Homemade Pasta
Eggs, salt, olive oil mixed in durum wheat flour is known as homemade pasta dough for homemade pasta dishes, dried in different shapes and made at home called homemade pasta dishes. Pasta has existed in one form or another since the time of the Roman Empire and remains one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen. Any homemade pasta dishes can be combined with almost anything from meat to fish, vegetables to fruit and is even delicious served with simple herb sauce.
No store cupboard should be without a supply of dried pasta to cook homemade pasta dishes, which, combined with a few other stock ingredients, can be turned into a mouth-watering and nutritious meal within minutes. Most homemade pasta dishes are made from durum wheat flour and contains protein and carbohydrates. It is a good source of slow-release energy and has the additional advantage of being value for money. To make home made pasta dishes you can mix the dough by hand or prepare it in a food processor or in dough maker, then process it or shape it through pasta machine or pasta maker. Pasta maker is little expensive but it’s a one time buy, stain less steel heavy body will take very long to be lost.
Homemade Pasta Dishes
There is an enormous range of different types of homemade pasta dishes, some of which are listed below. Many are available in both types, dried and fresh to make homemade pasta dishes. Unless you have access to a good Italian delicatessen, this type of pasta is probably not worth buying fresh unfilled, but even supermarkets sell high-quality tortellini, capelletti, ravioli and agnolotti pastas.
Best type of pasta is, to make fresh pasta at home to make homemade pasta dishes. It takes a little time, but is quite easy and well worth the effort.
Homemade pasta dishes may be colored and flavored with extra ingredients that are usually added with the beaten egg:
Black: add 1tsp squid or cuttlefish ink.
Green: add 115g well-drained, cooked spinach when kneading.
Purple: work 1 large, cooked beetroot (beet) in a food processor and add with
an extra 60g/ ½ cup flour.
Red: add 2tbsp tomato puree (paste).
Always use a large saucepan for cooking homemade pasta dishes and bring lightly salted water to the boil. Add your homemade pasta to make your homemade pasta dishes and 1tbsp olive oil, but do not cover or the water boil over. Quickly bring the water back to a rolling boil and avoid overcooking. When the pasta is tender, but still firm to the bite, drain and toss with butter, olive oil or your home made prepared sauce and serve as soon as possible.
Soups & Light Meals
Part one:
Pasta is so versatile: it can be used to make soups more substantial, as a delicious and unusual starter or as a quick and easy lunch or light supper. The recipes in coming posts range from different types of homemade pasta dishes and traditional Italian dishes, such homemade pasta dishes are, Minestrone soup and Spaghetti alla Carbonara, to intriguing new ways with pasta, such as Pancetta and Pecorino Cakes with Farfalle and Omelette. Soup recipes include filling winter homemade pasta dishes that, if served with some crusty bread, make a meal in themselves. Try Haricot Bean and Pasta Soup in your homemade pasta dishes, for example. Other, like Cream of Lemon and Chicken Soup, are subtle and delicate. Recipes for snacks and light meals offer something for every taste- vegetable, cheese, meat and fish sauces combined with every type of home made pasta dishes or shapes from linguine to lumache. Try Smoked Ham Linguine if you are in a hurry or Creamed Veal Kidney with Penne if you want something a little different. Here are some selected homemade pasta dishes and pasta soup dishes for your taste, enjoy them.
Minestrone
Italian cooks have created some very heart-warming soups with homemade pasta dishes and this is the most famous of all. Serves 8-10
Ingredients
3 garlic cloves
3 large onions
2 celery sticks
2 large carrots
2 large potatoes
100g French (green) beans
100g courgettes (zucchini)
60g/ 4tbsp butter
50ml/ 1/4cup olive oil
60g salami
1.5 liters/ 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 bunch fresh basil, finely chopped
100g chopped tomatoes
2tbsp tomatos puree (paste)
100g Parmesan cheese rind 85g dried spaghetti, broken up
salt and pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve
Method
Finely chop the garlic, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, beans and courgettes (zucchini).
Heat the butter and oil together in a large saucepan, add the salami and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry fro 2 minutes, then stir in the celery, carrots and potatoes and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the beans to the pan and fry for 2 minutes.
Stir in the courgettes ( zucchini) and fry for a further 2 minutes. Cover the pan and cook all the vegetable, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes.
Add the stock, basil, tomatoes, tomato puree (paste) and cheese rind and season to taste. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Remove and discard the cheese rind.
Add the spaghetti too in your homemade pasta dishes than add in the pan and cook for 20 minutes. Serve in large, warm soup bowls sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Tip
There are almost as many recipes of minestrone for homemade pasta dishes as there are cooks in Italy! You can add almost any vegetables you like, including soaked dried beans.
Potato and Parsley Soup with Pesto
This homemade pasta dish is a treat to the taste buds and very different in flavor from the jars of pesto available from supermarkets.
Ingredients
3 slice rind less, smoked, chicken
25g/ 2tbsp butter
450g onions
600ml/ 21/2cups chicken stock
600ml/21/2cups milk
100g/ 3/4cup dried conchigliette
150ml/5/8cup double (heavy) cream
Chopped fresh parsley
Salt and black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garlic bread, to serve
For pesto sauce:
60g/ 1cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, crushed
60g/ 2/3cup pine nuts (kernels), crushed
2tbps chopped fresh basil leaves
60g/ 2/3cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
White pepper
150ml/ 5/8cup olive oil
Method
To make the pesto sauce for your homemade pasta dishes, put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process for 2 minutes, or blend together by hand.
Finley chop the chicken, potatoes and onions. Fry the chicken in a large pan over a medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the butter, potatoes and onions and cook for 12 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the stock and milk to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the conchigliette and simmer for a further 12 to 14 minutes.
Blend in the cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the parsley and 2 tbsp pesto sauce. Transfer the soup to serving bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese and fresh garlic bread.
Tip
If you are making pesto sauce for any of this type of homemade pasta dishes by hand, it is best to use a mortar and pestle. Thoroughly grind together the parsley, garlic, pine nuts (kernel) and basil to make a paste, and then mix in the cheese and pepper. Finally, gradually beat in the oil.
Ravioli alla Parmigiana
This dish is the traditional ‘Minestra’ in homemade pasta dishes served at Easter and Christmas in the province of Parma.
Ingredients
285g basic pasta dough
1.2 liters/ 5cups veal stock freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
Filling:
100g/ 1cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
100g/ 12/3cup fine white breadcrumbs
2 eggs
125ml/ 1/2cup espagnole sauce
1 small onion, finely chopped
1tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Method
Make the basic pasta dough for your homemade pasta dishes. Carefully roll out 2 sheets of the pasta dough and cover with a damp tea towel (dish cloth) while you make the filling for the ravioli.
To kake the filling, mix together the freshly grated parmesan cheese, fine white breadcrumbs, eggs, espagnole sauce, finely chopped onion and the freshly grated nutmeg in a large mixing bowl.
In these homemade pasta dishes, place spoonfuls of the filling at regular intervals on 1 sheet of pasta dough. Cover with the second sheet of pasta dough, then cut into squares and seal the edges.
Bring the veal stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the ravioli to the pan and cook for about 15 minutes.
Transfer the soup and ravioli as you do for your homemade pasta dishes, to warm serving bowls or dish and serve at once, generously sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Tip
To make espagnole sauce for your homemade pasta dishes, melt 2tbps butter and stir in 25g/ 1/4 cup plain flour. Cook over a low heat, stirring, until lightly colored. Add 1tsp tomato puree (paste), then stir in 250ml/11/8cups hot veal stock, 1tbsp Madeira and 11/2tsp whit wine vinegar. Dice 25g each chicken, carrot and onion and 15g each celery, leek and fennel. Fry with a thyme spring and a bay leaf in oil until soft. Drain, add to the sauce and simmer for 4 hours. Strain before using. This dish is a must.
Pea and Egg Noodle Soup with Parmesan Cheese Croutons
This is a delicious of all homemade pasta dishes and filling on cold winter evenings, serves 4.
Ingredients
3 slices smoked, rind less chicken
1 large onion, chopped
15g/ 1tbsp butter
450g/ 21/2cups dried peas, soaked in cold water for 2 hours and drained
2.3litres/ 10cups chicken stock
225g dried egg noodles
150ml/ 5/8cup double (heavy) cream
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Parmesan cheese croutons
Method
Put the chicken, onion and butter into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat for about 6 minutes.
Add the peas and the chicken stock to the pan and bring to the boil. Season lightly with salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 11/2 hours.
Add the egg noodles to the pan and simmer for a further 15 minutes.
Pour in the cream and blend thoroughly. Transfer to a warm tureen, garnish with parsley and top with Parmesan cheese croutons. Serve immediately.
You can use substitutes for homemade pasta dishes as the peas, like, dried haricot (navy) beans, borlotti or pinto beans, as I said this is the thing which make cooking so fun, keep doing experiments with the recipe.
Tip
This is again a very deliciou of all homemade pasta dishes, for this you have to make Parmesan cheese croutons, cut a French stick into slices. Coat each slice lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with cheese. Grill (broil) for about 30 seconds.
No comments:
Post a Comment