January 13, 2009
Stragozzi alla Spoletina
Pasta Dough:
3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
5 large eggs, beaten
Tomato Sauce:
3 tbl extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
One 35-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, tomatoes crushed, juices reserved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
� cup finely chopped parsley
Ingredients:
1. Make the Pasta Dough: Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. With the machine on, add the eggs and process until moist crumbs form. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until firm and smooth. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Make the Tomato Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over low heat until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
3. Cut the dough into quarters; work with one piece at a time and keep the rest covered. Using a hand-cranked pasta machine, roll the pasta through the widest setting. Then roll it until you reach the next-to-the-thinnest setting. Halfway through, when the sheet of dough becomes too long, cut it in half crosswise and continue rolling. Cut the pasta sheets to 10 to 12 inches long and drape them over drying racks or the back of a chair. Repeat with the remaining pasta dough. Let the sheets dry slightly before cutting them.
4. Beginning with a short end, loosely roll each pasta sheet into a log. Cut the logs crosswise into � inch strands. Unfold the strands and arrange them loosely on a large rimmed baking sheet.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well and return the pasta to the pot. Add the sauce and toss well. Transfer the pasta to 6 warmed plates, garnish with the parsley, and serve at once.
Serves 6.
Posted by Kelli Little at 05:51 PM
Kelli's Lasagna
Ingredients:
1.5 lb hamburger
1.5 - 2 16oz tomato sauce
2 8oz cans tomato paste
2-4 tbls fresh basil
4-6 garlic cloves
Lasagna noodles
4 cups cottage cheese
2/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbls parsley
1/2 tsp pepper
16oz mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
Ingredients:
Brown hamburger. Add tomato sauce and paste as needed, basil and garlic, and simmer for thirty minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook lasagna noodles.
Combine remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Layer the cooked noodles, ricotta mixture, and the meat in a 13X9 dish, then repeat the layers. Bake at 350 degrees for forty minutes.
This recipe serves 8 to 10.
Posted by Kelli Little at 05:50 PM
4-Egg Pasta Noodles
Ingredients:
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
Water
Directions:
Note: The amount of flour you use is approximate. It can vary on the humidity of where you live, and also how much you use to roll out and stuff. Just judge the actual ball of pasta you're making by experience and get to know the consistency of it.
Note2: If you allow your eggs to sit in their shells for about an hour before actually whipping them, it will help with the consistency of the noodles.
In a medium sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten eggs, and mix. Mixture should form a stiff dough. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Let dry for about 45 minutes, and then flip over and let dry for 30-45 minutes more. Roll tightly, without cracking the sheet of pasta dough. Slice evently down the 'log', approximately 1/4" to 1/2" each slice. Remember that the width you're cutting the pasta is going to expand once you cook it.
Posted by Kelli Little at 05:50 PM
Basil Fettucini
Ingredients:
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbl water
2 1/2 tbl all-purpose flour
Directions:
Using a food processor, process basil leaves until chopped very fine. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour and pulse two or three times, or until combined. Add egg, 1 teaspoon oil, and the water until dough forms a ball shape. If dough seems dry, add a bit more water. Wrap dough in a piece of plastic wrap which has been coated in a few drops of olive oil. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
Remove dough from refrigerator, and cut into 6 equal size portions. Run pasta though pasta machine, or roll with rolling pin to desired thickness. Use the additional flour to coat pasta while rolling.
Allow pasta to dry for one hour prior to cooking.
Cook in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. This should take only a 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pasta.
Posted by Kelli Little at 05:50 PM
Creamy Spinach Penne
Ingredients:
12 oz fresh spinache leaves, stemmed
12 oz penne pasta, uncooked
1 clove garlic
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried basil leaves, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
12 oz roasted red peppers, chopped (and drained if in a jar)
Directions:
Spoon the spinach into a large pot of boiling water. Cook 1 minute. Remove spinach from the water with a slotted spoon, reserving the water in the pot for cooking the pasta. Rinse the spinach with cold water and drain well. Chop the spinache and set aside. Return the water to a boil.
Add pasta to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well.
Meanwhile, place the garlic in a food processor, cover, and process until minced. Add chopped spinach, cottage cheese, and milk; cover and process until well-blended. Add parmesan cheese and seasonings and mix well. Toss with pasta and red peppers. Serve warm.
Health Hint: Substitute the cottage and parmesan cheese for low-fat cheeses.
The whole food processing thing isn't necessary - it just makes things easier. You can always mince all of the ingredients, stir them together, simmer them in a pot for a minute or so, and then pour it over the pasta. That works too.
Posted by Kelli Little at 05:49 PM
Bistro Tomato & Basil Pasta
Ingredients:
2 cups rotini pasta, uncooked
3 med. ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
Cook pasta as directed on package; drain.
Meanwhile, mix tomatoes, gasil, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add pasta and cheese; mix lightly.
Posted by Kelli Little at 05:48 PM