino Canestrato, toss immediately to distribute evenly without clumping. Finish with a pinch of crumbled dried Senise chilli. The surface should appear lightly glazed; no pools of separated liquid should remain in the pan.