Homemade Tagliatelle with Romagnola Tomato Sauce

Making homemade pasta is a bit of a project. But I loved it. This dough is so soft and smooth. Very easy to work with. I busted out my pasta roller for the first time since buying it 15 years ago. Yay!

I went to the best - Lidia Bastianich. She explains things so clearly, so I thought for my first foray, it would be best to use her guidance. This group of tagliatelle I cooked:

While this group of tagliatelle nests, I froze for later use:

Tagliatelle are long flat ribbon noodles that work beautifully with a meat ragu or a pesto. The sauce I went with; however, is a beautiful Romagnola tomato sauce that features fresh in-season tomatoes. I hope you get to make this while the Jersey tomatoes are still in their prime for the next couple of weeks.

You can certainly make this sauce with storebought fresh tagliatelle, but if you do have the time and a pasta roller, I do recommend trying this recipe. The fresh pasta is a such a wonderful texture and flavor. We really enjoyed it. 

This sauce also features fresh rosemary and parsley, so it is a definite change from the classic marinara. 

 Homemade Tagliatelle

From "Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy"

By Lidia Bastianich

Makes 1 1/2 lbs. fresh tagliatelle, serving 6

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

3 large eggs (cold)

3 large egg yolks (cold)

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. ice water, plus more as needed

Recommended equipment: A food processor fitted with steel blade; a pasta rolling machine

Put the flour in the bowl of the food processor and process for a few seconds to aerate. Mix the whole eggs and egg yolks, olive oil, and ice water in a measuring cup with a spout.

Start the machine running with the feed tube open. Pour in the liquids all at once (scrape in all of the drippings), and process for 30 to 40 seconds, until a dough forms and gathers on the blade. If the dough does not gather on the blade or process easily, it is too wet or too dry. Feel the dough and add either more flour or more ice water, in small amounts. Process briefly, until the dough gathers on the blade, and clear the sides of the bowl. 

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand briefly until it's smooth, soft and stretchy. Press it into a disk, wrap well in plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for 1/2 hour. (You can refrigerate this dough for up to a day, or freeze it for a month or more. Defrost frozen dough in the refrigerator; return it to room temperature before rolling).

To make tagliatelle: Cut the dough in six equal pieces. Keeping it lightly floured, roll each piece through the machine at progressively thinner settings into sheets that are 5 inches wide (or as wide as your machine allows) at at least 20 inches long. Cut the long sheets in half crosswise, giving you twelve strips, each almost a foot long.

One at a time, lightly flour each strip, and fold it over into thirds or quarters, creating a small rectangle with three or four layers of pasta. With a sharp knife, cut cleanly through the folded dough crosswise, at 1/2-inch intervals. Shake the cut pieces, opening them into long ribbons of tagliatelle. Dust them liberally with flour, gather into a loose nest, and set it on a floured towel or tray. Fold, cut and unfurl all the strips this way, piling the tagliatelle in small floured nests. Leave uncovered to air-dry at room temperature, until ready to cook (or freeze the nests on the tray until solid, and pack in airtight ziplock bags).

Tagliatelle with Romagnola Tomato Sauce

From "Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy"

By Lidia Bastianich

Makes sauce for 1 batch (1 1/2 pounds) tagliatelle or other pasta, serving 6

For the sauce

3 lbs. ripe tomatoes (round, plum, or cherry varieties are all fine)

4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 plump garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1 sprig fresh rosemary (a short branch with lots of leaves)

1/2 tsp. peperoncino flakes, to taste

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley

For the pasta:

1 batch (1 1/2 pounds) homemade tagliatelle (see above)

1/2 cup or so freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for the table

2 Tbsp. or so extra virgin olive oil for finishing

Recommended equipment: A heavy-bottomed skillet or saute pan, 12-inch diameter or larger

For the sauce: Core the tomatoes, and cut them in half. With round or plum tomatoes, squeeze seeds into a sieve placed over a bowl - save the juices and discard the seeds - then chop the tomatoes into 3/4-inch pieces. Cherry tomatoes need only be cut in half.

Pour the olive oil into the big skillet, and set it over medium-high heat. Scatter the garlic slices in the pan, and heat for a minute or so, until they start sizzling. Toss in the rosemary sprig and peperoncino, let them heat for a few moments, then drop the tomato paste into a clear hot spot in the pan bottom. Toast the tomato paste for a minute, then pour in the chopped tomatoes, sprinkle on the salt and stir all together.

Cook the tomatoes for a couple of minutes, until the begin to release their liquid. Pour in the reserved tomato juices from the bowl, along with 1/2 cup of water (use it to slosh out the tomato bowl). Bring the sauce to a boil, then adjust heat to keep it perking steadily. Cook, uncovered, until tomatoes break down into a chunky sauce, about 10 to 12 minutes. When the sauce is done, stir in the parsley and turn off the heat (or keep it barely simmering if you are ready to cook the pasta).

To cook the tagliatelle: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Shake the nests of tagliatelle in a colander or a strainer to remove excess flour. Drop all the pasta into the pot at once, and stir to loosen and separate the strands. Cover the pot, and return the water to a boil rapidly. Set the cover ajar, and cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or more, until barely al dente (it will cook a bit more in the sauce).

Have the tomato sauce at a simmer; if it has cooled and thickened, loosen it with a bit of the hot pasta-cooking water. Lift the tagliatelle from the cooking pot quickly, with a spider and tongs, drain briefly, and drop into the simmering ragu. Toss together, over low heat, for a minute or more, until all the strands are coated and perfectly cooked. Thin the sauce, if necessary, with hot pasta water, or thicken it quickly over higher heat.

Turn off the heat, sprinkle 1/2 cup or so of grated cheese over the tagliatelle, and toss well. Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil all over and toss again. Heap the pasta in warm bowls, and serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.

Ravioli in Vodka Sauce

When The Husband and Son go out on the town for their sports and whatnot, the Jersey Girl still throws it down in the kitchen for Me, Myself and I.

These are the moments I cook something a little special but doesn't require too much cleanup. Because homegirl needs to enjoy her food while watching a trashy show or a chick flick or reading a good book. AmIright, Darling? Of course I am. No stress, please and thank you.

So here we go: Vodka Sauce but not just with any old penne. Aw, hell no. Homegirl went in big with the ravioli.

Now my package of ravioli had a quantity of 12, so the amount of the sauce made in the recipe below was a bit extra. No problemo: Into the freezer it awaits for my next night alone. Although, I do think my homeboys would groove on this. So, maybe I'll share when it defrosts.

I served my magnifico ravioli with some roasted asparagus. But it would also be fab with a little salad, maybe some baby spinach or spring greens.

I used my girl Rachael Ray's recipe from her classic book "30 Minute Meals 2." This book came out when she was first blowing up on Food Network. I think it is a very useful book, especially for beginner cooks. It is one of the first cookbooks I bought before even getting hitched. I use it all the time, 16 years later.

Rachael has a thing against measuring, but I did literally measure the vodka. I feel like the wrong quantity of that could totally jack this recipe up. Plus, who wants to waste their precious pricey vodka? Not this girl.

You-Won't-Be-Single-For-Long Vodka Cream Pasta
From "30 Minute Meals 2"
By Rachael Ray

Makes 4 servings (Make it for 2 with seconds in mind)

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (once around the pan)
1 Tbsp. butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Crusty bread

Put large pot of salted water on to boil.

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic and shallots. Gently saute garlic and shallots, 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka, 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about a cup. Reduce vodka by half, 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble, then reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, a bit firm to the bite (cooking time should be listed on your box of pasta).

Stir cream into the vodka sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Serve immediately along with crusty bread.

Gnocchi in Pomodoro Sauce

So this is only the best dish ever: Gnocchi in Pomodoro Sauce.

You can of course just use store bought gnocchi, but I'm including the recipe I use to make homemade gnocchi. It is the method by Giada DeLaurentiis.

It's not as hard as you think. For reals.

Interestingly, the potatoes are cooked in the microwave. I have tried baking and boiling in the past, and I strongly believe microwaving is the best route to texture perfection in the gnocchi. I use a potato masher to mash up the potatoes before mixing them with a wooden spoon into the egg, and then combining the sifted flour in with my hands. I use my hands so that I do not overmix the dough. That way, it is light and fluffy. As god intended gnocchi to be, of course!

Making gnocchi may seem intimidating, but I think it is a simple pasta to make and it is so much fun to do. It is a great pasta to make with little children as well.

The pomodoro sauce is fabulous. It is a recipe I found on Pinterest. I have made it many times. I love how the oil is infused with fresh herbs. Be sure to cook it in an oven proof dish as you can just pop it under the broiler as soon as you add the gnocchi, fresh mozzarella, parmigiana cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

My son loves this dish. He requests it again and again. Yay!

Gnocchi

From “Everyday Pasta”

By Giada De Laaurentiis

Makes about 54 gnocchi

2 baking potatoes, such as russet (about 12 ounces each)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup all-purpose flour

Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork. Microwave the potatoes on high until tender, about 12 minutes. (You can also bake the potatoes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes, or until tender. While the potatoes are still warm, cut them in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Discard the skin. Using a fork, mash the potato well. Stir in the egg, salt and pepper. Sift the flour over the potato mixture and stir just until blended.

Scoop out a large spoonful of gnocchi dough. Roll each scoop on the work surface into about a 1/2-inch-diameter rope.

Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces.

Roll each piece of dough over a wooden paddle with ridges or over the tines of a fork to form grooves in the dough.

Set the formed gnocchi on a baking sheet while you form the rest of the dough.

Working in batches, cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water until they have all risen to the surface, about 3 minutes. Scoop the gnocchi into a colander with a slotted spoon while you cook the second batch.

Add to your sauce.

The Jersey Girl notes: I often use 3-4 potatoes, as I can not find potatoes that are 12 ounces each. I mash the potatoes with a potato masher. You want a smooth consistency. I mix the egg with a wooden spoon. I mix the flour with  my hands. When making the gnocchi with the pomodoro sauce listed below, I gently scoop the cooked gnocchi out of the boiling water with a wide slotted spoon directly into the warm pomodoro sauce. I also cooked the gnocchi in three batches, not two. 

Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce

By www.foodiecrush.com

• 
  
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoons

• 4 stems fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

• 4 stems fresh oregano

• 2 stems fresh rosemary

• 2 stems fresh basil, plus 2 more stems for garnish

• ½ yellow onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

• 1 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)

• 1 16-ounce package potato gnocchi

• 8 ounces cherry size mozzarella balls, cut in half

1. 
   
2. 
   
   
3. Add ¼ cup olive oil to a 10-inch high sided sauté pan or a saucepan over medium heat. Add the parsley, oregano, rosemary and 2 stems of basil and cook for about 5 minutes or until the herbs become crisp.
4. Remove the herbs and discard then add the onion and garlic to the oil, lowering the heat if needed so the onions cook gently and don't brown. Cook until the onions are transparent, about 5-7 minutes, then crush the tomatoes with your hand and add to the pan with juice. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thicken, stirring occasionally. (I also add about 2 Thsp. chopped fresh basil to the sauce before simmering.)
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6. Stir in the heavy cream (if using) and remove from the heat.

1. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add the gnocchi. Season generously with kosher salt and cook until the gnocchi float to the top of the boiling water. Drain and then place the gnocchi into the cooked sauce. Top with the halved mozzarella balls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese then drizzle the tops of the gnocchi with the remaining olive oil. Broil for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese melts and the tops become crispy. Garnish with additional basil leaves and serve immediately.
2. The Jersey Girl notes: I did not use fresh oregano and I did not use cream. It is fab without, in my opinion!
3. And here is my cutie pie Evan helping me cook and digging into the delciousness on two separate occasions:
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Labor of Love

Cleaning the house. Folding the laundry. Crossing off the to-do's on that never-ending to-do list. So what's a girl got time for:

Peeling tomatoes in 20 easy steps, obvi!

OK. Just hold your horses. It doesn't REALLY require 20 takes to get a delicious fresh tomato saucy outcome, but  getting down and dirty with a few pounds of plum tomatoes, a pot of bowling water and another pot of ice cold ice water could seem a bit tedious to those of us feeling crunched on a spare moment.

I so meant to post this post back in August, when all of you do-gooder home-gardening types were harvesting your bushels of tomatoes. There ain't a green thumb to be found in this house. Piano thumbs and shopping thumbs are all I gots.

But, I do know how to make a totally delish fresh tomato sauce. So I'm providing you with my process complete with pics and instructions. Yay, me! One of these days I will be seasonally correct. But you can totally use this with the imported plum  tomatoes that are lingering in your grocery right about now. And stash this for the summer when the fresh tomatoes are at their peak.

I used this sauce to make my Chicken Parm with Fresh Tomato Sauce. SO much tastier than reg chicken parm, for sure!

So here's the dilly-o: To peel a tomato skin off a tomato, you need to cut out the core, score an X on the side opposite the core, plunge that sucker into boiling hot water, wait around for 2 to 3 minutes, scoop out the hot tomatoes into a bowl of ice ice baby ice water, swirl it around, peel off the skin, chop.

You got that?

Is it a pain in the bootie? Well, maybe. But I'm the type who clears my mind in the cucina, so tomato peelin' is all good in my hood. In addition to my tutorial, I will provide you my totally awesome fresh tomato sauce recipe and how to roll it all together into a chicken parm that is SO much better than that slop you pick up at your go-to takeout joint. I swear on my life, my glass of wine and the good ole' Bible, that I will repost this in July when the Jersey tomatoes are large and in charge.

Getting ready to take care of business. 

Here's how to peel plum tomatoes:

Step one: With a paring knife, cut out the core on the end of the tomato. 

On the opposite end, cut a small X. (See above)

In batches, plunge about five or six prepared tomatoes into a large pot of boiling water. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until skin becomes loose.

Using a spider ladle or a slotted spoon transfer cooked tomatoes to a large bowl of ice water. 

Once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove from ice water.

Gently peel off the skin of each tomato.

Chop until your heart's content.

Cook a fabulous sauce. My recipe is below!

Fresh Tomato Sauce

2 to 3 lbs. peeled plum tomatoes (See process above)

8 fat cloves of garlic, sliced

15 to 20 fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Add garlic, cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes if using. 

Add tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add fresh basil.

If cooking pasta at the same time, add a few ladles of pasta water to thin out the consistency of the sauce.

Serve over chicken or pasta.

Chicken Parm with Fresh Tomato Sauce

(Serves four comfortably)

1 to 1 1/2 pounds thin-cut chicken cutlets (6 to 8)
2 extra large eggs, lightly beaten, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
1 1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs (Cento rocks!)
Olive oil
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh tomato sauce (see above)

Set up an assembly line as follows: Chicken cutlets lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, bowl of beaten eggs; plate of bread crumbs. Dip each cutlet in the eggs, then the bread crumbs. Set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat up a 2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. Brown chicken cutlets for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up excess oil. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once the cutlets are cool enough to handle, transfer to a clean baking sheet. Top each browned cutlet with a handful of shredded mozzarella. Top with a couple of spoonfuls of sauce.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melty and delicious. Serve with your fave pasta and more sauce!

I'm Going Hungry

Now that I’m on teaching hiatus, the Jersey Girl is actually available at normal people din din time.

From September through May, my baby momma day goes like this: Wakeup and entertain Baby Evan until my workday kicks off at 2 p.m. (when the bambino gets dropped off at his baby-sitting destination for the evening) and usually goes until 8:30 p.m., at which time Baby Evan wants his Momma and he wants his Momma NOW, along with a sippy of milk, a bowl of cookies and some vroom-vrooms (cars) or a ball. Then it’s off for teeth-brushing, diaper-changing, book reading (A minimum of three. Evan is very literary.) and nanni time aka baby’s bootie is in the crib with Mr. Teddy while Mozart and a humidifier lull him to sleep.

Then, and only then, does the Jersey Girl get to chow down. But, if we’re being honest here, I’m most likely washing up some yuckiness, putting away toys or getting in my happy clothes first. 

OCD totally trumps hunger.

And then, more often than not, exhaustion beats out the actual act of putting food into the mouth.

Needless to say, (and please do not throw tomatoes at me. I mean, who wants to waste a perfectly good piece of produce on a pathetically occasional blogger?) my weight currently is close to nothing. Honestly. I don’t think I’ve ever been at this weight ever. Well, except for the few years I was a shoe sales gal by day at Macy’s and a bleary-eyed newspaper copy editor/page designer by night. Working 18 hours a day, while not recommended, will completely help you shed some lbs. It will also drive you insane.

The positive I’m extracting from my uber skinny girliness: Instant excuse to go shopping.

Yay!

And I get to groove on some Oven Fries from “Tyler’s Ultimate.”  The potato wedges are baked until crisp and golden, then they are topped with parmigiano-reggiano cheese and parsley. Total yum yums. And I SO don’t feel guilty. (Oh, who am I kidding? The Jersey Girl NEVER experiences guilty “what have I dones?” when it comes to the foods I eat. What’s the point?)

In addition, a pancetta-sauced chicken is decadently amazing. Lemon juice and red wine vinegar give the sauce a tangy punch, while fresh parsley adds a burst of color. Love it. The recipe is a part of Giada De Laurentiis’ Chicken and Shrimp Pancetta Chimichurri recipe. I did not cook the shrimp on the night I made the dish, but I am providing you the full recipe for both chicken and shrimp. I served the chicken and potatoes with some sauteed spinach. 

Chicken and Shrimp Pancetta Chimichurri

From "Giada at Home"

By Giada De Laurentiis

For Chicken and Shrimp:

6 (6-ounce) boneless and skinless chicken breast halves

1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil, for drizzling

For Chimichurri:

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

3 cloves garlic

1 cup packed fresh parsley 

1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves or 2 tablespoons dried

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat a grill pan or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Season the chicken and shrimp with the dried oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Grill the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes each side until cooked through. Grill the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until pink and cooked through.

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring constantly until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the garlic, parsley, oregano, vinegar, olive oil and lemon juice. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Slice the chicken diagonally and arrange on a large serving platter with the shrimp. Drizzle with the chimichurri and sprinkle with the pancetta.

Oven Fries

From “Tyler’s Ultimate”

By Tyler Florence

2 russet potatoes cut in 1/2 lengthwise, halves cut lengthwise into fourths to make 16 big, fat wedges

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a baking sheet in the hot oven for at least 5 minutes.

While the baking sheet is heating, toss the potatoes with the olive oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. 

Then dump the potatoes out onto a baking sheet, spreading to a single layer. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan every now and then, until the potatoes are cooked through, brown and crispy. Toss the fries in a big bowl with the parsley and cheese.