There’s something to be said for following your instincts. At least that has been the case with Tipo 00. “When I was thinking about opening my own restaurant, the main idea was that it should be somewhere that I would want to go two or three times a week,” says Andreas Papadakis, chef and co-owner of the Melbourne CBD pasta bar. “I wanted it to be the sort of place that gets under your skin a little bit.”
The former Vue de Monde chef seems to have achieved his goal, if constant crowds and critical acclaim are anything to go by. And as the recipes he shares here (“basically the entire pasta menu”) show, it’s Papadakis’s blend of tradition, expert technique and a few modern flourishes from his fine-dining toolkit that have helped keep Tipo 00 full. “My approach is super-traditional in a way,” he says.
“If you use beautiful stocks, good olive oil, good parmesan and of course good pasta, you’re already going to have a good dish. If you buy the same things from the supermarket shelves, then you’re just not going to get the same result.”
So just how important is it to use fresh pasta? “Super-important,” says Papadakis, “and it’s a good idea to buy a pasta machine with extra attachments so that you can make your own rigatoni, as well as spaghetti and tagliolini. Of course, you can buy good-quality pasta as well, particularly if you’re making the dishes using orecchiette and casarecce, because they can be difficult and time-consuming to make by hand, but it will always be better to use fresh pasta where you can.”
Although Papadakis believes that sticking with tradition and simplicity is the best course of action when it comes to pasta, he says there are times when he tweaks a recipe with non-traditional ingredients such as smoked tomato, “perhaps because of my background in fine dining”.
“My main thing with all these recipes is that they are dishes that I really like to eat,” says Papadakis. “Basing a menu on what you like is the best starting point.”
Tipo 00, 361 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC, tipo00.com.au
Pasta recipes by Tipo 00’s Andreas Papadakis
Potato and cauliflower tortelloni
“Potato, cauliflower and parmesan must be the best combination,” says Andreas Papadakis. “If there are black truffles in season, shave some on top and you will get something extraordinary.”
Potato and cauliflower tortelloni
Gnocchi with duck ragù and porcini mushrooms
“This duck ragù is rich and delicious,” says Papadakis. “The gnocchi need to be fluffy and light for the dish to work well, so be sure the potatoes aren’t waxy, or they’ll become gluey as you pass them through the sieve.”
Gnocchi with duck ragù and porcini mushrooms
Orecchiette with broccolini, anchovy, garlic, chilli and Asiago
“This is a typical pasta from Puglia and normally served with cime di rapa,” says Papadakis. “However, in our version the anchovy is the hero of this dish.”
Orecchiette with broccolini, anchovy, garlic, chilli and Asiago
“Our twist with this recipe is the addition of a spice bag,” says Papadakis. “Cinnamon and cloves add a little sweetness that works really well with the richness of the ragù. The secret is for the spice level to be where you can just taste them but you can’t quite put your finger on them.”
Rigatoni ragù Bolognese
Spaghetti with strawberry clams, chilli and smoked tomato
“This is a classic and simple dish that’s lifted by the smoked tomatoes,” says Papadakis. “If you can’t find strawberry clams, diamond-shell clams are a great substitute – they are meaty, sweet and have a distinct ocean flavour.”
Spaghetti with strawberry clams, chilli and smoked tomato
“Tagliolini is delicate and easy to overcook, so cook it less than normal – it will continue cooking as you finish it in the pan,” says Papadakis. “Sicilian or Sardinian bottarga is the best, but if you can’t find any, Salumi Australia (salumi.com.au) makes a good one.”
Tagliolini al nero
Casarecce with pork and fennel sausage ragù
“Good pork sausage with coarse meat is essential for this recipe’s success,” says Papadakis. “Make sure the pasta you buy is Italian, ideally from Gragnano.”
Casarecce with pork and fennel sausage ragù
This story was originally published in April 2016.
