Pasta Elegantes

Photos by: Tara Hope Cofiell, Gregory Hutsell

Winter is my favorite time of year to make handmade pasta. I always look forward to the days when I’m snowbound. Being stuck in the house for a day or two and not encumbered by time constraints, I can break out my hand-crank pasta machine and rolling pin and with some flour, eggs, and a few pantry items make fresh hand-crafted pasta for my family.

When you know snow is coming, plan ahead and pick up some wine and specialty items at the grocers and butcher shop.With a little bit of planning and plenty of time on your hands, these recipes will turn ordinary handmade pasta into an extraordinary dining experience.

Your family will love this pasta so much they will want it year ’round. With these basic pasta dough recipes and the practice you get making them this winter, you will be making them con alacrita by spring. Bon Appetit!

Whole Egg Pasta

• 3 to 3 ? c. flour
• 1 ? tsp. salt
• 6 eggs
• 3 Tbsp. heavy cream or whole milk
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

1. Add flour and salt to a large bowl and stir. Make a well in the bowl with the flour.
2. In a separate bowl beat eggs, milk, and olive oil together.
3. Add egg mixture to the well and stir with a heavy spoon until mixture starts to come together into a ball. Knead in the bowl until mixture comes together further (some dried flour may be left in the bottom of the bowl).
4. Remove from bowl and knead 10 minutes. Wrap in plastic and let rest 20 minutes.
5. Knead 10-20 more minutes more.
6. The pasta ball is ready to use or wrap in plastic & refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw before using.

Whole Yolk Pasta

• 2 ? to 3 cups flour
• 1 ? tsp. salt
• 12 egg yolks
• 3 Tbsp. heavy cream or whole milk
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

1. Add flour and salt to a large bowl and stir. Make a well in the bowl with the flour.
2. In a separate bowl beat eggs, milk, and olive oil together.
3. Add egg mixture to the well and stir with a heavy spoon until mixture starts to come together into a ball. Knead in the bowl until mixture comes together further (some dried flour may be left in the bottom of the bowl).
4. Remove from bowl and knead 10 minutes. Wrap in plastic and let rest 20 minutes.
5. Knead 10-20 more minutes more.
6. The pasta ball is ready to use or wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Thaw before using.

Pheasant Agnolotti with White Wine Tomato Sauce

Pheasant stuffing

• 1 lbs. pheasant sausage
• 8 oz. Mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)
• ? cup Italian bread crumbs
• 3 eggs beaten

1. Break up pheasant sausage in frying pan and brown in 5 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium. Heat 15 mins.
2. Place sausage in bowl and add cheese, bread crumbs, and eggs and mix well. Refrigerate at least one hour.

White Wine Tomato Sauce

• Olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. onion powder
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1 ? c. dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 large can (29-40 oz.) of tomatoes
• (or 1 ? -2 lbs. tomatoes)

1. Cover the bottom of a stock pot with olive oil and place on medium-low heat.
2. Slice onion thinly and chop garlic fine and add to pot, cook on medium heat for 10 min.
3. Add garlic and onion powder, and salt. Cook 5 more minutes.
4. Increase heat to medium high and add wine, vinegar and reduce by half.
5. Add chicken stock and tomatoes, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 1 ? hrs.

Pheasant Agnolotti

1. Cut one whole egg pasta ball into quarters.
2. With a rolling pin or pasta machine roll each pasta quarter out to 1/8 inches thick.
3. With a 3 inch round cookie cutter or 3 inch round glass cut out pasta circles.
4. Brush each pasta circle with egg wash and place one tablespoon of pheasant mixture in center of each pasta circle. And seal into a half moon shape. Place each agnolotti on a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use. Turn every over every 15 minutes for the first hour if not using immediately.
5. To cook agnolotti: Put up to 10-12 agnolotti in boiling salted water for 5 minutes.
6. Remove agnolotti from water and drain.
7. Plate agnolotti and top with white wine tomato sauce.
8. Serve with a Brunello di Montalino wine from Tuscany.

Crab Lasagnettes with Cream Sauce

Lasagnettes

1. Cut one whole yolk pasta ball into quarters.
2. With a rolling pin or pasta machine roll each quarter out to 1/8 inch thick.
3. Cut pasta sheets into 5 inch circles or squares. Place pasta circles or squares in a single layer on baking sheet until ready to cook.

Cream Sauce

• Olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 2 c. pinot grigio wine
• 1 ? c. chicken stock
• 4 c. heavy cream
• Salt to taste

1. Coat bottom of pot with olive oil and place over medium-low heat.
2. Rough chop the onion and garlic, add to the pot and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Turn heat up to medium-high and add wine and reduce by half.
4. Add chicken stock and reduce by half.
5. Add heavy cream and cook over a slow boil until mixture reaches a light syrup consistency, season to taste.
6. Strain sauce into a container and reserve or refrigerate.
7. To make: heat 3-4 cups of cream sauce in a skillet over medium. Heat 10 minutes.
8. Add 1 lbs. jumbo lump crab meat and heat through 5 more minutes.
9. Cook up to 9 lasagnettes in boiling salted water for 5 minutes and drain.
10. Place one lasagnette on a plate and top with 4 Tbsp. of crab mixture. Add another lasagnette on top of crab mixture. And add another 4 Tbsp. of crab mixture on top of lasagnette and repeat once more. Top final layer with a little more crab mixture and serve.
11. Pair with a chilled Rose Moscato wine from Italy.

Hand-cut Pasta ribbons with Braised beef Cheeks

Pasta Ribbons

1. Cut one whole egg pasta ball into quarters.
2. With a rolling pin or pasta machine roll each quarter out 1/8 inch thick. With a sharp knife cut each pasta sheet into 12 inch by ? inch strips.
3. Place pasta strips on baking sheet in a single layer until ready to cook.

Braised Beef Cheeks

• Canola oil
• Salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder
• 3 c. of Barolo wine or ( Barbaresco wine)
• 4 lbs. of beef cheeks (substitute chuck, or short ribs)
• 1 c. of tawney port
• 3 c. of wine marinade
• 3-6 c. Beef or chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp. of balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. of soy sauce or fish sauce

1. Cube beef into large chunks. Marinade beef in 3 c. of wine overnight for up to 24 hrs. Drain beef and dry well. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder. Let sit for 2 hours.
2. Brown beef well in canola oil. Place browned beef in casserole. Add port to skillet and reduce by ?, add to casserole. Add wine, stock, vinegar, and soy sauce to casserole and cover tightly.
3. Cook in 300 degree oven for 4 hours. Remove from oven and let sit overnight or up to 2 days in fridge.

For the pasta and beef cheeks

1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water 5 mins. and drain. Add pasta to a large bowl and toss with 1-2 cups of beef braising liquid.
2. Plate pasta and top with beef cheeks. Add sautŽed onions and mushrooms if desired.
3. Pair with a Barolo or Barbaresco wine from Piedmont. Note: Beef cheeks can be ordered from most local butcher shops.

Video instructions for each recipe can be viewed on YouTube at TheRedneckGourmet’s Channel.