Let's Make Pasta! March 15 at 6pm Pacific

 

Livestream on YouTube Munchie Mafia Official

Thank you for visiting.  I will keep this short and sweet as per usual.  All the Fluff and Stuff is at the bottom of the recipe so you can just get to the recipe.  On the Loaded Baked Potato livestream just days earlier, the question was asked to the Live Chat, "What kind of pasta do you want to see?"  I had a feeling that it would be Tortellini because Eddie and Gary had talked about Tortellini over the weekend.  They didn't disappoint me.  Nina commented that she would like to see a Sicilian sauce recipe.  So, the pasta will be Tortellini filled with cheese, and a Sicilian sauce.  See Below the Recipe for the products that I use.

So, let's get to the recipe that will be used during the livestream.

Pasta Recipe:

250 grams All Purpose Flour

150 grams Semolina Flour

2 Egg Yolks, plus 3 Whole Eggs

Mix flours together and create a little volcano.  Add the beaten egg yolks with the whole eggs and add to the center of the volcano.  Slowly begin to whisk with a fork, the flour into the egg mixture until all the flour is combined.  You'll want to knead it with your hands until it is a firm ball and there is no visible flour.  Wrap your dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and allow to rest refrigerated for an hour.

Filling Recipe:

1 container Ricotta, strained in cheesecloth for 1 hour.
Gourmet Gardens Italian Herbs, however much or little that you want to use, about a scant tablespoon if you need measurements.

Fresh grated Parmesan

A pinch of nutmeg
A couple cloves of fresh garlic, crushed
Salt to taste
1 egg yolk

Mix together ingredients until thoroughly combined and set aside.

• Get a salted pot of water to a slow boil.  Too rapid and the tortellini can suffer blow outs.
• Using a rolling pin or a pasta machine, roll out your pasta without pulling on the pasta.  (I will not be demonstrating rolling pasta with a rolling pin due to shoulder injury).  You will want it thin, and it's ok to work with the pasta in quarters, just remember to cover completely so it doesn't dry out. If using a pasta maker, you will start at zero and work your way up, rolling each size twice until you have reached 6.

• Using a biscuit cutter, cut to desired size, and cover with a towel until you have all your circles cut.  There is no rule to the size of your tortellini. I like big ones, they look pretty on a plate if you have 3 of them.

1. Wet lightly with a finger that's been dipped in water, all around the edge of the circle.
2. You will want to then take an everyday teaspoon and place a dollop of the filling dead center, you want to leave a space around the circle to press together to seal.  
3. Make sure that there are no air bubbles when you make the two edges meet.  You want a half circle.
4. Press around the half circle edges that met together, making sure that there is a good seal and there's no air bubbles.  
5. Fold the edges upright and bring together the two end pieces, pressing together.  
6. Repeat.

When you have them all formed into tortellini, and your water is ready, you can drop them into the water a few at a time, agitating the water a little bit like a vortex with a wooden spoon, to prevent from sticking.  Allow them to get happy in the lightly boiling water for a few minutes or so.  When they float, they're ready.  Do not overcrowd your pot of water.

Sauce:

Sicilian sauce is intended to be rustic in aesthetic, while being light and bright.

3-4 pints Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 bell pepper (optional), seeded and diced.

1 sweet white onion, diced or julienned.

1 bulb garlic, peeled and chopped.

Lemon Zest, and lemon juice

Olive Oil

Butter, 2 sticks, cut into cubes.

Wine for deglaze

Anchovies or Sardines

Castelvetrano olives or capers

Kale or Spinach

Romano or Pecorino 

Fresh Basil, torn by hand
Italian Parsley, chopped fine

1 cup stock (chicken or vegetable)

Heat 2 cups oil and blister tomatoes, onions, and bell pepper until the onions still have body, but they are cooked, chicken stock or vegetable stock, raise temperature and allow to evaporate until there is not much liquid left.  Deglaze pan with wine.  Add Zest and lemon juice, anchovies or sardines, olives, greens of choice, and sauté together.  Turn off heat and begin to throw knobs of butter into the sauce, stirring rapidly with a spoon until emulsification occurs.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add your cooked tortellini to it, and toss with fresh herbs and hard cheese(s).  Serve with or without toasted breadcrumbs, or toasted pistachios.

Now for the equipment:

Marcato Multipast Machine

Ateco Cutters

French Rolling Pin

Caputo Semolina

Gourmet Garden can often be found at your local grocery store in the produce aisle.

None of these sponsors me, so it's up to you to choose what fits in your budget.  Gourmet Garden is a life saver for busy professionals, to get herbs that are somewhat stable in the refrigerator for when needed.  I keep mine in the freezer to improve life.  

Thank you for visiting, be sure to check out my livestream coming soon to see how it's all assembled.  I will be available to answer questions as we go.

If you don't like the idea of the sauce, just use a jar sauce, I'm not going to judge you.  Well.... maybe a little.  Joking.

~Sivi