Fabio gives us his tricks & tips on how to best prepare dry pasta and then uses a food processor and pasta machine to make a super simple, fresh egg and flour pasta.
Tips and secrets in episode:
• Varieties of dry pasta taste the same; the difference is in how the noodles collect the sauce.
• Use salt in the water when boiling because dry pasta is not seasoned! Don't add salt if you are boiling fresh, since you control the seasoning.
• Boil dry for less time than the box directions! Finish the pasta off in the sauce.
• Add pasta water (touch of starchy liquid) to your sauce, it will help it taste richer and bring out the creamy texture through the entire dish.
• Cooked al dente (al-DEN-tay) literally means "to the tooth," which is how to test pasta to see if it is properly cooked. The pasta should be a bit firm, offering some resistance to the tooth, but tender.
• Considering there are only two inexpensive basic ingredients to make (flour and eggs), it may be worth spending around $100 equipment make it fresh. In the long run you'll get restaurant quality taste that will save you money!
THE PERFECT PASTA
Recipe by Fabio Viviani
Cook time: 10 Minutes Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the pasta:
4 eggs (one per serving)
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large pinch salt
1 large pinch fresh cracked pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
For the ravioli:
½ Cup Ricotta
¼ stick of butter
2 sprigs fresh sage
lemon zest
Method:
Add 4 eggs, the olive oil, salt and pepper to a food processor with the blade attachment in it and pulse a few times to combine.
Add ½ cup flour to the processor and pulse until well mixed, test for the stickiness of the pasta. Gradually keep adding flour (about ¼ cup more) to the processor and pulse until well mixed and the pasta is no longer sticky. You should start to see a small dough ball form in the processor. Remove dough and form into a ball.
Using a pasta machine, roll out the dough to flat sheets, dusting with flour to help flatten and use as desired.
To make a quick-filled pasta: dollop 1 Tablespoon of ricotta per ravioli on a sheet of pasta. Brush the edges of pasta sheet with water, fold sheet over the ricotta and seal. Cut a circle around each dollop using the rim of a glass. Shape the ravioli around your finger and boil in water for 2 minutes. Melt sage leaves in butter for the sauce. Add salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest.
Cook's Note: Don't let it dry! Fresh pasta should be kept covered by a moist towel and if stored should be wrapped in air-tight plastic.
Tune in to Chow Ciao Tuesdays at 1PMEST!
