This
past weekend I made a creamy pesto pasta with shrimp and Italian sausage.
Pasta
Dough
(This recipe is from The Joy of Cooking)
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar (secret ingredient)
Without
the Kitchen Aid
Mound
flour on a clean counter. Make a well in the center and add to the well: eggs,
salt, and olive oil. Beat the eggs lightly with a fork, drawing in some
flour as you go, until the eggs are mixed and slightly thickened. Using the
fingertips of one hand, gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs and blend
everything into a smooth, not too stiff dough. If the dough feels too dry and
crumbly, add a little water as needed. If it is too sticky, add a little more
flour.
Knead
the dough until satiny and very elastic, about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into
4 pieces, and wrap the pieces loosely in plastic wrap or cover with an inverted
bowl. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 60 minutes before rolling it
out.
With
Kitchen Aid
Beat
the eggs lightly with a fork in the mixing bowl, drawing in some flour as you
go, until the eggs are mixed and slightly thickened.Using the flat mixing blade
attachment add water, oil and vinegar to eggs then gradually pour flour into
the eggs and blend until until it starts to pull away from bowl. Switch
the flat blade to the dough hook and mix till smooth, not too stiff dough. If
the dough feels too dry and crumbly, add a little water as needed. If it is too
sticky, add a little more flour. Remove from mixer and divide the dough into 4
pieces, and wrap the pieces loosely in plastic wrap or cover with an inverted
bowl. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 60 minutes before rolling it
out.
Rolling
out the dough.
I use
the pasta attachment which fits the Kitchen Aid. (a must
have) Flatten each piece slightly and set adjustment knob on pasta
attachment at 1. Allow the dough to run through the attachment. Once the dough
rolls through, lightly dust pasta with flour and move the knob to 2. Continue
this process until you have run the dough through each setting and made it to
setting number 7.
Once
finished, attach the pasta roller and run the rolled out dough through the
attachment. As each set of pasta is complete, hang the pasta to dry (I don’t
have an official pasta hanger, so I use a hanger) Sometimes the pasta is easier
to handle if you let the first step dry out a little before running through the
attachment for pasta
Sausage
and Shrimp
Cook
Italian sausage outside of casing. As the sausage is almost cooked add shrimp
and a little pesto. Cook thoroughly. Set aside for later.
Boiling
Homemade Pasta
This
process only takes a few minutes. I prepare the sauce before the pasta in
boiling water
Sauce
- Small carton of heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup homemade pesto
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- ½ stick butter
- Olive oil
- Salt/pepper
Heat
olive oil in pan then add garlic. Cook for 3 min and then add remaining
ingredients. Allow sauce to thicken on low. After 5-10 min, transfer sauce to
oven safe serving dish. Place dish in 200 degree oven and keep warm.
Place
pasta in boiling water. Unlike regular store bought pasta that you bring the
water back to a boil, fresh pasta cooks very quickly, usually 1 or 2 minutes
and it's ready to remove from water
Remove
sauce from oven and transfer pasta to sauce. DO NOT STRAIN PASTA IN A STRAINER)
Add a small amount of pasta water to the sauce. Lastly, add Italian sausage and
ship. Toss and top with Parmesan pasta. Serve Immediately.
