Ingredients

• 125gwholemeal flour
• 250gtype ‘OO’ flour
• 100gsemolina
• 150mlwater
• 100ml white wine, preferably Riesling

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 200g onions, sliced
• White center of ½ a savoy cabbage, shredded

• Whole green leaves of ½ savoy cabbage
• 3 tablespoonsolive oil
• 200gonions, sliced

• 2 tablespoonsolive oil
• 100gguanciale, (unsmoked pork cheek) diced into small cubes

• 100gparmesan cheese, grated
• Sea salt and cracked pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

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Method

• Tip flours and semolina onto a bench and mix with finger tips and make a well in the centre.
• Add water and wine, mix until dough just comes together. Press firmly into a container, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours.
• Remove dough from container and cut into six pieces. Flatten a piece with the heel of the hand and pass through a pasta machine set to the widest setting. Repeat process passing dough through each setting twice, down to the thinnest setting.
• Cut sheet into lengths, approximately 10cm-15cm wide. Take one piece, cover remaining dough and sheets with a damp cloth and set to one side
• Measure sheet with a ruler and cut each piece into strips 1.5cm wide and 6cm long.
• Take a square metal skewer and lay along a strip of pasta lengthways. Press down gently, rolling the skewer forward slightly, then backward slightly. Using finger tips to guide, roll skewer forward, rolling pasta sheet around skewer and press firmly to seal edge. Gently ease maccheroncini from the skewer, gently toss in semolina and place on a tray. Repeat process until you have the required amount of maccheroncini, approximately 25 pieces per serve.
• . For braised cabbage, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add onions and white cabbage and reduce heat to low. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, ensuring not to allow cabbage to caramelize. Remove from heat and set to one side.
• For cabbage puree, bring a large saucepan half filled with water to the boil. Add green cabbage leaves and cook for 20 minutes or until softened. Remove with tongs, keeping cabbage water on the boil, and refresh in iced water until cooled colour is vibrant. Drain, pat dry and roughly chop.
• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat, add onions and panfry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped green cabbage and stir to combine. Transfer to a blender with 2 ladlefuls of cabbage water and 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil and puree for 2-3 minutes or until very smooth. Season with salt to taste and transfer to a bowl. Place over a bowl of ice and cool, spinning bowl and stirring puree until cooled. Cover and set to one side.
• For guanciale, heat olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add guanciale and panfry for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, taking care not to cook to quickly and burning the meat. Strain through a sieve, reserve fat and set guanciale to one side.
• To assemble, heat ¼ cup of puree in a small frying pan over a medium heat until warm.
• Add a kitchen spoonful of braised cabbage to guanciale frying pan and place over a high heat. Add 2-3 ladlefuls of cabbage water and bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Place a serve of maccheroncini in boiling cabbage water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until al dente. Drain pasta, add to braised cabbage sauce with 1-2 ladles of cabbage water and stir to combine. Cook pasta in sauce for 3-4 minutes, add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese and stir to combine.
• To serve, spread a spoonful of puree over the base of a serving plate, spoon over pasta, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with guanciale and grated parmesan.