Long Live Pasta!

As promised from time to time I want to share a few good recipes for those who love to entertain with friends.

Last week while at the gym I was moaning how much I missed making & eating fresh pasta.

For those of you just joining us, pasta has gotten a very bad rap over the past years. Many have tried to replace it with all sorts of additives to make it low carb friendly. But one bite of these concoctions and a napkin is quickly produced to expel their results.

Finally, it appears we have had some common sense knocked into our heads or in this case it took a nasty spill on Dr. Atkin's part to wake us all up to reality. Since we are all going to die anyway, let's eat real pasta from time to time in moderation.

Strolling out of the gym on that cold January morning, it was decided that making homemade ravioli would be the best comfort food. As a team effort we set out to create a nice batch of dough, savory fillings and of course a wonderful sauce to pour generously over the creation.

First up, Kristin and Michael were put to work on getting glasses filled and igniting our spirits for the long work ahead of us. To follow are the recipes used to create a wonderful night for all who attended this impromptu affair.


Fresh Pasta Dough
Mix 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour, 1 cup seminola and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Dump mixture out on a wood surface and form a well in the middle of the flour. After whisking together 3 large eggs, 1 tablespoon of extra eirgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water in a bowl, pour mixture into the flour well. Knead the dough for a few minutes, it will become smooth and elastic. Cover the dough and rest for 1/2 hour.


Chicken & Pesto Filling
This one is a hard one to mess up since it really is about working with what you have around the house. I chose chicken since I had a full roasted breast already in the refrigerator. I chopped the breast into 1 inch pieces and placed in a food processor. Hitting pulse a few times it began to break down the chunks. Do not over pulse yet.

Adding to this chicken mixture is a generous helping of pesto, two cloves of garlic, a few pieces of roasted red pepper, extra virgin olive oil and some chopped spinach. Pulse this mixture until it appears the items have broken down to almost a paste like consistancy.

After add about a cup or so of grated parmesean cheese and pulse until it becomes dough like in its shape. If you need more oil, drizzle while pulsing the mixture. Cover and chill until ready to assemble the ravioli.


Sauce di Salerno
Vince really gets the "no frills" style of cooking, so much so that he and I argue often about food. And on many occasions I exclaim, "how can one be this laid back in their approach to cooking and still get anything?" I have learned it is wise not to argue too long with a Sicilian over food much less a tomato sauce?

Below is Vince's recipe for what I have coined as Sauce di Salerno.

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1/2 large sweet onion, finely minced
2-3 cloves garlic
1 - 28 oz of tomato juice(left over from draining two cans of whole tomatoes)
2 - 15 oz cans of tomato puree
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
basil
oregano

"I began by removing sausage from their casings and place the sausage in a sauce pan on medium heat. As the sausage cooks, break it up into small bits and pieces (basically as small as you can get it without too much work). To get the most out of your sausage you need to let it brown not burn. When the sausage is sufficiently browned, remove from pan and set aside.

Drain off excess fat from pan and then add two tablespoons of EVOO, throw in the minced garlic. Turn heat up to medium high and stir the garlic until it starts to turn brown, then stir in the onions. Cook for a few minutes, then add the cooked sausage and finish cooking onions until transparent.

Pour into this mixture the tomato products and spices to taste. Always remember to go light on spices because the sauce will reduce concentrating their flavor. Place the lid firmly on top and let simmer for at least 1/2 hour. Cooking tomato sauces for too long can make them more acidic, but the meat usually balances this out." - Vince

The rest is quite simple and fun for all in attendance. Using a pasta machine (I like the Atlas), crank out the dough until you can start to see the shadow of your hand under the thin layer of pasta. Place the sheets on the counter, add filling and then cover and cut into the ravioli shapes desired. If you have a lot of pasta to make for your guests, place the fresh ravioli on a tray and put in the freezer until ready to cook up a batch.

Simply when ready drop the ravioli in salted boiling water, cook a few minutes and then serve hot.

And what did the Commissioner do? Besides rolling up her sleeves with her beau Jon to stuff the pasta, she brought the wine and entertained us with stories of her first few weeks on the job at City Hall.

Cheers!
- Tommy