Mediterranean pasta salad

 

INGREDIENTS

  

• ▢ 8 ounces pasta (I used Orzo)
• ▢ 1 English cucumbers diced
• ▢ 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• ▢ 1 cup baby spinach
• ▢ ½ red onion sliced
• ▢ ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ▢ ¼ cup kalamata olives halved

Dressing

• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
• ▢ 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 teaspoon oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried mint
• ▢ 1 garlic clove minced
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt 
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 
  

Italian Tomato Sauce for pasta

 Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 to 5 cloves fresh garlic (not in a jar, dried, powdered, or frozen) preferably grown in USA/Europe
• small bunch of fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped (my family likes to use parsley in sugo)
• 1 (28-32 oz) about 800g carton/jar of whole, chopped tomatoes or puree (like Mutti, or Bionaturae) any tomatoes listed on the Greatest Tomatoes from Europe site will be fantastic or about 1 lb of fresh tomatoes (San Marzano, Roma or cherry tomatoes are great)
• about 1 1/2 level tsp sea salt
• 3 or 4 large leaves of fresh basil, more to add to each plate, if desired

Instructions

1. Pour the oil into a large saute pan (not a deep pot) over medium high heat. Crush the garlic and add it to the oil (if you want a spicy sauce, you can add some hot pepper, fresh or flakes, at this point). Saute the garlic until it just starts to brown, then add the parsley.
2. Turn the heat up to high. Now add the tomatoes, and quickly cover with the lid for about 30 seconds, until the squirting subsides. Stir with a wooden spoon and lower the heat a little. It is important that this sauce is cooked at a fast simmer, as it is cooked briefly.
3. Add the salt and continue to simmer at a fast pace, and stir often.
4. The sauce will thicken quickly, so do not overcook it, and have it become too thick; about 5 to 7 minutes should be sufficient.
5. Taste the sauce, if it doesn't taste delicious, it probably just needs a little more salt. Turn off the heat and add the fresh basil (I tear mine into pieces). Also, unless absolutely necessary, do not wash your basil. Wipe it with a damp paper towel instead, so the water doesn't ruin the flavor and aroma.
6. Use as desired.

Credit: christinascucina.com

Homemade pasta dough

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 3 large eggs
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ Tbs olive oil

Instructions

• Place the flour on a clean work surface and make a nest. Add the eggs, olive oil, and salt to the center and use a fork to gently break up the eggs, keeping the flour walls intact as best as you can. Use your hands to gently bring the flour inward to incorporate. Continue working the dough with your hands to bring it together into a shaggy ball.
• Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. At the beginning, the dough should feel pretty dry, but stick with it! It might not feel like it’s going to come together, but after 8-10 minutes of kneading, it should become cohesive and smooth. If the dough still seems too dry, sprinkle your fingers with a tiny bit of water to incorporate. If it’s too sticky, dust more flour onto your work surface. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Dust 2 large baking sheets with flour and set aside.
• Slice the dough into four pieces. Gently flatten one into an oval disk. Run the dough through the Pasta Roller Attachment three times on level 1 (the widest setting).
• Set the dough piece onto a countertop or work surface. Fold both short ends in to meet in the center, then fold the dough in half to form a rectangle (see photo above).
• Run the dough through the pasta roller three times on level 2, three times on level 3, and one time each on levels 4, 5, and 6
• Lay half of the pasta sheet onto the floured baking sheet and sprinkle with flour before folding the other half on top. Sprinkle more flour on top of the second half. Every side should be floured so that your final pasta noodles won't stick together.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Run the pasta sheets through the Pasta Cutter Attachment (pictured is the fettuccine cutter). Repeat with remaining dough. Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.

One Pot Gnocchi with Spinach and Chicken

So easy to make and so good!!

Ingredients:
2 TB salted butter
2 TB all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup regular chicken broth
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp onion powder
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb shredded rotisserie chicken
1 (17.5) oz package potato gnocchi (usually found in the dry pasta aisle; not frozen - I buy these at the dollar store)
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (I use the non fresh version)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425F with rack on upper middle position.
In a large and cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 3 minutes until a smooth roux is formed. Whisk in milk and chicken broth until incorporated. Simmer and whisk constantly until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Whisk in nutmeg, onion powder, garlic, and kosher salt/ground pepper to taste.
Add shredded chicken, uncooked gnocchi, and spinach to the mixture. Stir gently until well coated through, 30 seconds. Sprinkle parmesan evenly over the top and bake in oven about 15-20 minutes or until sauce is bubbly at around the edges and gnocchi is tender. If desired, broil 2-3 minutes to further brown the top.

Homemade Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3 large eggs

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Place the flour on a clean work surface and make a nest. Add the eggs, olive oil, and salt to the center and use a fork to gently break up the eggs, keeping the flour walls intact as best as you can. Use your hands to gently bring the flour inward to incorporate. Continue working the dough with your hands to bring it together into a shaggy ball.

2. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. At the beginning, the dough should feel pretty dry, but stick with it! It might not feel like it’s going to come together, but after 8-10 minutes of kneading, it should become cohesive and smooth. If the dough still seems too dry, sprinkle your fingers with a tiny bit of water to incorporate. If it’s too sticky, dust more flour onto your work surface. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. Dust 2 large baking sheets with flour and set aside.

4. Slice the dough into four pieces. Gently flatten one into an oval disk. Run the dough through the Pasta Roller Attachment three times on level 1 (the widest setting).

5. Set the dough piece onto a countertop or work surface. Fold both short ends in to meet in the center, then fold the dough in half to form a rectangle (see photo above).

6. Run the dough through the pasta roller three times on level 2, three times on level 3, and one time each on levels 4, 5, and 6.

7. Lay half of the pasta sheet onto the floured baking sheet and sprinkle with flour before folding the other half on top. Sprinkle more flour on top of the second half. Every side should be floured so that your final pasta noodles won't stick together.

8. Repeat with remaining dough.

9. Run the pasta sheets through the Pasta Cutter Attachment (pictured is the fettuccine cutter). Repeat with remaining dough. Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.

Notes

Fresh pasta can be stored in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.