Sourdough Cavatelli with Preserved Lemon and Charred Fresno Emulsion

Introduction

The fog is just lifting off the coast, and the morning air at the market was thick with the scent of sun-warmed herbs and salt spray. Today, I am leaning into that electric, mouth-watering brightness we are seeing everywhere right now—the sour pasta trend. My version is a love letter to the Central Coast, using sourdough pasta for a fermented tang, layered with the deep acid of preserved lemons and a splash of verjus from the valley. It is sharp, coastal, and perfectly unfussy.

Ingredients

• 1 lb sourdough cavatelli or gemelli pasta
• 1/3 cup Sonoma extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Fresno chiles, charred over an open flame and finely diced
• 1/2 preserved lemon, rind only, rinsed and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, paper-thin shavings
• 1 cup Sun-Gold cherry tomatoes, kept whole
• 2 tbsp verjus or Meyer lemon juice
• 1 tsp fermented chile brine (from the jar)
• 1/4 cup toasted pepitas for crunch
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro and mint, roughly torn
• Flaky sea salt and smoked adobo flakes to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the sourdough pasta until it has a perfect al dente bite.
2. While the pasta boils, char your Fresno chiles over a gas flame or under the broiler until the skins are blistered. Peel away the blackened bits, remove seeds if you prefer less heat, and finely dice.
3. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shaved garlic and cook until translucent and fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
4. Increase the heat to medium and toss in the Sun-Gold tomatoes. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they just begin to burst, releasing their sweet nectar.
5. Stir in the diced Fresno chiles, minced preserved lemon, verjus, and fermented chile brine. This is where that signature sour profile builds.
6. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
7. Add the pasta directly into the skillet. Pour in the reserved water and toss vigorously over high heat for 60 seconds to create a glossy, acidic emulsion that coats every ridge of the pasta.
8. Remove from heat and fold in the fresh herbs and toasted pepitas.
9. Plate immediately with a final sprinkle of smoked adobo flakes and a drizzle of your best olive oil.

This dish is best enjoyed with your feet up and a glass of chilled, crisp Vermentino in hand. It captures that specific moment when the afternoon sun hits the patio just right. I hope it brings a bit of that California brightness to your kitchen today. Stay salty and stay hungry.

Emily