Bring Cin Cin’s signature flavours into your own kitchen by giving this 3 course meal a go at home. Follow these easy, step by step recipes and impress your loved ones! We would love to see your finished dishes, so tag us in your photos so we can see how you get on!
STARTER
Prosciutto, watermelon & marinated Nutbourne tomatoes
1 packet of sliced Prosciutto (approx 200g) – use San Daniele DOP prosciutto if possible.
1 wedge of watermelon (say 400g)
300g of the best tomatoes you can get hold of – try for Isle of Wight tomatoes
1 bottle white balsamic vinegar
Couple of leaves of torn basil
Maldon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
METHOD:
- Using a sharp knife, slice the skin off the watermelon including any white layer between the skin and the red flesh. Next cut the watermelon into 3 by 3 cm cubes and place them onto a tray, you should have approximately 24 cubes (6 per portion). Drizzle some olive oil over them and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.
- Whilst the watermelon is marinading, cut the tomatoes into 2-3cm pieces, no need for straight lines, the more random the better, this will be more pleasing on the eye at the end. Place the tomatoes into a bowl and drizzle generously with some white balsamic (if you can’t get hold of this then a nice sherry vinegar is the next best thing) and some olive oil, salt and pepper. Next, tear some basil leaves and add the bowl before giving a gentle mix – this accentuates the flavours of the tomatoes.
- Arrange 4 small bowls or plates and using a spoon, place the watermelon cubes into the bowls in a random but equally spaced order. Leaving space between the watermelon allows space for the prosciutto and tomatoes to go so that you get a nice even distribution of all the components of the dish.
- Next evenly distribute the tomatoes, then lay the prosciutto in the spaces so that it stands up and leans against the tomatoes and watermelon. Carefully pour the remaining juices from the tomatoes and watermelon into the middle of the bowl so that it collects and soaks in the bottom.
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MAIN
Tagliatelle with sardines, saffron, golden sultanas & fennel
400g of high-quality fresh egg Tagliatelle (if not making the pasta from scratch)
For the pasta:
450g 00 flour sifted into a well on the bench
260g good quality eggs whipped with a folk till smooth
METHOD:
- Pour the egg mixture into the flour well on your bench and using a fork gradually start
to incorporate the flour from the edges until you get a thick, smooth paste. - At this point scrape the fork clean and use a pastry scraper or large, blunt knife to start
chopping the mixture. Fold the flour through and chopping the mix to combine it –
just like you would with chopping herbs on a board. - Once you have a bread crumb like mixture – scrape clean the knife and discard.
Switching to your hands now, start to draw the dough together to form a rough ball.
Knead and knead, the dough will clean the bench and gradually become smoother and
smoother so that there is no longer any dry, crusty, floury bits. After 5-10 minutes of
kneading, wrap the dough tightly in either cling film, baking parchment or wax wrap.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest the dough. - After 30 minutes of resting, the dough will be ready for rolling. Lightly dust the
rollers of your pasta machine with a little flour and work the dough through from the
thickest setting down to the second thinnest setting. Once you have a long thin
rectangular sheet, you can either hand cut the tagliatelle using a sharp knife at 1cm
intervals; or if your pasta machine has a tagliatelle cutter, simply run it through.
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For the Sauce:
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
Half a bulb of fennel
1 small pinch of saffron
100ml white wine
150ml whipping cream
30g golden sultanas
20g sugar
40g white balsamic vinegar
40g water
8 sardines – get your fishmonger to butterfly for you (else the best tinned sardines you can buy)
1 lemon cut into wedges and deseeded
Salt and pepper to season
METHOD:
- Thinly slice the shallots and garlic. Next cut the half bulb of fennel into 3 wedges and slice very thinly.
- In a medium size pan heat a little olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan) and add the shallots, garlic and fennel – immediately season liberally with salt and pepper as this helps to release the juices and avoids ‘frying’. Continue to sweat on a low heat for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent.
- In the meantime time make the pickled golden sultanas by combining the sugar, white balsamic vinegar and water . Bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat straight away and add the golden sultanas, cover and leave on the side.
- Place the sardines onto a roasting tray, drizzle a little olive oil and cracked black pepper over the top. Place under a hot grill (or a slightly less messy way is to cook in a pre heated 180c oven for 5 minutes.
- Back to the sauce. When the vegetables are soft, add the white wine, whipping cream and saffron, bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes before taking off the heat and allowing to infuse for another 5 minutes. In the meantime, bring a large pot of slightly salted water up to the boil and cook the tagliatelle until al dente – 3 minutes no more.
- Drain the pasta, combine with the sauce, drain the golden sultanas and add to the sauce and finish with a squeeze of lemon and check the seasoning. Give the pasta a good swirl with the sauce so it’s all coated, then portion across 4 plates. Finally, carefully place on top the 2 butterflied sardines and serve.
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DESSERT
Grilled yellow peaches, crème fraiche, raspberries & candied pistachios
5 ripe yellow peaches
2 handfuls of brown sugar
1 sprig rosemary
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 small tub of full fat creme fraiche
1 punnet raspberries
1 handful of pistachios
100g caster sugar
100g water
METHOD:
- Start by cutting the peaches in half and carefully removing the stone. Place the peaches into a bowl along with the brown sugar, rosemary and vanilla extract. Rub together carefully then allow to sit for 30 minutes.
- Whilst you wait for the peaches, make the candied pistachios by placing a medium pan onto the heat. Toast the pistachios in the dry pan until you can see a light golden colour and nutty aroma. Next add in the caster sugar and water continue to stir vigorously whilst it comes to the boil. Reduce the liquor until the pan is dry, continue to stir as the sugar crystalises and coats the nuts. Set aside.
- Switch on the grill and put a non stick frying pan onto a moderate heat. Place the Peaches cut side down into the pan, they will start to caramelise instantly. Try not to fiddle with them, leave them in place. Put the pan under the grill for 3-5 minutes to cook the top.
- Once soft, remove the peaches from the heat and spoon into bowls, dollop some creme friache into the middle and sprinkle over some raspberries, finish with the candied pistachios and serve immediately.
Follow the recipes below to get your pasta dough done, ready for rolling and shaping.
Basic Egg Pasta dough:
450g 00 flour or strong bread flour sifted into a well on the bench
258g eggs whipped with a folk till smooth
- Pour the egg mixture into the flour well on your bench and using a fork gradually start to incorporate the flour from the edges until you get a thick, smooth paste.
- At this point scrape the fork clean and use a pastry scraper or large, blunt knife to start chopping the mixture, folding the flour through and chopping- just like you would with herbs.
- Once you have a bread crumb like mixture – scrape clean the knife and discard. Switching to your hands now- start to draw the dough together to form a rough ball. Knead and Knead- the dough will clean the bench and gradually become smoother and smoother so that there is no longer any dry, crusty, floury bits. After 5-10 minutes of kneading- wrap the dough tightly in either clingfilm, baking parchment or wax wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest the dough.
- After 30 minutes of resting- the dough will be ready for rolling.
Basic Vegan Pasta Dough:
This pasta dough is popular all over Italy and used for lots of pastas. If you cannot get hold of eggs at the moment, then this is a perfect substitute.
450g 00 flour or strong bread flour
200g water
Follow the same steps for the egg pasta. If the pasta feels a little dry once kneading, simply wet your hands and continue to knead, the dough will absorb the moisture from your hands. Keep doing this until desired texture is reached. If the dough feels a little sticky, apply the same method but this time with flour. All flours have a certain moisture content so it really is down to your own personal touch and feel to judge.
Here’s the recipe for our ever popular Cin Cin Focaccia, baked daily at our Western Road restaurant:
100g levain (comprising of 30g starter, 35g water, 35g flour – mixed and allowed to ferment for 4-5 hours until very active)
300g luke warm water
50g extra virgin olive oil
500g strong white bread flour – best quality you can find
10g salt
2 sprigs of rosemary – leaves picked off
20g additional water
In the restaurant, we do not actually have a starter because our levain is constantly rolling. What we take out, we feed back in, ready for the next days bread. But suffice to say our levain is 50-50 water to flour.
- Start by weighing the 300g luke warm (blood temperature) water into a medium size mixing bowl.
- Add in the levain – ensuring it floats which is an indication its active. If it does not float then continue to feed your levain at regular intervals for a day or 2 longer.
- Next add the olive oil and using your fingers in a dough hook shape- mix the contents of the bowl together- this evenly distributes everything.
- Add in the flour and mix again. You will have a rough looking mixture. As long as there is no dry bits of flour and the edges of the bowl are scraped clean you will be fine. Cover and place in the airing cupboard for 1 hour. This resting period allows the moisture and gluten to relax and distribute itself nice and evenly.
- After 1 hour of rest period- add in the salt, rosemary leaves and additional water. Really pull the dough apart and mix it all thoroughly. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Next is the folding stage- every 30 minutes fold the dough over itself at the north, south, east and west points. This stretches the dough and develops the gluten without the need to knead. Continue this folding at 30 minute intervals for the next 2-3 hours- placing it back in the airing cupboard each time.
- Now the dough can bulk ferment. Leave to prove for 5-6 hours. As a guide if you start the dough at 9am in the morning- this will take you up to tea time. If the dough seems quite active and had nearly doubled volume- place in the fridge overnight. If not keep it out until bedtime – but still place in the fridge overnight.
- The next morning, line a baking tray that is approximately 5cm deep with butter and flour – then generously drizzle olive oil. Scrape the dough into the tray and allow to relax for 2 or 3 hours, you will see it gradually seep to the edges and start to rise again.
- Pre heat your oven to its hottest setting (220 Celsius) with a shallow tray of boiling water in the bottom – the steam helps with the crust.
- Stud the dough with rosemary and Malden sea salt.
- Place in the oven and bake initially for 15 minutes with the water in the oven. Then take out the water and continue to bake for approximately 12 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing!