Mark Reid-Orecchiette with Tomato Sauce, Basil & Mozzarella
Mark Reid
Mark Reid is a chef to watch, which is why I wanted him to be one our chefs for Lockdown Lunches.
Like the rest of the world, Mark is cooking from home and spending time with his wife, little boy and his furry dog family friend. Doing this doesn’t mean that he’s sitting back, oh no, Mark is planning for when everything opens up again.
Keep a look out for his new supper club initiative and a couple of other projects he’s keeping under his chef hat for now.
Mark started his training with a degree in Hotel Management at Southgate College. It wasn’t long before he soon realised that it was making food that made his taste buds tingle.
Working his way quickly up the chef ladder at amazing places such as the Firmdale Hotels and Petersham Nurseries, to Head Chef at Browns Hotel London (part of the Rocco Forte Hotels), a hotel founded in 1837.
Now Head Chef at Fenwick, Bond Street in London, Mark strives to use fresh ingredients and cooks uncomplicated dishes full of flavour he hopes will get everyone in your family cooking and enjoying food this lockdown.
You can see exactly this in the dish he chose to cook for his Lockdown Lunches live cooking session (Watch it now on our Foodie Book Club YouTube Channel).
Mark gives lots of tips and tricks during his session to get you cooking and answers the now famous Which Knife question.
You know you need to know!
Connect with Mark on his Instagram page or on Twitter, I’m sure if you’ve any questions, he’ll be ready to help!
Orecchiette with tomato sauce, basil and mozzarella
Orecchiette with Tomato Sauce, Basil & Mozzarella
“Nothing beats fresh pasta, but the idea of making it can be daunting.
Orecchiette, is very simple, and especially in lockdown with kids at home, making it is a great family activity too.” Chef Mark A Reid
Orecchiette with Tomato Sauce, Basil and Mozzarella
Serves 4
Ingredients
400g Fine semolina + extra to knead
250ml Water
50ml Extra virgin olive oil
3 Basil stalks
1 Red onion, finely diced (80g)
1 x 400g Tin peeled tomatoes (San Marzano)
1 Clove of garlic, crushed
5g Capers (optional)
2 Ball of mozzarella (2 x 100g)
Basil leaves
10g Grated Parmesan
Sea salt
Black pepper
Method
Place a large, deep saucepan on the stove to boil, filled with water, generously seasoned with salt.
For the pasta
Place the semolina in a bowl or a work surface.
Make a well in the semolina and add the water.
Whisk the water with a fork to slowly incorporate the semolina to form a dough.
Once the majority of the semolina is incorporated begin to knead the dough by hand for a good 5-10 minutes.
If you have a mixer with a dough hook, you can do it in that too. The dough should be smooth and not sticking to the work surface.
Leave the dough to rest with a cloth over the top
For the sauce,
In a saucepan over a medium heat, add the olive oil.
Once it is slightly warm add the basil stalks and stir for about a minute.
Add the onions. Cook the onions without colour, until they are soft and translucent.
Add the crushed garlic and capers, and then soon after the tinned tomatoes.
Stir so all components are fully mixed.
Once the sauce comes to a simmer, reduce the heat slightly and leave to cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring periodically, occasionally crushing the tomatoes, so they break up.
Check for seasoning.
Returning to the pasta dough,
Line a large flat tray with greaseproof paper and generously dust the tray with semolina.
Dust the work surface or chopping board with semolina.
Divide the dough into 4 and roll into 2 cm thick sausages.
Line the 4 sausages together and cut 2cm pieces of dough.
Dust all the small 2x2cm pieces in semolina.
Using your thumb or a main course knife, roll a piece of dough under the pressure of your thumb or the knife, pushing the dough out the other side. This should form flat, ear shaped pieces of pasta. If you are happy with them add them to the semolina’ed tray.
Continue until all the pieces are processed.
Begin cooking the pasta in 4 different batches.
If you add too much pasta the water will stop boiling.
The pasta will be ready once it has risen to the top of the pan and cooked for about 30 seconds.
Using a sieve or a slotted spoon to collect the cooked pasta and add it straight to the sauce.
Once all the pasta is cooked and added to the sauce, toss or stir the pasta so the pasta is fully incorporated to the sauce.
Add basil leaves and serve onto plates or bowls.
Tear pieces of mozzarella and spread across the portions, season with fresh pepper.
Easy Fresh Pasta Dish by Mark Reid for Lockdown Lunches
