Asta La Pasta, Baby

Fresh Hand-Made Pasta Dough

Homemade Fettuccine with Alfredo

Garlicky Herb Shrimp Ravioli

Dirty Martini Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

Flour-less Chocolate

strawberry sorbet

Fresh Pasta Dough

yeild: 2 servings

1 ¼ cups (6.25oz) 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.

Four cheese Alfredo

  yeild: 2

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon butter

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ cup parmesan

½ cup mozzarella

¼ cup swiss

¼ cup brie

Salt and pepper to taste

In a sauce pan add butter and garlic and cook until you smell garlic. Then add heavy cream and all cheeses. Mix until fully melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Garlicly shrimp herb ravioli

  yeild: 2

1/2 cup shrimp ( 4 oz chopped fine)

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons mixed herbs (parsley, chives, basil)

¼ cup ricotta

¼ cup parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine both cheese,herbs,  garlic and shrimp. Mix and season with salt and pepper. Take sheet of pasta and visually divide in ½, on the bottom of the half place about tablespoon of filling spaced out about 1 inch. Dip your finger in bowl with water and wet the bottom edge of the pasta sheet and the space in-between each dollop of filling. Then fold the top ½ of the sheet over to meet the bottom.  Try to push any air out as you seal the raviolis.  Cut between each with a pasta cutter and place them on parchment.

Cook in boiling water until floating then an additional 3-5 minutes to ensure shrimp is cooked. strain and place in pan with dirty martini sauce

DIRTY MARTINI SHRIMP COCKTAIL

FOR THE SHRIMP

1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on)

3 cups water

1/4 cup dry vermouth

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 bay leaves

FOR THE DIRTY MARTINI COCKTAIL SAUCE

¼ cup ketchup

¼ cup tomato puree

1 Tablespoon grated ginger (adjust to taste)

2 Tablespoons olive brine (from a jar of green olives)

1 Tablespoon gin

1 Tablespoon dry vermouth

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon hot sauce (optional, to taste)

lemon wedges and green olives, for serving

DIRECTIONS

COOK THE SHRIMP

In a medium pot, combine the water, vermouth, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, and lemon slices. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Once simmering, add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes. You want the water at a low simmer, not a boil, to keep the shrimp from getting rubbery.

Immediately transfer the shrimp to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Let them chill for a few minutes, then drain and pat them dry.

MAKE THE DIRTY MARTINI COCKTAIL SAUCE

In a small bowl combine the ketchup, tomato puree, grated ginger, olive brine, gin, vermouth, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce and stir until well combined.

ASSEMBLE THE SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Arrange the shrimp on a platter or in individual cocktail glasses.

Spoon the dirty martini cocktail sauce into a dipping bowl or add it directly to the glasses.

Garnish with green olives on toothpicks and serve with lemon wedges on the side

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This is the BEST Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe. It is easy to make, gluten-free, and oh so decadent! It is the perfect dessert for any occasion.

SERVINGS 8-10

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs lightly beaten

1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder

For the chocolate ganache:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan. Place it in the bottom of the pan and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. To make the cake, put the chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the butter is melted, and the chips are soft, about one minute. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. If you need to reheat, do for 10 seconds at a time and stir.
3. Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
4. Add the eggs and stir until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and stir until just combined. Don’t over mix.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake for 25 minutes or until the cake has a thin crust on the top and the center registers 200°F on an instant-read thermometer.
6. Let the cake cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan with a butter knife and carefully turn it upside down onto a cake plate or serving plate. The bottom of the cake will now be the top of the cake. Let the cake cool completely.
7. While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate ganache. Combine the chocolate and cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the cream is very hot so it will melt the chocolate. I always start with 30 seconds and check it. It might take longer; it just depends on your microwave. Remove from the microwave and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.
8. Spread the chocolate ganache glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Let the glaze set up for a few hours before cutting and serving the cake. I always put it in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
9. Cut the cake into slices and serve with powdered sugar and raspberries, if desired. This cake is also great with whipped cream or ice cream.

Strawberry Sorbet

• 1 whole lemon, seeded and roughly chopped
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 pounds strawberries, hulled
•  Juice of 1 to 2 lemons

PREPARATION

1. Place the chopped lemon and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Purée the strawberries in a food processor, and add to the lemon mixture, along with the juice of 1 lemon. Taste and add more juice as desired. The lemon flavor should be intense but should not overpower the strawberries. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn until frozen.

Making sushi rolls at home can be a fun and rewarding experience! Here’s a basic guide to help you get started:

1. Prepare Sushi Rice:
   • Rinse 1 cup of sushi rice (short-grain rice) under cold water until the water runs clear.
   • Cook the rice with 1.25 cups of water in a rice cooker or on the stovetop.
   • Once cooked, season the rice with a mixture of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.
2. Assemble Your Ingredients:
   • Gather nori (seaweed sheets), sushi rice, and fillings like cucumber, avocado, and fresh sushi-grade fish like tuna or salmon.
   • You may also want some toasted sesame seeds for uramaki-style rolls (rice on the outside).
3. Rolling the Sushi:
   • Place a sheet of nori on a bamboo rolling mat covered with plastic wrap.
   • Spread a thin layer of sushi rice over the nori, leaving space at the top edge.
   • Arrange your chosen fillings in a line across the center of the rice.
   • Lift the bottom edge of the mat and roll it over the fillings, tucking the edge of the nori to start the roll.
   • Continue rolling, applying gentle pressure to shape the sushi into a cylinder.
   • Once rolled, seal the edge of the nori with a little water.
4. Cutting the Sushi Roll:
   • Use a sharp, wet knife to cut the roll into bite-sized pieces.
   • Clean the knife with a wet cloth after each cut to prevent sticking.
5. Serving:
   • Serve your sushi rolls with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi.

Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t worry if your first few rolls aren’t perfect. Enjoy the process and your homemade sushi!

Sushi comes in various forms, each with its unique preparation and presentation. Here are some of the main types:

• Nigiri: A slice of raw fish or seafood served on top of a small bed of sushi rice.
• Sashimi: Thinly sliced raw fish or seafood served without rice.
• Maki: Sushi rice and fillings rolled up in nori (seaweed), then sliced into pieces.
• Uramaki: Similar to maki, but with rice on the outside and nori on the inside.
• Temaki: Sushi rice and fillings hand-rolled into a cone-shaped piece of nori.
• Chirashizushi: A bowl of sushi rice topped with a variety of sashimi and garnishes.
• Inarizushi: Sushi rice stuffed into a small pouch of fried tofu.
• Oshizushi: Pressed sushi, where the fish is pressed onto the sushi rice in a wooden mold.

MINADO’S PERFECT SUSHI RICE

INGREDIENTS

• 2cups sushi rice
• 2cups water
• 4tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3tablespoons sugar
• 2teaspoons salt
• 2tablespoons mirin
• kelp, leaf (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Ignore the directions on the bag that the rice came from and rinse the rice only 3-5 times. The water does NOT have to run clear.

Place rice to drain in a strainer.

Drain for one hour in the winter, 30 min in the summer. (Sounds strange but is true).

While rice is draining, combine vinegar, sugar, salt and mirin together in a bowl and mix well.

If using a kelp leaf, it should be about 2 in long

Wipe it lightly, cut small slits to make it look like a comb and add it to a pot along with the water.

Add rice to the pot.

Bring quickly to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Cover the pot and DON’T touch it until the end, NO PEEKING.

Cook for 15 minutes before removing the pot from the heat but keep the lid CLOSED.

Let rice rest for 10 min and then remove the cover.

Place in a glass dish to cool and lightly fan the rice while adding the vinegar mixture.

Mix rice gently, careful not to break it.

Sushi rice is best used at body temperature.

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Sushi Rice

yeild: 4-6 rolls                                                                              

Rice

2 cups sushi rice

2 ½ cups water

1 2X2 inch piece Kombu (dried kelp)

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

  Cook rice according to rice package, cook along with kelp, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil

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Spicy Tuna Roll

In America, more is always better, This typical thinking will not work when making sushi (or ravioli). If you try to stuff too many

yeild: 1 roll

1 oz sashimi grade tuna, diced in ¼ inch cubes or ground, depending on preference

1 tablespoon sliced green onion

¼ cup cooked, seasoned and cooled sushi rice

Pinch cayenne pepper

Siracha sauce (optional)

Pinch sea salt

1 nori roasted seaweed wrap

1 qt room temperature water seasoned with ½ cup rice vinegar (hand water)

Water and small pastry brush for moistening edges

Bamboo sushi mat wrapped in plastic

  In a small mixing bowl combine tuna, Siracha if desired, cayenne and salt. Mix well if ground or fold to coat id using diced tuna.Place nori wrap centered on wrapped bamboo mat (mat slats running side to side) but with bottom of seaweed meeting bottom of mat. Dip both hands in hand water, then with non-dominant hand, scoop 1 cup cooked rice and squeeze into a loose football shaped handful roughly the size of a tennis ball. In a fashion that resembles dealing cards, use the thumb of your dominant hand to spread rice into an even but very thin layer starting ½ inch from bottom of nori and 2 inches from the top, but extending out to the side edges. If rice begins to stick to your hands, dip them again, using them to evenly spread rice. The layer should be only a grain or two thick and of even thickness. Pick your stuffing. Remember that an overstuffed sushi roll will not close or look attractive, so just 1 or two strips or a small sprinkling of your chosen ingredients will suffice. Make a line of your stuffing across the rice from side to side 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the roll.  Once fillings are in place, use the water-dipped pastry brush to wet the top edge of the nori wrap. Lift the bottom edge of the bamboo mat curling it upward over the stuffing. Continue to roll, using your fingers to keep the stuffing in place as your mat and rice covered seaweed roll over it. Roll all of the way to the top until the moistened edge seals against the roll, gently squeezing the roll in the bamboo mat to firm it further.

  Place roll on a cutting board horizontally. Trim off the ends of roll if it is not tight and uniform. Cut the roll perfectly in half. Place one section above the other on the cutting board and split the two halves equally again.  Place 2 quarter rolls on cutting board one above the other and split equally again. Repeat with the other 2 quarters making 8 equal pieces in all. Lay all slices on their sides in a tight bunch. Transfer gently to a chilled plate and garnish with pickled ginger, wasabi and cilantro sprigs if desired.

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California Roll

yeild: 1 roll                                                                                   

1 oz Surimi seafood blend

2-4 strips English cucumber, julienned

1 oz avocado, diced in ¼ inch cubes

4 oz seasoned sushi rice

Hand water for dipping

  Lay plastic wrapped bamboo sushi mat on work surface with bamboo running side to side. Dip both hands in hand water, then with non-dominant hand, scoop 1 cup cooked rice and squeeze into a loose football shaped handful roughly the size of a tennis ball. In a fashion that resembles dealing cards, use the thumb of your dominant hand to spread rice into an even but very thin layer starting ½ inch from bottom of mat and 2 inches from the top, extending out 1 inch from the edges of mat. If rice begins to stick to your hands, dip them again, using them to evenly spread rice. The layer should be only a grain or two thick and of even thickness.

  Trim 2 inches from top of Nori, then place it over rice layer, pressing gently to seat firmly on rice. Rice should reach 2 inches farther up mat than the nori. Place cucumber strips, 1 oz surimi and 1 oz avocado in a horizontal row 2 inches from bottom of nori. Grasping bottom edge of bamboo mat, begin rolling rice and wrap upward over stuffing, using thumbs to move the mat and index fingers to hold stuffing in place. Once the wrap has covered the stuffing, use thumbs and fingers to continue to roll upward while squeezing gently and lifting bamboo away from rice .to form a tight roll.

  Dip hands again in hand water and gently rub the length of the roll to prevent sticking. Wrap bamboo mat around sushi and roll up and down to tighten while squeezing gently.

  Place roll on a cutting board horizontally. Trim off the ends of roll if it is not tight and uniform. Cut the roll perfectly in half. Place one section above the other on the cutting board and split the two halves equally again.  Place 2 quarter rolls on cutting board one above the other and split equally again. Repeat with the other 2 quarters making 8 equal pieces in all.

  Lay all slices on their sides in a tight bunch. Transfer gently to a chilled plate and garnish with pickled ginger, wasabi and cilantro sprigs if desired.

Homemade Philadelphia Roll

• 3-4oz raw sashimi-grade or lightly smoked salmon
• 1/2cup sushi rice
• 2TBSP seasoned rice vinegar
• 1sheet of nori seaweed
• 2oz cream cheese or to taste
• 1-2tsp toasted sesame seeds
• Sriracha chili sauce and/or soy sauce for dipping

Instructions

1. Thoroughly rinse 1/2 cup of sushi rice in cool water using a mesh strainer. Rinse until water runs clear then shake it a little to drain through the strainer.
2. In a medium saucepan, add rice and 2/3 cup cold water and heat to high. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook 20 for 20 minutes covered, then remove from heat (keeping lid on) and allow rice to steam an additional 10 minutes.
3. Transfer to a non-metallic bowl and fluff with a fork. Add 2 TBSP of seasoned rice vinegar and mix well. Allow to cool while you prep the rest of your sushi ingredients.
4. Roll/shape chilled cream cheese into ropes long enough to spread across your seaweed sheet horizontally. Set aside.
5. Slice salmon into strips. If adding optional cucumber or scallions (or add them both – they’re so tasty every which way!) prep those as well. I like to cut my cucumber into matchsticks and then use only the green parts of the scallions.
6. Next line a bamboo mat with plastic wrap and top with nori, rough side facing up.
7. Spread rice thinly on the seaweed sheet and turn it so that the rectangle is vertical/tall. For seaweed on the outside, place toppings directly on the rice. For rice on the outside with the filling inside, flip your sheet of nori so the rice is touchign the plastic wrapped mat and place filling directly on the nori.
8. In a horizontal row about an inch from the bottom, place sliced salmon, cream cheese, and optional veggies on top of your rice.
9. Grab the nori and the mat, and roll approx. 1/4 of the mat over the fillingand gently squeeze (so it sticks) to the rice below it and unfold the bamboo mat. Repeat the process until you’ve rolled the sheet of rice, seaweed, and veggies into a spiral. Give it one last squeeze to seal the deal. For a full photo tutorial of the process, click here.
10. Slice each roll into 6 bite-sized discs with a freshly sharpened chef’s knife. Sprinkle the cut side with sesame seeds and dive in with soy sauce and/or Sriracha chili sauce.

Siracha Mayo

8 servings

• 1 cup mayo
• 3 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce
• Juice from ½ a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• Salt to taste

Combine all in bowl and mix until uniform.

Lychee Lime Sorbet

Ingredients

1 can whole seedless Lychees 20 oz

2-4 Tbsp lime juice

¼ cup organic cane sugar

2-3 pinches of salt

1. Puree ingredients in food processor/ blender.
2. Run through Ice cream machine until frozen

 Matcha White Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

1 teaspoon matcha powder

1 cup heavy cream (divided)

4 ounces white chocolate (coarsely chopped)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Sift the matcha powder into the pan of a double boiler and whisk in 1 tablespoon of the heavy cream, whisking until no lumps remain. Whisk in 3 more tablespoons of heavy cream and add the white chocolate. Heat over medium low, stirring, until the chocolate has melted. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s cool to the touch.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining heavy cream and vanilla extract and beat until stiff peaks form. Combine half of the whipped cream with the melted white chocolate, and then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Spoon into 4 individual small bowls, cover, and let them set in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Serve with additional whipped cream, shaved white chocolate, or fresh berries.

GINGER ICE CREAM

Ingredients

• 2 cups (473 ml) whipping cream
• 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 inch knob of ginger grated
• ⅓ cup crystallized ginger cut into small pieces

Instructions

1. Pour the container of whipping cream into a small saucepan and grate the ginger into it. Let steep for 20 minutes.
2. Pour the cream through a sieve into the bowl of an stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
3. Whisk until you have soft peaks.
4. Add the condensed milk and vanilla extract.
5. Mix for for about a minute until fully incorporated.
6. Turn off mixer and with a spatula, fold in the crystallized ginger.
7. Pour into a freezer safe container and freeze overnight.