Pasta Time With Emma's Mom

After our first lesson with Sally, we decided to try out some other pasta recipes.

We made a delicious Sweet Potato Gnocchi in a Browned Sage Butter Sauce (This was my favorite!!), and a Homemade Vodka Sauce with Fresh Pasta.

Emma's Mom's Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe


1 pound of mashed potato – either sweet or regular about one large potato (potato is either boiled or roasted, skinned, and mashed until smooth)
1 tea salt
1 egg
1 ½ cups white bread flour

1) Heat the potato in the microwave until soft.

2) Stir all the wet ingredients together, then add flour. If the mixture is too moist add more flour.

3) Make dough into coil snake, cut, and shape gnocchi.

COOKING

IMPORTANT: Cook in a deep pot. Put the gnocchi into the water and let them float to the top. Once on the surface scoop them out. It is key to use a deep pot so that you can differentiate between pasta that is almost at the surface and that is actually at the surface. A deeper pot also allows for a slightly longer cook time.


Brown Butter sauce:

½ stick of butter melted slowly and cooked until it just turns brown around the edges of the pan. Swirl occasionally.

Add roughly chopped (or whole) leaves of fresh sage.
Add roughly chopped hazelnuts.




Fresh Pasta

This recipe comes from a pile of print outs in my mom's collection. It's titled Dave's Fresh Pasta (Somerville, MA).

2 eggs
about 3/4 cup duram flour
3/4 cup semolina flour
pinch of salt

1) Pour flour and pinch of salt into bowl, shape it into a mound and scoop out the center to form a deep hollow.

2) Break the eggs into the center and beat gently with a fork for 1-2 minutes (as if you were making scrabbled eggs). Begin to draw some of the flour from the edges over the eggs until the flour is incorporated. The dough will be very, sticky, but after a little more stirring with the fork resort to blending the dough with your hands. (If still too sticking add more flour).

3) Knead the dough with your hands for about 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth yet stiff. To properly knead, use the heel of your hand and push against the dough (away from you). Fold the dough over and repeat.

4) Let to dough rest. Return it to the bowl, cover with a damp, clean towel and let the gluten develop in the flour. Dough can rest anywhere between 15 minutes to 2 hours.

5) Unwrap the dough. If it still feels sticking add more flour (and flour your hands). Knead for another two minutes.

6) Follow the instructions on your pasta Maker.

COOKING
Drop the cut and shaped dough into a pot of boiling, salted water. Stir 1-2 minutes and take it out. Fresh Pasta cooks REALLY fast.



Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Sausage (Note that we did not use Vodka)

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2005

NOTE: This is for ONE serving.

Ingredients
• 1/4 pound spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 pound Italian sausage, removed from the casing and crumbled or chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (we used one small can for 4 servings)
• 3 tablespoons vodka (we used just 3 TB for four servings) (being under 21 we negated this part of the recipe)
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh basil leaves
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish
• Sprig fresh basil, for garnish
Directions
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander and return to the saucepan.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until browned and all pink has disappeared, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onions, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the vodka and cook until the sauce reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in the basil and remove from the heat.
Toss the sauce with the pasta to coat evenly and transfer to a pasta bowl for serving. Top with cheese and sprig of basil and serve immediately.