Pasta Galore from Scratch
Pappardelle with Chicken ala Vodka Sauce
Shrimp with Herbs and Bread
Cheese Ravioli in Brown Butter Sauce
Panna Cotta
Fresh Pasta Dough
yield: 2 servings
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
Making fresh pasta dough is fun and very easy. Traditionally, the dough is mixed directly on a board or counter but it is acceptable to begin the dough in a bowl to limit the cleanup. Laminate counter tops are fine for kneading dough but natural or engineered stone is best as it is non-porous and maintains constant temperature, especially important when working with yeast doughs.
In a bowl or on a countertop, combine the salt and flour. Using your fingers, create a well in the center of the mound, being sure that the well’s walls are equally thick and high. In a separate container, combine eggs and olive oil. Scramble eggs with a fork to incorporate oil.
Add 1/3 of egg/oil mixture to center of well. Using a swirling motion, pull flour from inner walls of well into eggs and mix until it forms a thick paste. If working on a countertop, be careful not to break through the walls of the well as egg will run out over the work surface. When center is no longer runny, add half of remaining egg mixture and stir to paste. Add remaining liquid and repeat. Continue to mix until fork is no longer effective and then turn dough out onto work surface.
Knead dough by flattening, folding it in half and pressing hard with the palm of your hand. Rotate 90’ and repeat over and over until dough is a consistent color (no patches of flour or egg mixture) and begins to feel springy. Pasta dough should be visibly bumpy but soft and smooth to the touch. To test, press a finger into dough. The depression made by your finger should spring back almost entirely. Flatten dough into a disk 1 ½ inches thick, wrap with saran and place in cooler to rest for 20-30 minutes or until finger divot does not bounce back. This means that the gluten that was excited in the kneading process has relaxed and the dough is ready to be rolled and cut.
Chicken ala vodka with fresh pasta
Yield 2:
1/2 pasta dough recipe, rolled out and cut into desired sized strips
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/3 cup vodka
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
2-4 basil leafs, chiffanoned
1 cup chicken, strips or cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet over medium heat add oil and chicken. Cook chicken until golden brown, remove from pan and set aside. Add onions to the pan and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add vodka and allow to reduce down until almost dry. Add crushed tomatoes and heavy cream. Bring up to a simmer then add butter and basil. Cook for 5 minutes then add chicken, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Boil pasta until it floats then remove and place directly into sauce.
cheese ravioli
Yield: 2
¼ cup mozzarella
¼ cup parmesan
½ cup ricotta
1 teaspoon garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Pasta dough recipe
In a small bowl combine all ingredients, season with salt and pepper.
Place a small amount of filling in the center of the pasta, place another piece of pasta on top of filling and crimp edges together.
Cook in boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes
Pumpkin Ravioli in brown butter sauce
yield: 2
1 pasta recipe, prepped and roll out
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup mozzarella
¼ cup grated parmesan
¼ cup marscapone
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Sheet pasta
6 tablespoons of butter
4 leaves of sage or ½ tablespoon dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil
In a small bowl combine pumpin, cheeses and spices then mix until smooth.
Lay pasta sheets out and place ½-1 tablespoon mixture in center of pasta dough 1 inch apart from each other. Using your finger brush water along the edges of pasta rough and around each dollop of filling. Fold pasta over onto itself widthwise and Crimp edges together. cut with a crinkled pasta roller cutter and pinch the edges together on each side. Add to boiling water and cook until they float, then allow to cook for 1-2 minutes.
In the meantime using a large skillet over medium heat, add butter and cook until it turns a light golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Add sage turn off heat and swirl sage around.
Add cooked ravioli and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a warm serving dish, sprinkle some parmesan over top and serve.
Easy Baked Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
½ lb shrimp peeled, deveined
1 ½ cloves garlic minced
½ lemon juiced
⅛ cup white wine
⅛ cup panko breadcrumbs-toasted
1 tablespoons butter softened at room temp (not melted)
kosher salt + pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F.
Lay the shrimp flat in a small baking dish.
Add olive oil, season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
Pour the lemon juice and white wine on top.
Sprinkle the garlic on top.
In a separate bowl, combine the butter and breadcrumbs to form a paste-like mixture (like wet sand).
Sprinkle the mixture evenly on top of the shrimp.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Panna Cotta with Berry Sauce
Ingredients
Ingredients for Panna Cotta:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin, (1 packet Knox gelatin)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
Ingredients for Berry Sauce:
- 2 cups berries, divided (I used 1 cup raspberries and 1 cup quartered or halved strawberries)
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
How to Make Panna Cotta:
- Off the heat, place 1 cup milk in a medium sauce pan and sprinkle the top with 1 packet gelatin. Let stand 3-5 min or until gelatin is softened. Place pan over medium/low heat and stir until gelatin dissolves and mixture is steaming, about 4-5 min (do not boil).
- Add 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt. Continue stirring about 5 min until sugar is fully dissolved and mixture is steaming (do not boil). Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.
- Place sour cream in a medium bowl with a pouring lip. Whisking constantly, gradually add warm cream. Once the mixture is completely smooth, divide it into 6 wine glasses or 8 ramekins. Refrigerate until fully set; 4 to 6 hours.
How to Make Berry Sauce:
- In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup berries, 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice and 3 Tbsp sugar. Bring to a low boil and cook 4-5 min or until syrupy.
- Stir in remaining 1 cup of fresh berries and remove from heat. When syrup is at room temp or just barely warm, spoon it over the top of chilled panna cottas.
