Italian Pasta

ITALIAN PASTA

100g flour : 1 egg

I usually start with 9 eggs for our family.

Sift 2/3 of flour onto clean counter top. Make circular flour bowl. Sift the other 1/3 flour to the side.

Crack the eggs into the flour ridge bow. Work together slowly with fork. Once mixed add additional flour from the side as needed to create dough consistency. Create balls with about 3 eggs/ball and wrap each ball in syran wrap. Place in dark drawer for 20 minutes.

Take small chunk from one ball, flatten a bit and then run through the pasta press (imperial made in Italy is a good brand). Run through from largest setting to the smallest x 2 each setting it into long rectangular strips. If making pasta, run through the cutter. For tortellini or lasagna, cut appropriate squares or strips.

FOR TORTELLINI 

GOLDEN TOMATO SAUCE (stuffed pastas only)

Chop very finely:

1 stalk celery

1 carrot

1/2 red or white onion

Melt together in sauce pan:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

Add celery, carrot and onion mixture to butter and oil. Simmer low until onions are translucent. 

Blend large can of whole peeled tomatoes (nothing added) Or already crushed pureed tomatoes already to go without blending.

Simmer low heat half hour or so. Season to taste adding salt, pepper and fresh sage leaves.

Once done blend with food processor to smooth out.

CHEESE FILLING

12 oz. ricotta

8+ oz Philadelphia cream cheese

1/2 C parmesan cheese

1 handful parsley finely chopped

1 clove fresh squeezed garlic

Mix everything

Add salt, black pepper, pinch ground nutmeg

Mix everything then taste to tweak flavors

Add 1 egg. Mix. Refrigerate. 

Can add half bag chopped frozen spinach. Follow instructions on bag to cook it. Then add butter 1 tablespoon for that half bag and way for water to disappear/evaporate about ten minutes. Then add to cheese mix by eyeing it with ratios. 

 (about 2x2. Make wider strip drop cheese filling dallops. Fold over. Mark off squares with fingers. Cut across. Make fork edges.) 

CREAM SAUCE FOR RAVIOLI

Melt 1/2 stock butter with four fresh sage leaves until golden. Add 3 tablespoons heavy cream. Throw pasta in and stir a bit. 

When cooking pasta in Italy they say as soon as you put it in boiling water (water with chicken boullion or chicken stock) they go down and when they come up they are done. Yara cooks maybe a minute longer to make sure they are white enough. Don't let explode. 

Could add bag of dry porcini mushrooms for flavor and fresh portabella for texture.