Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Fresh Egg Pasta

Pasta Fresca

2 cups flour (plus extra for sprinkling)
3 eggs

We mixed this together in the food processor (super easy), adding more flour until it is smooth and not sticky.

Combine the flour and eggs in the work bowl fitted with the metal blade. Pulse briefly a few times to combine the ingredients. Then process using long pulses only until the dough forms a ball around the blade, about 1 minute. Turn the dough out onto a pastry board and knead about 5 minutes.

NOTES: This recipe called for all-purpose flour, but several others called for semolina. We happened to have cake flour (very low gluten) and that worked very well. It was easy to roll out, because the dough didn't have that stretchy quality that bread dough has.

To cook, boil in salted water for about 2 minutes.
Serves 6
Recipe Source: William's Sonoma: Pasta

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Typical Sicilian's Penne Vodka

1 lb Penne
1 lb Cooked Shrimp(they serve them whole, but I prefer to chop them up or use salad shrimp)
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Whole Onion(small), minced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1/2 cup Vodka(or white wine for a different taste)
16 oz Tomato sauce
1 cup Cream
6oz Crab meat(1 can)
Fresh Spinach
Parsley


Boil the pasta until al dente. Saute onion and garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until translucent; add vodka, let evaporate; add tomato sauce and cream; turn heat to low and let simmer. Add parsley and salt to taste; stir in shrimp and crab; tear up a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach an stir in; toss with pasta and serve.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Granny's Sweet Potatoes

Potatoes
3lbs sweet Potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. heavy cream(or milk)
1 tsp cinnamon

Topping
1/3 c butter, melted
1/4 c flour
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c chopped nuts

Cook and mash the sweet potatoes(I microwaved them for 30 minutes); when cool enough to not cook the eggs, stir in the eggs, sugar, cream, and cinnamon; spoon into an oven-proof dish. Stir together the topping ingredients and spread over the potatoes. Bake at 350 until heated through and bubbly.


Fresh Corn Casserole

8 ears Of Corn (or 1 1/2 bags of frozen)
⅔ cups Heavy Cream
3 Tablespoons Butter (salted)
½ teaspoons Salt To Taste
Ground Pepper To Taste


Remove the corn from the husks. In a large, deep bowl, slice off the kernels of corn. With the dull side of the knife (or a regular dinner knife), press and scrape the cob all the way down to remove all the bits of kernel and creamy milk inside.

Add heavy cream, salt to taste, a generous amount of ground pepper and butter; mix well. Pour mixture into a baking dish. Bake at 350º for 30 to 45 minutes or until thoroughly warmed through(or whatever temperature anything else is cooking at).

Risotto of the Gods

2 tbsp. Butter
2 tsp. Garlic powder(or use fresh)
3 slices of Prosciutto, diced
1/2 lb. Arborio rice
1/2 c. White wine(Riesling or Gewürztraminer)

2-3 cans Chicken Broth
1/2 c. Heavy Cream
1 c. Parmesan cheese

Brown butter and garlic powder in a large skillet over medium heat; add prosciutto and rice, toss to coat; add wine and stir. Slowly add chicken broth to cover and simmer, stirring until most of the broth has been absorbed; repeat until all of the broth has been used or the rice is just tender, whichever comes first. Add the cream and continue cooking until just thickened, stir in cheese. The end result should be thick and creamy. Drink the remainder of the wine with dinner.