Last Friday the topic of the day was pasta. It’s a great topic, one that everyone can participate in and like Pizza really get their hands in some dough. I chose two recipes. The first was Pasta Aglio Olio, a quick satisfying classic dish and the second was Spinach Pasta with Mushrooms and Fennel. I wanted us to make a fresh pasta so that students could see what the process is and learn how to use a pasta machine. The pasta part of this recipe was inspired by Esin De Carion’s recipe which appeared in the article I wrote in 2008 for Diablo Magazine called Winters Bounty. What made her recipe so unique was that she uses fresh spinach in the dough. Lots of vegetable pasta’s are made with vegetable powders and purees, but this is the real deal. The pasta is toothsome and silky. I changed the sauce to one that would be more economical to make since we’re keeping to a budget for the class.
For the Aglio Olio we used Buccatini pasta. This dish should only be made with dried pasta and preferably one that is round like Spaghetti or Buccatini. You want something that can really stand up to the garlic oil and pepper flakes. Since the spinach pasta had to rest before we could complete the recipe we made the Aglio Olio first and students were able to have a snack before we went on to our second dish. We also tried two different kinds of gluten free pasta and found that of the two we liked the one made with brown rice flour the best. I have to say, I was surprised. I haven’t tried gluten free pasta in many years and it has really improved.
Once the spinach pasta was ready to roll and cut we did exactly that. It was fun watching everyone work with fresh pasta and use a pasta machine for the first time. Unlike other dough’s pasta dough should be dense and on the dry side, more like clay than a bread dough. This recipe does not cut easily into fettucini because it is made with fresh spinach and unless you are able to make an absolutely smooth puree the little tiny bits of spinach cut holes in the pasta. But you can easily roll it and hand cut it into Tagliatelli. We soon had all our dough rolled and cut and were able to make our sauce, boil the pasta and enjoy dish # 2. This was definitely the hit of the class, even people who don’t like mushrooms enjoyed this dish.
Since we had some ganache leftover from the week before I was able to show everyone how to use the ganache to make truffles and we had chocolate truffles for dessert. It’s a great way to to end a pasta meal.
Pasta Aglio Olio
1 pound spaghetti or buccatini pasta
1/3 C olive oil
two cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
1/3 C chopped flat leaf parsley
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Boil the pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking make the sauce. In a large deep sautee pan, one large enough to hold the sauce and the pasta, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and keep over a very low flame while the pasta cooks. It’s ok if the oil browns a touch, but don’t let it burn. You are mostly doing this to infuse the oil with the garlic.
Once the pasta has cooked drain it and place the cooked pasta right in the pan with the oil and garlic. Using tongs thoroughly coat the pasta with the garlic oil. Add the pepper flakes and chopped parsley. Serve in bowls and pass the grated parmesan cheese.
Serves 4-6
Spinach Pasta with Mushroom Fennel Sauce
Make the spinach pasta as described in the following link:
http://www.diablomag.com/Diablo-Magazine/January-2008/Winters-Bounty/
To make the sauce:
4 T butter
2 T olive oil
12-16 criimini mushrooms sliced thin
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced thin
1 shallot, peeled and sliced thin
1 garlic clove peeled and sliced thin
1/2 C white wine
1 C heavy whipping cream
salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Grated parmesan or asiago cheese
In a large skillet, large enough to make the sauce and hold the pasta, combine the butter and olive oil and heat until the butter has melted. Over a high flame add the sliced mushrooms, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook until the mushrooms begin to release their water. Add the fennel, shallot, and garlic and cook until the vegetables have softened. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has evaporated. Add the cream and cook until the sauce has thickened and most of the cream has evaporated. Taste the sauce again to see if you want to add more salt, pepper, or nutmeg.
Cook the pasta as described in the recipe and using tongs remove the cooked pasta from the boiling pot and place it directly into the pan of sauce. Use the tongs to combine well. Mound into bowls and serve with grated parmesan.
Serves 4-6
