Saturday, 31st October 2020
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| Pasta Makers. Tacuinum Sanitas Late 14th Century |
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| Macaroni Eaters of Naples by Savanio della Gatta early 19th Century |
Pasta is a staple food made from unleavened dough prepared with "durum flour mixed with water or eggs and formed into sheets or various shapes and then cooked by boiling or baking". Pasta can also be made with pulses like beans and lentils in place of wheat flour.
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| The Various Types of Pasta |
According to Greek mythology, the god Hephaestus invented a mechanism that made strings of dough. This is the earliest reference to a pasta maker.
In the 1st century AD, Horace refers to lagana, fine sheets of fried dough which were daily nourishment.
In the works of the 2nd-century Greek physician Galen, there is a reference to “itrion”, “homogenous compounds” made with flour and water. The Jerusalem Talmud records that itrion, a kind of boiled dough was common in Palestine from the 3rd–5th centuries AD. Also, a dictionary written by the 9th-century Arab physician and lexicographer, Isho bar Ali, defines “ittriya” "as string-like shapes made with semolina and dried before cooking".
So, not taking mythology into account, pasta has been prepared and enjoyed for at least two thousand years. Dried pasta has about 2 years of shelf life, which makes it a very convenient foodstuff.
Please find below several recipes prepared with pasta.
(Most of the information about pasta in this post is from Wikipedia, The Good Cook and Dolopia all of whom I sincerely thank.)
Please find below several recipes prepared with pasta.
PASTITSIO
Pastitsio, baked macaroni with minced meat, is a popular Greek dish, and a great meal to feed a large, hungry family.
This is not the traditional way of making pastitsio, but it is way my family like it. You can, of course, prepare it by placing two layers of macaroni, with the minced meat or the mushroom sauce in between. You can, also, use summer vegetables for preparing this dish.
500 g (1 lb) thick macaroni
60 g (2 oz) grated kefalotyri, San Mihalis, Parmesan or a mixture
2 tbsp hot, melted butter
Minced Meat Sauce:
1 kg (2 lb) minced beef
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely grated
2 stalks celery, threaded and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, threaded and finely chopped
4 rashers of lean bacon, fat discarded, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
80 ml (1/3 cup) brandy,
250 ml (1 cup) white wine
3 ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded and grated, skins discarded
1 tsp sugar or more
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup parsley chopped, optional
Or
Mushroom Sauce:
500 g (1 lb) white mushrooms, trimmed, patted dry and finely chopped
1 dried porcini mushroom, soaked and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
A large onion, peeled and grated
4 rashers of bacon, fat discarded, finely cubed
90 ml (1/3 cup +) brandy
250 ml (1 cup) chicken or vegetable stock
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup chopped parsley, optional
Béchamel Sauce:
150 g (5 oz) butter
150 (1cup) cornflour
1 bay leaf
1¼ litre (5 cups) or more hot milk
Nutmeg
100 g (3 oz plus 2 tbsp) grated kefalotyri, San Mihalis, Parmesan or a mixture
4 eggs separated, whites whipped into soft peaks with a pinch of salt
1 tbsp butter, and dried breadcrumbs for the baking dish and
2 tbsp grated cheese for sprinkling over the top
A little extra butter
First, prepare the ground meat sauce. Sauté the onion, carrot, celery and bacon in olive oil until the onion is transparent. Add the ground meat and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring until well browned and without lumps. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Cayenne. Pour in the brandy and stir for a moment or two. Pour in the wine and cook for 5 minutes until the alcohol evaporates. Then add the grated tomatoes, sugar and enough hot water to barely cover. Simmer until the meat is cooked and almost dry, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt, pepper and sugar, if necessary, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and set aside.
Or
Sauté the mushrooms and the garlic over high heat, stirring constantly, until slightly brown and dry. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
Lower the heat and add the grated onion and chopped bacon and cook stirring for 5-6 minutes more. Return the mushrooms to the saucepan and stir and simmer for two minutes more. Then pour in the brandy and cook stirring until the alcohol evaporates. Add the stock, sprinkle with Cayenne, freshly ground black pepper and salt if necessary. Stir and simmer very gently until the sauce thickens. Taste once more and season accordingly, if needed. Sprinkle with parsley, stir and set aside.
Prepare the béchamel sauce. Melt butter, add the bay leaf and cornflour and cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Add the hot milk and stir for 10-12 minutes until the sauce boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the cheese and cool a little. Then add the egg yolks and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Finally, fold in the whipped egg whites.
Cook the macaroni in boiling, salted water until “al dente”. Drain and return to the saucepan, sprinkle with grated cheese, pour the hot butter over and swirl. Add the ground meat sauce or mushroom sauce, and about 2-3 cups béchamel and mix gently but thoroughly together.
Butter a baking dish and sprinkle with dried bread crumbs. Add the macaroni mixture and level the surface. Cover with the remaining béchamel sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, dot with butter and bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown. Cool slightly, cut into portions and serve with a large green salad.
HILOPITES ME TRIA TYRIA
Tagliatelle with three kinds of cheese and ham
500 g (1lb) tagliatelle, boiled in salted water until al dente and drained
60 g (2 oz) softened butter
150 g (5 oz) cubed feta cheese
150 g (5 oz) cubed graviera cheese
150 g (5 oz) cubed kasseri cheese
250 g (8 oz) chopped ham
500 ml (2 cups) cream
Mix the tagliatelle with the butter, cheeses, ham and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to a large baking dish, pour over the cream and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 30 minutes until golden brown.
PASTOULA
Orzo pasta with tomatoes is a simple and inexpensive dish and very popular with children.
500 g (1 lb) orzo pasta
1 onion, peeled and grated
60 g (2 oz) butter or olive oil
3 large, ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded and grated, skins discarded
1 litre (4 cups) water or chicken or meat stock
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ tsp sugar or more, according to the acidity of the tomatoes
150 g (5 oz) grated, feta, kefalotyri or Parmesan
In a medium-sized saucepan, sauté the onion in butter or olive oil. Add the tomatoes, water or stock, bay leaf, salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar and boil for 8 minutes.
Add the orzo and stir until it boils. Lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 15-20 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed, adding more hot water or stock, if necessary, to prevent sticking.
Serve immediately sprinkled with grated cheese.
YOUVETSI
Youvetsi is traditionally baked in a deep, round earthenware baking dish, from which its name derives. This is a very popular dish, suitable for large gatherings.
1 kg (2 lb) stewing beef, lamb or chicken, cut into serving pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, grated
250 ml (1 cup) vermouth or dry white wine
4 large, ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded and grated, skins discarded, or
One 400 g (13oz + 2 tbsp) tin, peeled plum tomatoes or more if preferred
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
500 g (1 lb) medium-sized orzo or any other small pasta
Enough hot meat or chicken stock for the orzo
2-3 tbsp hot butter
120 g (4 oz) kefalotyri or Parmesan, grated
Saute the meat in 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the onions and simmer until transparent. Season the meat with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, pour in the wine or vermouth and stir for 1-2 minutes until the alcohol evaporates. Add the tomato, sugar and enough warm water (if necessary) to just cover. Simmer covered, until the meat is tender and the sauce thickens. Of course, each kind of meat has its own cooking time. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Separate the meat from the sauce with a slotted spoon.
Meanwhile, sauté the pasta in a tbsp of butter and remaining olive oil, stirring for 2-3 minutes, until it slightly changes colour. Pour in the meat or chicken stock, stir and simmer gently, covered, until the orzo is al dente, adding more stock or water if necessary.
Place the pasta in the youvetsi or any other suitable baking dish and stir in the tomato sauce and 1/3 of the grated cheese. Tuck in the meat evenly, drizzle with the remaining butter, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake in a moderate oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 15-20 minutes.
KTAPOTHI ME KOFTO MACARONAKI
Octopus with short cut macaroni.
1½ kg (3 lb) octopus, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp olive oil
125 ml (½ cup) white wine
3 medium-sized tomatoes, halved, seeded, grated, skins discarded
1½ tsp sugar or more according to the acidity of the tomatoes
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
500 g (1 lb) short cut macaroni, boiled al dente, in salted water
Place the octopus in a large saucepan and heat until it releases its juices. Simmer gently for 20 minutes.
In a small frying pan saute the onions in olive oil until soft and pour in the wine. Add them to the octopus with the tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf, and season with freshly ground black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until the octopus is tender and the sauce thickens. Taste and add a very little salt, if necessary. Serve over short cut macaroni with a glass of dry white wine.
In a small frying pan saute the onions in olive oil until soft and pour in the wine. Add them to the octopus with the tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf, and season with freshly ground black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until the octopus is tender and the sauce thickens. Taste and add a very little salt, if necessary. Serve over short cut macaroni with a glass of dry white wine.
ASTAKOMACARONADA
A delightful gourmet dish. Most Greek islands have their own version of “astakomacaronada”, this is one of the best.
2 lobsters, 1 kg (2 lb) each, halved lengthwise and cleaned, claws and legs removed and set aside
4 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 liqueur glasses brandy, heated
500 ml (2 cups) dry, white wine
1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded, grated, skins discarded
1 tsp or more sugar
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
500 g (1 lb) spaghetti, boiled in salted water until al dente, sprinkled with olive oil and kept warm
1 tbsp or more chopped parsley
Sauté the onions and garlic until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Season the lobsters with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place them in the saucepan the flesh touching the bottom of the pan. Add the claws and legs and cook briskly for about 5 minutes, until their shells change colour. Then pour in the hot bandy and flame. Add the wine, tomato, sautéed onion and garlic, a pinch of salt and the Cayenne pepper. Stir well, without disturbing the lobster halves, cover the saucepan and simmer very gently for 20-25 minute, shaking the saucepan occasionally.
With a slotted spoon arrange the lobsters on a heated serving dish. Remove the meat from the lobster halves, cut them into bite-sized pieces and return them into their shells. Also, crack the claws and legs, extract the meat, add them to the shells, and keep hot.
Reduce the sauce until it thickens, taste for seasoning and correct with salt pepper and sugar, if necessary. Add the spaghetti to the sauce and simmer for a few minutes more.
Place the spaghetti on a heated serving dish, arrange the lobster halves attractively on top and sprinkle with parsley and freshly ground black pepper. Kali orexi!
My son Yiannis, while reading this post told me you haven't written anything about striftaria. PASTITSADA
A traditional dish from the island of Corfu.
1 kg (2 lb) beef or veal, cut into bite-sized cubes
500 g (1 lb) bucatini
2 large onions, finely chopped
125 ml ( ½ cup) olive oil
2 tbsp tomato paste
250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine
1000 ml (4 cups) hot meat stock
250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine
1000 ml (4 cups) hot meat stock
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp butter
60 g (2 oz) Corfu cheese or Parmesan
Sauté the meat and onions in olive oil until slightly brown. Pour in the wine and cook for 4-5 minutes until the alcohol evaporates. Add the tomato paste, meat stock, cloves, cinnamon, Cayenne and black pepper and simmer for 1½ hours, or until the meat is tender, adding extra hot meat stock if and when necessary. Discard the cinnamon stick and the cloves.
Meanwhile, boil the bucatini in the remaining meat stock until al dente, drain and transfer to a warm bowl. Pour the melted butter over and sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve the meat over the bucatini.
Striftaria, which is Greek for twisted, is a popular Greek pasta, which looks slightly like a corkscrew. It is made with durum wheat, eggs and goat’s milk.
One producer, who specialises in delicious ancient Greek food and flavours, prepares them with a durum wheat called "mavragani", which is not easily found, so the production of their striftaria is “limited and in a small scale”.
Here are a couple of recipes for meals made with striftaria, which I hope you will enjoy.
STRIFTARIA WITH GARLIC, PLUM TOMATOES AND BASIL
A tasty dish which is very easy to prepare.
500 g (1 lb) striftaria pasta
125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin Greek olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 kg baby plum tomatoes, peeled and deseeded
1 cup chopped basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper or more if you prefer
250 ml (1 cup) white wine
Kefalotyri cheese, finely grated
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). In a baking dish pour 150 ml (5 liquid oz) olive oil with the crushed garlic, plum tomatoes, chopped basil, salt, freshly ground black pepper, Cayenne pepper and white wine. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to release their juices.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente and drain. Add the pasta to the sauce in the baking dish and toss gently but thoroughly. Place back into the hot oven for 10-12 minutes, pour yourself a glass of wine and serve immediately sprinkled with grated kefalotyri.
SHRIMPS WITH TOMATOES, FETA AND STRIFTARIA
This recipe resembles one that my dear friend, June Marinos, gave me. I have changed it slightly but thank you June, for the inspiration.
1 kg (2 lb) shrimp peeled, deveined thoroughly washed and patted dry. Reserve the heads and shells
3 tbsp olive oil
1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded, grated, skins discarded
3 garlic cloves, peeled finely chopped
3 tbsp finely chopped basil
250 g (½ lb) feta, cubed
30 g (1 oz) butter, cut into small pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
500 g (1 lb) striftaria pasta, boiled until al dente, strained and drizzled with a little olive oil
Sauté the reserved heads and shells of the shrimps in olive oil, pressing on the heads in order to extract as much taste as possible then discard them with a slotted spoon and reserve the olive oil.
Simmer the grated tomatoes until they thicken into a sauce and transfer to a shallow ovenproof dish and place the shrimps evenly over. Sprinkle with basil, garlic, feta cheese, drizzle with the flavoured olive oil, dot with butter and season with freshly ground pepper black, Cayenne pepper and a little salt. Broil for 10 minutes or until the feta melts and bubbles.
Serve the shrimps over the boiled striftaria, with a rocket salad.
Serve the shrimps over the boiled striftaria, with a rocket salad.
PASTA CON UOVA
To make 375 g (¾ lb) handmade pasta dough.
180 g plain flour
1 egg
1 egg white
¾ tbs olive oil
½ tsp salt
A few drops of water
Place the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the centre and put in the egg, egg white, olive oil and salt. Mix together with a fork until the dough can be gathered into a ball. Moisten any remaining dry bits of flour with drops of water and press them into a ball. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding extra flour if the dough seems sticky.
Wrap the dough with cling film and allow to rest for ½ an hour at least, before using.
Divide the homemade pasta into two balls. Roll each ball into a paper-thin sheet of dough, dust with flour and gently roll it into a jam-roll shape.
With a long, sharp knife slice each rolled dough sheet into 0.3175 cm (0.125 inch) slices for tagliarini, into 0.635 cm (0,25 inch) slices for fettuccine or tagliatelle and 2.54 cm (1 inch) to 5.08 cm (2 inches) for lasagne. Unroll the strips and place them aside on baking parchment.
Needless to say one could use a pasta machine, that prepares the dough, rolls it out and slices it.
One can also make cannelloni, tortellini and ravioli with this homemade pasta dough.
FETTUCCINE AL BURO
Egg noodles with butter and cheese.
120 g (4 oz) butter
60 g (2 oz) double cream
60 g (2 oz) grated Parmesan
Water
¾ tbsp. salt
500 g (1 lb) fettuccine, commercial or homemade
1 white truffle, very thinly sliced
Freshly grated Parmesan
Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the cream, a little at a time, and then stir in the grated Parmesan, a few tablespoonfuls at a time. Cover this mixture and refrigerate if it is not be used at once. Be sure to bring it back to room temperature before tossing it with the fettuccine.
Boil the fettuccine in salted water for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the strands from sticking to one another, until boiled al dente. Immediately strain and transfer into a hot serving bowl. Add the butter, cream and Parmesan mixture to the fettuccine and toss until every strand is well coated. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper if necessary. Serve at once with extra grated Parmesan.
RAVIOLI
To make about 60 ravioli you will need:
Homemade pasta dough
Filling:
1 ½ cup ricotta
90 g (3 oz) grated Parmesan
1 small tsp grated onion
3 egg yolks
1 ½ tsp salt
Place all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl and mix very well together.
Divide the pasta dough into four pieces and roll out the first ¼ of the dough to make it as thin as possible. Cover the pastry sheet with a damp towel to preventing from drying out, and roll out the second quarter of the dough in the same fashion and size.
Using the first pastry sheet as a sort of chess board, place mound of about ¾ tsp. of the cheese and egg yolk mixture every 5 cm (2 inches) across and down the pasta sheet. Dip a small pastry brush into a bowl of water and make vertical and horizontal lines in a chessboard pattern on the pastry sheet, between the mounds of cheese filling, being sure to use enough water. Carefully place the second pastry sheet over the first one pressing firmly around the filling along the wetted lines.
With a pastry wheel or a small sharp knife, cut the pasta into squares along the wetted lines. Separate the ravioli and place them on baking parchment. In the same way roll out, fill and cut the other two portions of the dough.
Cook the ravioli in rapidly boiling salted water, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, to prevent them from sticking to one another for about 8-10 minutes or until tender and drain them thoroughly in a large colander.
Serve the ravioli with a tomato sauce* or add butter and freshly grated Parmesan cheese and gently stir them together before serving.
*SALSA DI POMODORI
5 tsp olive oil
75 g (2 1/ oz) grated onion
750 g (1½ lb) fresh or tinned plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 ½ tbsp. tomato paste
¾ tbsp. finely cut fresh basil
Sugar to taste ( about 1 tsp)
2 saltspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sauté the onions in olive oil, for 7-8 minutes, until cooked but not brown. Add the remaining ingredients, lower the heat, and simmer very gently, with the saucepan partially covered for about ½ an hour, or more if necessary, stirring occasionally.
Press the sauce through a fine sieve or blend and sieve. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve hot.
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| Tortellini drenched with Tomato Sauce and Served with Garlic Bread |
Pasta rings stuffed with chicken and cheese.
To make about 80
Stuffing:
2 kg (4 lb) skinned and boned chicken breasts, cooked and finely chopped
60 g (2 oz) finely grated Parmesan
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
½ saltspoon grated lemon peel
½ saltspoon grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 double recipe of the homemade pasta dough (please see above)
Grated Parmesan and butter
Mix the first 5 ingredients for the stuffing very well together and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Break of ¼ of the pasta dough and cover the rest with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until paper thin. Then cut into 5 cm (2 inches) rounds with a pastry cutter or the rim of a small glass. Place ¼ tbsp filling on the centre of each round, brush the edges with water, fold over to cover the stuffing and press firmly to seal the package.
Shape into little rings by stretching the tips of each half circle slightly and wrapping the ring around your index finger. Gently press the tips together.
Shape into little rings by stretching the tips of each half circle slightly and wrapping the ring around your index finger. Gently press the tips together.
Boil the tortellini in salted water, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes or until they are tender. Drain them in a large colander. Serve them with tomato sauce or ragu Bolognese (please see recipe below*), or drizzled with butter and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
Here is the recipe for ragu Bolognese:
RAGU BOLOGNESE
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| Ragu Bolognese over Tagliatelle |
A delicious North Italian minced meat sauce. It is also very popular in Greece, but we don't use smoked ham and cream.
½ cup finely chopped smoked ham
150 g (5 oz) chopped onions
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
60 g (2 oz) chopped celery
60 g (2 oz) butter or margarine
5 tsp olive oil
500 g (1 lb) beef, minced twice
250 g (½ lb) lean pork, minced twice
250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine
¾ pint beef stock
2 scant tbsp tomato paste
½ pint double cream
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the chopped ham, onions, carrot and celery on a cutting board and chop them together into very small pieces. (This mixture is called a battuto, when it is cooked is called a sofrito).
Sauté the battuto in half the butter for 10 minutes until slightly brown. With a rubber spatula scrape the sofrito into a large saucepan.
Heat the olive oil in the same frying pan and sauté the minced beef and pork until slightly brown, stirring constantly to break up any lumps. Add the meat to the sofrito in the saucepan and the remaining butter and stir and sauté together for a minute or two. Pour in the wine and boil briskly, stirring until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the stock and the tomato paste. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat and simmer gently, partially covered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
A few minutes before serving, stir in the cream and heat through. Taste the ragu and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. The ragu is also wonderful over boiled spaghetti or tagliatelle.
A few minutes before serving, stir in the cream and heat through. Taste the ragu and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. The ragu is also wonderful over boiled spaghetti or tagliatelle.
CANNELLONI
Pasta tubes, filled with meat and baked in tomato and béchamel sauce.
Pasta dough
Water and salt
On a floured surface, roll out the dough until paper thin. Then, cut the pastry sheet into rectangles 5.2 x 7.62 cm (5x7.62 inches). Bring the salted water to the boil and drop in the pieces of pasta and stir gently with a wooden spoon to prevent them from sticking to each other. Bring to the boil, over high heat, and cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Drain, then cool slightly and spread the pasta on a paper towel to dry.
Filling:
5 tsp olive oil
45 g (1½ oz) finely chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
300 g (10 oz) cooked spinach, Squeezed dry and finely chopped
30 g (1 oz) butter
500 g (1 lb) beef, minced twice
60 g (2 oz) grated Parmesan
30 ml (1 liquid oz) double cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 saltspoons dried oregano, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil, stirring often, for 7-8 minutes until they are soft but not brown. Stir in the spinach and cook stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes. When all the moisture has boiled away and the spinach sticks lightly to the saucepan, transfer it to a large bowl.
Sauté the minced meat in 15 g (1 oz ) butter, stirring constantly to break up any lumps and add it to the onion and spinach mixture. Also add the Parmesan, cream and oregano. Mix the ingredients thoroughly together. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
Besciamella:
60 g (2 oz) butter
1 bay leaf
30 g (1 oz) plain flour
250 ml (1 cup) hot milk
250 ml (1 cup) double cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Melt the butter over medium heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the bay leaf and stir in the flour. Pour in the milk and cream all at once, whisking constantly until the flour is partially dissolved. Then return the saucepan to high heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk. When the sauce comes to a boil and is smooth, reduce the heat. Simmer, still stirring, for 2-3 minutes longer or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the wires of the whisk heavily. Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt and white pepper.
Topping:
Salsa di Pomodori (double the recipe shown above)
45 g (1 1/2 oz) grated Parmesan
30 g (1 oz) butter cut into tiny pieces
Assembling and baking the cannelloni:
Preheat the oven to 180 C (250 F). Place a tablespoonful of filling on the bottom third of each of the pasta rectangles and roll them up. Pour a film of tomato sauce on a large but shallow baking dish and lay the cannelloni side by side in one layer on the tomato sauce. Pour the besciamella over and spoon the rest of the tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and dot with butter. Bake the cannelloni in the middles of the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling. You could slide the Pyrex dish under a hot grill for 30 seconds to brown the top if you wish.
Besciamella:
60 g (2 oz) butter
1 bay leaf
30 g (1 oz) plain flour
250 ml (1 cup) hot milk
250 ml (1 cup) double cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Melt the butter over medium heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the bay leaf and stir in the flour. Pour in the milk and cream all at once, whisking constantly until the flour is partially dissolved. Then return the saucepan to high heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk. When the sauce comes to a boil and is smooth, reduce the heat. Simmer, still stirring, for 2-3 minutes longer or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the wires of the whisk heavily. Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt and white pepper.
Topping:
Salsa di Pomodori (double the recipe shown above)
45 g (1 1/2 oz) grated Parmesan
30 g (1 oz) butter cut into tiny pieces
Assembling and baking the cannelloni:
Preheat the oven to 180 C (250 F). Place a tablespoonful of filling on the bottom third of each of the pasta rectangles and roll them up. Pour a film of tomato sauce on a large but shallow baking dish and lay the cannelloni side by side in one layer on the tomato sauce. Pour the besciamella over and spoon the rest of the tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and dot with butter. Bake the cannelloni in the middles of the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling. You could slide the Pyrex dish under a hot grill for 30 seconds to brown the top if you wish.
SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA
Spaghetti with egg and bacon sauce.
60 g (2 oz) butter, softened
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
120 g (4 oz) grated Parmesan
Water
1 small tsp salt
500 g (1 lb) spaghetti or linguine
8 rashers bacon, chopped crosswise into small pieces
1 small tsp dried red pepper flakes
125 ml (½ cup) double cream
Freshly grated black pepper
Whip the butter until light and fluffy. In another small bowl beat the eggs and the egg yolks until well blended and add 60 g (2 oz) of grated Parmesan. Put both bowls aside
Heat a large Pyrex serving bowl in an oven preheated to 93.3 C (200 F). At the same time, cook the spaghetti in salted water for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until cooked al dente.
Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crisp, pour off half the amount of bacon fat and stir in the red pepper flakes and then the cream. Bring the cream to a simmer and keep it warm until the spaghetti is cooked.
When the spaghetti is cooked, strain in a colander. Transfer to the warm serving bowl and stir in the creamed butter tossing very well so that each strand is covered with butter. Stir in the hot bacon and cream mixture and finally the beaten eggs and cheese, mixing everything thoroughly together. The heat of the pasta and the other ingredients will cook the raw eggs on contact. Taste and season with salt and a few grindings of pepper. Serve the carbonara, immediately, with the remaining Parmesan.
SPAGHETTI CON LE VONGOLE
Spaghetti with clam sauce.
5 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250 ml (1 cup) clam broth
250 ml (1 cup) dry, white wine
Water
500 g (1 lb) spaghetti
Water
Salt
30 g (1 oz) butter, softened
36 small hardshell clams, shelled
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly black pepper to taste
Sauté the chopped garlic in olive oil, over moderate heat, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds. Pour in the clam broth and the wine and boil briskly over high heat, until the foam disappears, and the liquid has reduced by ¾ of a cup. Remove from the heat and reserve.
Boil the spaghetti in salted water for 7-12 minutes, stirring gently to prevent the spaghetti strands from sticking to each other. When the spaghetti is cooked al dente, drain and transfer to a large, heated serving bowl and toss with the soft butter.
Bring the reserved sauce in the saucepan to the boil, over high heat, and add the clams. Cook the clams, turning them constantly for 1-2 minutes. Then pour the clams and sauce over the spaghetti, sprinkle with chopped parsley and toss together with two large forks until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Taste and season with salt and white pepper. Serve at once.
SPAGHETTI ALLA PUTTANESCA
A famous Italian pasta dish.
62.2 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded, grated, skins discarded
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup chopped basil
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
3 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 tbsp capers, soaked in water for 15 minutes and strained
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
½ tsp dried red chilli flakes
500 g (1 lb) spaghetti
Pecorino cheese, grated
Sauté the garlic for 1 minute in the olive oil, until fragrant. Add the grated tomato, tomato paste, chopped basil, olives, anchovies, capers, thyme leaves and dried red chilli flakes.
Simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the sauce thickens, taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente, drain and return to the saucepan. Add the sauce, sprinkle with basil and toss over low heat until the sauce coats the pasta evenly. Serve sprinkled with pecorino cheese
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| Fruit by Kostas Karnavas |
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