The Savoie region has spectacular jade-green rivers and lakes, which are inhabited by brown and rainbow trout. Fishing for these prized fish is a popular pastime with locals and tourists alike, and it is well worth braving the glacier-cold waters to catch them, as the firm sweet flesh offers an excellent antidote to the heavy dishes associated with the region.
Ingredients
For the Buckwheat Pasta
- 1⅔ cups (200 g) buckwheat flour
- Pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 7 tbsp white wine
- 1 cup (150 g) fresh or frozen peas
- Heaping 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- Freshly ground pepper
- 5½ oz (150 g) smoked trout, cut into strips
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced, to garnish
- 2 tbsp trout or salmon roe (optional)
How to Make It
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To make the Buckwheat Pasta
- In a large bowl, mix the flour with the salt. Make a well in the middle, crack in the eggs, and add the milk. Stir together until you get a lump of dough.
- Dust the work surface with plenty of flour and divide the dough in half. Take one half and dust it with more flour. Roll it out to a thickness of about ⅟₁₆ inch, then cut into very small diamond shapes (about ¼ inch). Slide a plastic pastry scraper under the pasta to lift it off the surface. Toss it gently to break it up and place it on a lightly dusted baking sheet. Roll out the second half of the dough and repeat.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, place the butter, onion, and garlic in a large pan over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add the wine and simmer while you cook the pasta.
- When the water has come to a boil, add the peas and pasta. When the pasta floats to the top (roughly 2 minutes), use a slotted spoon to transfer the peas and pasta to the pan with the onion. Stir in the crème fraîche and season with pepper. Remove the pan from the heat before gently mixing in the smoked trout and garnishing with the radishes and trout roe (if using). Serve immediately.
