Showing posts with label Pasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pasta. Show all posts

Pasta With Meatball



Admittedly, pasta is one of the most typical food and appreciated the Mediterranean diet as named in our country and although it never achieved the popularity and development that had and has in Italy, today is an ingredient that lack in our kitchens, in all its forms and elaborations, whether noodles, espaghettis, fettuccine, tagliatelle, macaroni, tortellini, etc. ..

The origin of pasta is a very controversial subject, the more likely the situation in China, where he arrived in Italy in the thirteenth century by the famous travels of Marco Polo by Asian routes, but it has been shown that both India and even in other Middle Eastern countries, and also elaborated a kind of pasta called "sebica" whose meaning comes to be "stranded". Word that comes to have a common denominator with the word "spaghetti", short for the Italian word "spago" meaning "string."

I read that the paste is believed to have been introduced in Italy before birth even Marco Polo, in the eleventh century and which also reached Spain as there are documents attesting that their consumption had a big swing at that time primarily in the area Levante and Andalucia. The oldest name used in Spain to designate the pasta, was "noodles" and first appears in an Arabic manuscript of the thirteenth century.

They were the noodles, sold rolled and had to split them first pasta consumed in the kitchen of my grandmother and my mother then, over the years were the espaghettis and macaroni those who came to our pantries, to today we can find all kinds of pasta in the nearest supermarkets.

On this occasion I have prepared some spaghetti with meatballs inspired (I have not followed faithfully in his footsteps, not exact ingredients) in a recipe for a great cook who had the good fortune to meet, a master of gastronomy who follow and admire : MARTIN BERASATEGUI .

How do I do?
The noodles use egg Gallo brand. 

Ingredients for meatballs:
A quarter kilo of ground beef, 50 grams of chopped smoked bacon (I bought it in pieces and pique in my meat grinder), a tablespoon of ketchup sauce, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce (you can find in any supermarket), an small piece of grated Manchego cheese, one egg, two pieces of bread soaked in milk, flour and fresh basil leaves (alternatively be used dry, although the taste is not the same).

Ingredients for the sauce:  
A small red onion, medium yellow pepper, two cloves of garlic, two carrots, three or four grated ripe tomatoes, olive oil (preferably Malaga, currently using Riogordo), a spoonful of sugar, salt, two bay leaves five or six black peppercorns, half small glass of red wine.

The steps to make meatballs:
In a bowl mix the ground beef, bacon, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, egg, cheese, bread soaked in milk, finely chopped basil and salt to taste, kneading all the ingredients, then form balls of desired size and then dust with flour.

Heat oil in a pan and fry until golden brown. EscurriƩndolas well and reserving them out.

While preparing the sauce:
In a saucepan, cover the bottom with oil, add the chopped onion, garlic, carrot and bell pepper also cut into small pieces, salt and fry over low heat for about ten minutes, add the tomatoes, sugar and wine then letting him do ten minutes. Season with salt.

Pass the sauce through the blender and add the bay leaf and black pepper. 
Pour the meatballs in the sauce, stir and cook for a few minutes. Remove and reserve hot.

Cocer pasta according to manufacturer's instructions chorreoncito water with oil and salt to taste. Drain well.

Generally you should mix the pasta with the sauce and meatballs, I personally like emplatarla next door and every guest the mix.

At emplatar sprinkle the dish with chopped fresh black pepper ... if you like, of course. 

Homemade Pasta Dough


Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe

Ingredients
  • 1 2/3 cups Italian “00” flour, (or half Italian “00” flour and half Farina di Semola)
  • 2 medium or large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • A pinch of sea salt


Directions

Make the basic pasta dough

1. Sift the flour onto a clean work surface and make a well in the center with your fist.

2. Break the eggs into the well and add the oil and a pinch of salt to the well.

3. Gradually mix the egg mixture into the flour using the fingers of one hand, bringing the ingredients together into a firm dough. If the dough feels too dry, add a few drops of water; if it’s too wet, add a little more flour. (You will soon grow accustomed to how the dough should feel after you’ve made it a few times.)

4. Knead the pasta until smooth, 2 to 5 minutes. Lightly massage it with a hint of olive oil, pop the dough into a plastic food bag, and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. The pasta will be much more elastic after resting.

Pass the dough through the pasta machine
5. Start to feed the blob of pasta dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine. As the sheet of dough comes out of the machine, fold it into thirds and then feed it through the rollers again, still on the widest setting. Pass the dough through this setting a total of 4 or 5 times. This effectively kneads the dough, ensuring the resulting pasta is silky smooth.

6. Pass the pasta through the machine again, starting at the widest setting and gradually reducing the settings, one pass at a time, until the pasta achieves the required thickness. The pasta sheet will become very long—if you are having trouble keeping the dough from folding onto itself or are making ravioli, cut the sheet of dough in half and feed each half through separately. Generally the second-from-last setting is best for tagliatelle and the last setting is best for ravioli and any other shapes that are to be filled.

7. After the pasta has reached the requisite thickness, hang it over a broom handle or the back of a chair to dry a little—this will make cutting it easier in humid weather, as it will not be so sticky. Or, if you’re in a hurry, you can dust the pasta with a little flour and place it on clean kitchen towels and let it rest for just a short spell.

8. Shape the pasta by hand (see instructions below) or pass the pasta through the chosen cutters (tagliolini, tagliatelle, etc.) and then drape the cut pasta over the broom handle or chair back again to dry just a little, until ready to cook. You can, of course, again toss the cut pasta lightly in flour (preferably semolina flour) and lay out in loose bundles on a tray lined with a clean kitchen towel. Use as soon as possible before it sticks together.

Cook the pasta
Note: Cooking times for fresh and dried pasta vary according to the size and quality of the pasta. The only way to check is to taste it. However, the basic method of cooking remains the same.

9. Throw the pasta into a large saucepan of boiling, salted water. You will need about 4 quarts water and 3 tablespoons of salt for every 13 to 18 ounces of fresh or dried pasta. It is the large volume of water that will prevent the pasta from sticking together.

10. Stir the pasta only once or twice—if you have enough water in the pan and you stir the pasta as it goes in, it shouldn’t stick.

11. DO NOT COVER the pot or the water will boil over. Quickly bring the pasta back to a rolling boil, stir, and boil until al dente, or firm to the bite, about 2 minutes. The pasta should not have a hard center or be soggy and floppy. If following a specified cooking time, calculate it from the moment the pasta starts to boil again and have a colander ready for draining.

12. Drain the pasta, holding back 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan (the dissolved starch in the water helps the sauce cling to the pasta). Dress the pasta straight away with the sauce directly in the pan. (The Italian way is ALWAYS to toss the cooked, hot pasta with the sauce before serving.) Serve the hot pasta immediately with your favorite sauce. Even a copious drizzle of olive oil or melted butter—cooked just to the point of taking on a slightly nutty, toasty brown tinge—and a smattering of fresh herbs constitutes a sauce when the pasta is as tender and tasty as this.

Shape the pasta dough by hand
Tagliatelle
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll or fold one side of the sheet of dough loosely towards the center of the sheet, then repeat with the other side so that they almost meet in the middle. Gently fold one side on top of the other, but do not press down on the fold.

2. Cut the dough into thin slices with a sharp knife, slicing through the folded dough quickly and deftly in a single motion.

3. Immediately unravel the slices to reveal the pasta ribbons. You can do this by inserting the dull side of a large knife into each slice and gently shaking it loose. (If you wait, they will stick together. Trust us.) Hang the pasta to dry a little before cooking or dust it well with semolina flour and arrange in loose nests on a tray lined with a clean kitchen towel.

Pappardelle
On a lightly floured surface, cut the dough into wide ribbons using a fluted pastry cutter. Hang up to dry slightly before cooking.

Tortellini
On a lightly floured surface, stamp out rounds of pasta using a round cookie cutter. Pipe or spoon your favorite filling into the middle of each round. Brush the edges with beaten egg and carefully fold the round into a crescent shape, pressing the dough around the filling to expel any air.

2. Bend the two corners of the crescent around to meet each other in the center and press well to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let dry on a floured kitchen towel for about 30 minutes before cooking.

Ravioli
1. If your dough is still in a single sheet, cut it into two equal portions. Cover one portion with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap while you work with the rest of the dough. Spoon small mounds (1 teaspoon approximately) of filling on the dough in even rows, spacing them at 1 1/2-inch intervals. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the spaces of dough between the mounds with beaten egg. Using a rolling pin, carefully drape the reserved sheet of dough on top of the mounds, pressing down firmly between the pockets of filling to push out any trapped air. Use a serrated ravioli or pastry cutter or a sharp knife to cut the ravioli into squares. Transfer to a floured kitchen towel to rest for 1 hour before cooking.

Color the pasta
Spinach
Follow the Basic Pasta Dough recipe. Sift the flour onto a clean work surface. Next, puree 3/4 cup frozen cooked leaf spinach (squeezed to remove as much moisture as possible) in a food processor. Add it to the well in the flour. Continue as per the Basic Pasta Dough method.

Tomato
Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste or sun-dried tomato paste to the well in the flour. Use 1 large egg instead of 2 medium ones. Continue as per the Basic Pasta Dough recipe.

Beet 
Roast 1 red beet until softened, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Peel and grate or puree in a food processor. Add 2 tablespoons grated cooked beet to the well in the flour. Use 1 large egg instead of 2 medium ones. Continue as per the Basic Pasta Dough recipe.

Saffron
Soak 1 sachet of powdered saffron in 2 tablespoons hot water for 15 minutes. Strain the water, discarding the solids. Use 1 large egg instead of 2 medium ones and whisk with the vibrant saffron water before adding to the well in the flour. Continue as per the Basic Pasta Dough recipe.

Herb
Add at least 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh green herbs to the well in the flour.

Black squid ink pasta
Add 1 sachet squid ink to the eggs and whisk to combine before adding to the flour. A little extra flour may be needed.


Pasta Dough Recipes,Pasta

Pasta Dough Recipes

Pasta Dough Recipes

Semolina Pasta dough recipe

Semolina gives pasta a leathery consistency. Its coarseness makes the dough tough. Therefore mixing it with a little flour makes the dough soft and manageable.

The ingredients of the pasta dough include:
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1tsp olive oil
  • 1.5 cups of all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup semolina


The preparation begins by adding nicely beaten eggs, salt and oil to the semolina and flour mixture. Once the ingredients are mixed well it is time to knead the dough. Water can be added in the kneading stage to prevent it from sticking. Kneading forms a very important part of the dough making process. It makes the dough tender. The process of kneading uses the heel of the palm and knuckles.  After kneading, the dough is covered and rested for an hour. The dough is then passed through the pasta maker machine.

All purpose flour pasta dough recipe

Simpler than the semolina pasta dough recipes, this recipe makes the dough tender and manageable. However it is more likely to tear apart when put through the pasta maker machine. It is therefore advised to roll the dough into thick sheets before passing it through the machine.

This recipe is often used to make trophie pastas since the dough is tender enough to be rolled into small pasta units. The recipe is as follows:
  • 1 3/4th cups of all purpose flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1tsp olive oil
  • I tsp salt


The preparation begins by adding eggs, olive oil and salt to the flour. The ingredients should be mixed well. This is followed by diligent kneading. Water can be added at this stage to prevent it from sticking. After setting aside the dough for an hour it is then passed through the pasta maker machine.

All semolina flour pasta dough recipes

This is the richest and the best tasting homemade pasta recipe. It has a distinct coarse texture making it rich and flavoursome. The difficulty in kneading this dough is offset by its distinct taste and flavour.

The recipe is as follows:
  • 1.5 cups semolina flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1tsp olive oil
  • 1tsp salt


The preparation begins by adding eggs, salt and olive oil to the semolina flour. A little water is kept handy to knead the dough. The dough should be kneaded well. After kneading the dough is rested for an hour before passing it through the pasta maker machine.


Pasta Dough Recipes,Pasta

Homemade Pasta Dough - Noodles


Homemade Pasta Dough - Noodles
  • 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 c. water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp. olive or salad oil
  • 1 tsp. salt

  1. In large bowl with wooden spoon, stir 2 1/4 cups flour with remaining ingredients to make a stiff dough. On well floured surface knead dough until smooth and not sticky, about 20 minutes. Wrap dough with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes for easier rolling. Makes 1 pound noodles.


Pasta Dough Recipes,Pasta

Pasta Chicken

  • 4 chicken breast - diced up into bite size pieces
  • 1 bunch of broccoli (or 10 oz frozen chopped) - diced up into bite sized pieces
  • 5 to 10 garlic cloves - minced or pressedbasil & oregno - to taste (aprox. 1/2 tps each)
  • 1/2 & 1/2 - 1 med carton
  • 4 large ripe tomatoes1 10oz pack of small shell pastaolive oilgrated parmesan cheese - to taste

  1. Start water boiling for pasta and add pasta when boiling, cook untildone and then drain.
  2. Cook broccoli (I steam fresh - or follow frozen package directions)
  3. Brown chicken pieces in olive oil, add tomatoes and garlic, simmer forapprox 3 minutes, add basil and oregeno, simmer again for 2 to 3 minutes.Add 1/2 & 1/2 simmer again for 3 to 7 minutes, add pasta and parmesancheese, stir well and serve.

Its great served with french or garlic bread and a salad.
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Bow-Tie Pasta Salad

Ingredients
  • 1 (16 ounce) package bow-tie pasta (farfalle)
  • 1 (12 ounce) bag broccoli florets
  • 1 (10 ounce) basket cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip®)
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the bow-tie pasta at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain.
  2. Quickly rinse the cooked pasta in cold water to stop it from continuing to cook; drain.
  3. Mix the cooled pasta, broccoli, tomatoes, sliced green onions, celery, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper in a large bowl.
  4. Gently stir the salad dressing, Parmesan cheese, sugar, basil, and salt in a bowl until evenly mixed.
  5. Pour the salad dressing mixture over the pasta mixture; gently toss to coat evenly.
  6. Refrigerate 3 hours to overnight before serving.

Chillin’ Out Pasta Salad

  • 21/2 C (8 oz) medium shell pasta
  • 1 C (8 oz) plain nonfat yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
  • 2 Tbsp salt free herb seasoning
  • 11/2 C celery, chopped
  • 1 C green onion, sliced
  • 1 lb small shrimp, cooked
  • 3 C (about 3 large) tomatoes, coarsely chopped


  1. Cook pasta according to directions—but do not add salt to water.Drain and cool.
  2. In large bowl, stir together yogurt, mustard, and herb seasoning.
  3. Add pasta, celery, and green onion, and mix well. Chill for at least 2 hours.
  4. Just before serving, carefully stir in shrimp and tomatoes.


Each serving yields:
  • Calories: 140
  • Total fat: 1 g
  • Saturated fat: less than 1 g
  • Cholesterol: 60 mg
  • Sodium: 135 mg
  • Total fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 14 g
  • Carbohydrates: 19 g
  • Potassium: 295 mg