Panic Meals II

This beautiful and healthy pasta is made from ingredients you can keep on hand for awhile.  A can of tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, garlic and frozen spinach.  I can have this prepared in about fifteen minutes if I need to...so pour up a glass of something red and read on.

Spicy Pasta with tomatoes and greens

1 10 oz. pkg frozen chopped spinach

2-4 TB EVOO

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

6-8 sun dried tomatoes, sliced into ¼ in. strips

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes

½ c. parmesan

16 oz. pasta shells

Put frozen spinach in a microwave safe bowl and thaw gently by zapping it in 30 second intervals.  It does not have to be completely thawed, just thawed enough that it no longer resembles a green iceberg--just kidding.  You just need to be able to add it to the boiling water with out lowering the water temperature too much.

Start a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.

Set a large sauté pan over med. heat, film the bottom of the pan with the EVOO.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for about 1 minute.  Add the sun-dried tomatoes, the canned tomatoes and their juices.  Bring this mixture up to a simmer and then lower the heat to keep it at a light simmer, just enough to bubble and reduce a bit.

As soon as the water for pasta is boiling add 2 tsps. of salt and the pasta.  If you are using shells, it should take about 10-12 minutes to cook to al dente, but please consult the cooking instructions on the box. 

When the pasta is about 3 min. away from being finished, add the spinach and give the pot a good stir.  When the pasta is near al dente, add a few ladles full (about 1/2 cup) of pot liquor (that’s what we call the water we’ve been cooking the pasta in) to the simmering tomato sauce and stir to combine (this is also known as stretching the sauce).  Now drain the spinach and pasta and add them to the sauce.  Let this simmer just a bit to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce and to finish cooking.  Do NOT overcook the pasta, this should only take a few minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parmesan, garnish with fresh pepper and serve in warmed pasta bowls.

This is a great winter dish but with just a shift in the ingredients it is a killer when fresh greens and tomatoes are in season.   If you have fresh spinach or arugula just add the greens in one minute before the pasta is al dente.  When tomatoes are in season substitute 4-5 fresh tomatoes or 2 cups of cherry tomatoes for the canned tomatoes.  Slip the skins off the large tomatoes and roughly dice them or if using cherry tomatoes, just cut them in half and use them in place of the canned tomatoes.  Amazing!

A few more variations:

I set aside a cup of fresh greens, arugula is especially nice, and roughly chop it up.  Just before serving this pasta I stir in the fresh greens.  The mix of cooked and uncooked greens just adds another dimension to this simple meal.

If this is not a true Panic Meal and you have planned ahead you can really jazz this up with grilled chicken breasts or grilled shrimp.  Marinate the chicken or shrimp in a mixture of garlic, wine (or lemon juice), red pepper flakes and EVOO for 20 minutes and then grill or sauté until cooked.  If serving chicken, slice each breast thinly, fanning the strips over the pasta.  If serving shrimp, nestle the shrimp into the pasta.  Ta da—gorgeous gourmet meal!

Panic Meals

Living out in the country I have learned to keep my pantry stocked with a few basic items that can turn a glass of wine into an impromptu party or a welcoming meal for unexpected guests.  With very little prep I can turn a few ingredients into supper with no panic.

These are some of my best friends, allies in my battle to fight hunger.  

You can ALWAYS find these items in my pantry, as well as several boxes of assorted pasta.  With these few inexpensive ingredients I can whip up a gorgeous tapenade in a matter of minutes that can be served at least four ways.  Here's how to do it.

First of all mince two cloves of garlic and put them in a medium sized bowl.  Then measure out and chop up 1/2 cup of roasted red peppers, black and green olives and artichoke hearts.  If you are going to serve the tapenade as an appetizer, go for a smallish dice, if you are going to serve this in a pasta dish, use a larger sized chop. If you have sun-dried tomatoes, chop up and add in about a quarter cup. Put everything into your medium bowl as you dice and then add some fresh ground pepper and about two tablespoons of EVOO and a couple tablespoons of capers, drained.  Stir this up and you are ready to serve it with crackers, like Wheat Thins, or some nice crusty bread, if you have it.   I keep a supply of rolls in the freezer that can be defrosted in 30 seconds in the microwave and then sliced and toasted for bruschetta.

This very same recipe can be used as a piquant topping for fish and chicken.  I have used this on tilapia filets to create a very elegant dish.  Simply dust tilapia filets in a little flour, salt and pepper and saute in EVOO on each side until the fish is golden on the outside and cooked through on the inside, depending on the thickness of the filets, it is usually three to four minutes per side.  As soon as the fish is finished put them on warm plates and top with a generous amount of tapenade.  The heat of the fish will slightly warm the oils in the tapenade creating an amazing fragrance.  The combination of brine used to preserve the different vegetables really complements the fish, turning a nice filet of fish into a gourmet meal.  Genius!

Using the same recipe you can turn the tapenade into Pasta alla Spagnola, a little bit of Mediterranean heaven on a plate.   Start a large pot of water boiling for the pasta and for this recipe chop the garlic and set it aside, then continue chopping the rest of the vegetables as before, perhaps using a little larger dice.  When the water comes up to boiling salt it appropriately and add your favorite pasta.  (If I want a super quick meal I use Capellini, Angel Hair pasta, that cooks in four minutes.  Sometimes I am craving carbs so then I use a short pasta, like rotini, or shells or farfalla.  The shorter pastas are more toothsome to me and satisfy my cravings with smaller portions.)  

Meanwhile, put a large saute pan over medium heat and film the bottom with the two tablespoons of EVOO  and saute the garlic just until it becomes fragrant.  Then add the remaining vegetables and continue to saute until the vegetables begin to brown a bit.  When the pasta is just about al dente add a few ladles full (my ladle is about 1/4 cup) of the pot liquor (the pasta cooking liquid) to the saute pan and then transfer the pasta to the saute pan also.  Stir this up and continue to cook it for about a minute or so.  You want the pasta to finish cooking and to absorb the combination of the cooking liquid and the sauce you have created.  Do NOT overcook the pasta!  Taste and adjust the seasoning and then remove the pan from the heat and add 1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan.  Serve immediately in warm pasta bowls.

You can also turn this recipe into a rich creamy spread for crackers, bruschetta, flatbreads and vegetables.  Again prepare the tapenade recipe exactly as above omitting the addition of EVOO at the end.  Simply combine the tapenade with some cream cheese that has been softened at room temperature and mix well.  This is a killer, especially with a glass of some spicy Spanish red wine.  Ole!

Tapenade

2 cloves garlic, peeled

½ cup green olives, drained

½ cup black olives, drained

½ cup artichoke hearts, drained

½ cup roasted red peppers, drained

2 tbs. sundried tomatoes

2 tbs. EVOO

Il Castello

Finally a restaurant, an Italian restaurant, I am excited about.  I love eating out but here's the thing, nine times out of ten I am disappointed knowing that I could have done better myself at home.  I am a tough critic because I love food and I love cooking so when we do go out I find myself constantly critiquing: the pasta was over cooked, dry chicken (most common complaint), poor service, the food wasn't piping hot, etc., etc.  My poor husband has heard it all, and even though he agrees, it is nice to go out once in awhile.

Well, we have found the perfect place, Il Castello on A Street, downtown Idaho Falls.  Saturday evening we were encouraged to try Il Castello but I was really dragging my feet--I did not know anyone that had tried it, I had not seen a menu and it features Italian cuisine.  Okay, pasta is one of my passions and so I can be really particular--please, you can put an olive on the menu but that doesn't make it Italian.   So I was already biased when we walked in the door but I changed my mind quickly.  We had two fabulous meals and ended with a fantastic dessert.  We were so pleased with our meals that we couldn't wait to return and so we went there for lunch today.  Perfetto!

RT started with the Butternut Squash soup...mmmmm, delicious.  The perfect combination of butter, garlic, squash and cream, yes, loads of cream.  So good.  (Sorry I do not have a photo of the soup, this is southeast Idaho after all and I still feel a little weird photographing food in restaurants.) 

He also ordered the Spanish Pasta, a creamy poblano sauce served over linguine with poblano peppers, mushrooms, asparagus and sauteed chicken.  This dish was lovely.  The chicken was perfectly cooked, tender and not over done.  I would have liked more of a poblano kick but the cream sauce was just right, not too heavy or thick, this baby definitely did not come out of package.

Saturday evening he ordered the Chicken Fra Diavolo, a perfectly grilled chicken breast served in their house spicy sauce.  Okay, so I am quite good at red sauce but I told RT I would hire on to do dishes just to learn how to make this red sauce!  Perfect--thick, rich, super tomatoe-y and spicy hot!  I loved it.  This dish is served with a corn salad, an excellent side kick for this spicy dish. We were served corn salad all over Italy this fall, it's a very light green salad accented with kernels of fresh corn.

I ordered the Greek Tuna Pasta both times, it really is that good.  Today the tuna was especially nice--cooked to my order the chef had a perfect sear, giving the fish layers of flavor and texture.  It is served a-top linguine and a medley of  piquant veggies:  capers, artichoke hearts, black olives,  sun-dried tomatoes and just enough olive oil to make it very silky on the tongue.

We ended each meal with a serving of Panacotta.  Pana means cream and cotta means cook, so basically this is cream cooked with vanilla and lightly sweetened with sugar.  A few simple ingredients turned into heaven on a plate--rich, not too sweet, sexy smooth on the the tongue.  The chef plated it with a little caramel and fresh berries and I touched it up with just a pinch of salt.  (I couldn't resist the combining the cold velvety cream and a streak of caramel with a little crunch of salt crystal.)

We can't wait to get to Idaho Falls again. Check it out, tell 'em I sent you!

http://ifcastello.com/

Pasta 101

The first cooking class of the season was a session of pasta making and it was fantastic. Pasta is simple to make, a two ingredient recipe, eggs and flour. For six to eight servings you will need four eggs and three cups of flour. Measure the flour into a food processor with a metal blade attachment. Break the eggs into a container with a pourable spout and then stir them up with a fork, just to break up the yolks and slightly mix the eggs. Pulse the processor to lightly sift the flour and with the processor spinning slowly add the eggs. The dough will quickly come together. This photo shows exactly what you are looking for--the dough should look like little yellow lentils and should hold together when compressed. If your dough looks like cornmeal, it is too dry. Turn on your processor and add water, one tablespoon at a time until you get lentil sized blobs. It may only take a tablespoon.

If your dough comes together in a big ball or the blobs are larger than lentils your dough is too wet. Again, with the processor spinning add flour a tablespoon at a time.

When your dough is the right consistency, remove your blade and dump the contents of the bowl onto a clean dry surface.

Gather it together into a small loaf and knead it a few times, just to compress it into shape and wrap it up in cling film. Let it rest for twenty minutes, this resting period allows gluten to form.

After twenty minutes unwrap the dough and knead it slightly. The gluten has begun to form and your dough should feel different--silkier and more pliable. If so, it is now ready for rolling.

Using a sharp knife, cut your loaf into equal sections.

Dust each portion of dough with flour and press out into about 1/2 inch thick ovals.

If you have a pasta roller/cutter, set your roller at the widest setting and roll each portion through the machine. Set each portion on a clean tea towel, do not allow rolled portions to overlap, they will stick, and cover each finished layer with a fresh towel so the pasta does not dry out.

When you have rolled each portion on the widest setting, adjust your rollers to the middle setting and roll each portion through again. Each time you roll your pasta through the machine you are elongating the gluten strands, creating pasta with a beautiful texture. Remember to put each portion on a towel, layering and covering each layer.

Now decide how thin you want your pasta, adjust your roller and roll each portion. If you are making fettuccini or capellini you may not want to roll the dough out to the thinnest setting, if you are making ravioli or any other filled pasta, the thinnest setting is advisable.

I am making ravioli so I used my thinnest setting. Put a portion of dough on a clean dry surface and cut off the curved edges. You can save these and make mezza luna--half moon shaped pasta.

Fold your strip of pasta in half horizontally and very lightly crease the center fold--this is just to give you a visual half way line--and unfold the pasta. Break an egg into a bowl and beat it with a fork, this is your ravioli "glue". Using a pastry brush paint a line of egg wash down the center of the pasta strip. Now outline the strip in egg wash and visually divide the strip into an equal grid, making each section about an inch and a half wide. In the photo below you can see the egg wash grid in the upper section of the strip of pasta.

Now put a small spoonful of filling into each section of the grid. Do not over fill the ravioli or they will not seal properly and all the good stuff will leak out during cooking. (My ricotta cheese filling recipe is written below.) Carefully fold the top section over onto the filled section and begin to press between each filled section to seal the ravioli. I start at the back, at the fold, and press between each section on the egg wash grid, in a "U" shape. Then I try to push out the air and seal up each ravioli on the front edge. Nanzie, the pasta mamma who taught me to make ravioli, stressed the importance of pushing the air out of each ravioli. If a ravioli is "inflated" as it were, it will float in the cooking water making it harder to cook properly. If your ravioli are air free they will not float until they are done, making it easier not to over cook your pasta. This is trickier than one would expect and takes a deft hand so just do your best and practice often.

If you are freezing your pasta transfer it to baking sheets liberally dusted with flour. Ravioli should not be touching, fettuccini and other long pastas can be formed into little nests, see photo from class below. Place your baking sheets in the freezer immediately just until the pasta is frozen through and then transfer it to portion sized freezer bags. Label and date your bags and return them to the freezer promptly. Frozen pasta will hold in the freezer for up to six months but is much nicer when used within three months.

If you are cooking your pasta right away make sure your sauce is ready and hot because it does not take long to cook fresh pasta. Fresh ravioli will only take three to five minutes to cook. If your sauce is not ready cover the ravioli with a towel and put it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat bring a large pot of water to the boil. I use a six quart pasta pot and add a TABLESPOON of salt. I know you are all gasping but this is one of the most important keys to good pasta--properly salted water. The Italians say the pasta water should be as the sea--that is a bit much for me, but if you under-salt your water the pasta will have half the flavor it should. Remember, you are pouring the water off and your pasta will not absorb all the salt added. According to a study the pasta will only absorb less than one percent of the salt; in fact, if my math is correct, it absorbs less than half a percent of the salt. If you are making eight servings of pasta that works out to be about of 28 mg of sodium per serving. (Just FYI there are 480 mg of sodium in a 1/2 cup serving of Prego Traditional sauce! At the bottom of this entry I have placed a link to this study.)

Enough on that subject, trust me and millions of Italians, you are getting more sodium in a single serving of any prepared food than in a pound of properly seasoned pasta! It just looks scary because the salt isn't hidden.

Any way, as soon as you have slipped your pasta into the water set a timer for three minutes. At the end of three minutes reset the timer for two more minutes and test a corner of the ravioli for doneness. Perfect homemade pasta should be cooked "al dente"--meaning to the tooth and have a substance and texture you can feel with your teeth. If you have had it you will know it, all other pasta is just soft and at worst, gummy! Do not let this happen, not after all your hard work--be diligent and hover over your pasta. Pasta will float when it is done so watch it and taste it. When it is cooked drain the pasta into a colander always reserving a cup or so of the cooking liquid. Spoon your beautiful ravioli onto warmed plates and serve with your favorite sauce.

This is a three cheese ravioli with my homemade red sauce, finished with a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and freshly grated parmigiano.

Photos from our class:

After one demo batch of pasta dough Larinda mixed up the next. I just love avid pupils!

A perfect "catch" of fettuccini.


A very silly photo of myself--included because I want you to know how much fun we really do have. After all, the classes are held next door to the Wine Garden and most of my students take advantage of this fact. (Note the lovely glass of red to my left.)


Lisa is laying out freshly cut fettuccini. We had two pasta machines going during the class.


Beautiful fettucini nests ready for cooking or freezing.

Ricotta Ravioli Filing

1 c. ricotta cheese

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. salt

pepper

nutmeg

¼ c. parmigiano, finely grated

¼ c. fontina, grated

1 egg yolk

Put ricotta cheese, garlic powder, salt, a few grinds of fresh pepper and a few scrapings of fresh nutmeg into a small bowl and mix well. Stir in the parmigiano and fontina. Taste and adjust seasonings and add the egg yolk. Stir again to incorporate all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.

Red Sauce

3 tbs. EVOO

1 onion, diced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 large carrot, grated

3 tbs. tomato paste

1 tbs. basil, dried

1 tsp. oregano, dried

salt

pepper

½ c. white wine

2 cans whole tomatoes, squeezed

1 bay leaf

Over med. heat, film the bottom of a large heavy bottomed pan with EVOO. When the oil is warm add the onion, season with salt, stir and cook until translucent. Add the garlic, stir and cook 1 min. Add the celery and carrot, season with salt, stir and cook 5-7 min. Create a hot spot in the pan by moving the vegetables aside and add the tomato paste. As it begins to caramelize move it around the pan to allow maximum caramelization. Add the basil, oregano and a few grinds of fresh pepper, cook until herbs are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, deglazing the pan with a wooden spoon. Let reduce about one minute and add the tomatoes. Stir and season to taste, bring to a low simmer. Add the bay leaf and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, taste and adjust any seasoning. For a smoother sauce, puree with an immersion blender to desired consistency.

Link to Food Standards Agency Report on Sodium Absorption. http://foodbase.org.uk/results.php?f_report_id=120