Don’t be threatened by the title, this recipe is so easy to make! Danny Seo’s recipe for a pasta made with both yogurt and charcoal gives your pasta an edgy, savory flavor that you won’t be able to compare to anything else! Delicious, al dente orecchiette pasta served with a dollop of herbed pesto is the pasta recipe you’ll want to make at your next dinner party!

Quick Charcoal Yogurt Pasta Dough with Fridge Herb Pesto

Don’t be threatened by the title, this recipe is so easy to make! Danny Seo’s recipe for a pasta made with both yogurt and charcoal gives your pasta an edgy, savory flavor that you won’t be able to compare to anything else! Delicious, al dente orecchiette pasta served with a dollop of herbed pesto is the pasta recipe you’ll want to make at your next dinner party!

Ready In: 1 hour

Level: Medium


Prep: 50 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    Charcoal Pasta Dough:
  • 2 c sprouted wheat flour, more to dust surface
  • 3 Tbsp activated charcoal
  • 1 + 1/4 c Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Greek Plain Yogurt
  • 3 Tbsp sea salt (for cooking water)


  • Fridge Herb Pesto:
  • 1 head broccoli
  • 1 bunch chives, or leftover herbs (approximately 1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 c grated pecorino, more to garnish
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/3 c olive oil, more for garnish
  • freshly ground pepper, for garnish

directions

Charcoal Pasta Dough:

Step 1

Place flour and activated charcoal in a food processor and pulse to distribute the charcoal.

Step 2

As the engine of the processor is running, start adding the Stonyfield yogurt by the tablespoons until a dough ball forms.

Step 3

Dust dough with flour, cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

Step 4

Cut dough into eight sections and dust with flour. Roll each section into a 1-inch wide log. Using a knife cut into ½ inch pieces. Use your thumb to press an indent into each pasta piece to form orecchiette.

Step 5

Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to a boil. Add the sea salt and pasta and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly al dente and the orecchiette floats to the top. Save pasta water to cook broccoli and herbs for pesto.



Fridge Herb Pesto:

Step 1

Cut broccoli into florets. Peel stalk and cut into rounds.

Step 2

Boil cut broccoli in pasta water for 2 minutes or until vibrant green and tender.

Step 3

Dip chives or any bunch of destemmed leftover herbs into boiling water for 5 seconds. Place under cold running water to cool, squeeze out moisture and chop into small pieces.

Step 4

Add 1 and 1/2 cups of broccoli florets to a food processor along with the chopped blanched herbs, garlic, pecorino and sea salt. Process until smooth, streaming in the olive oil as the engine is running.

Step 5

Spoon pesto onto each plate and top with broccoli stalks, orecchiette, and broccoli florets. Dollop with additional pesto and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, pecorino and freshly ground black pepper.