pasta Archives - Page 3 of 3 -

March 2, 2015

Spelt Pasta with Seared Scallops , Crisped Prosciutto, and Asparagus

Every once in a while I am able to lay aside my make-ahead casseroles, stews, and soups and prepare a fancier dinner that involves cooking and serving immediately. Even then however, I try to keep things as uncomplicated as possible so I often choose dishes with high quality ingredients, but are no-fuss in their preparation. Scallops are the quintessential food of elegance and simplicity. They are rather pricey so we don’t eat them often, but then they are all the more of a treat when we do have them.

There are so many great textures going on here in this dish. There’s the silky smoothness of the scallops, the crispy crunch from the prosciutto and asparagus, and the pleasant chewiness that comes from the fresh spelt pasta. Of course any store-bought pasta can be substituted for the fresh spelt pasta, but going through the extra effort of making homemade pasta for this dish makes it truly outstanding. It’s not everyday that I’m able to cook like this, but I celebrate the days when I can!

Spelt Pasta with Seared Scallops, Crisped Prosciutto, and Asparagus

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1½-inch lengths
1 recipe spelt pasta (or 1 pound pasta of choice)
3 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces fresh sea scallops (or defrosted if using frozen)
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 ounces prosciutto, diced
¼ cup finely minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus, boil for 1-2 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside for later. Add spelt pasta and boil for another 3-4 minutes, until pasta is just tender. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking liquid. Drain pasta and set aside.
Dry scallops thoroughly with paper towel. Season both sides with salt and pepper. In a heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add scallops one at a time and sear until browned on one side, about 3- 4 minutes. Carefully turn scallops to other side and sear for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer scallops to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside.
Add prosciutto to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove ¼ cup prosciutto and set aside. Add onion, garlic, and wine and scrape up any browned buts. Boil wine mixture and reduce to about 2 tablespoons. Add cream and reserved pasta water and stir to combine. Continue to cook sauce to reduce slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add pasta and asparagus and toss to coat. Warm until heated through. Transfer to a large serving bowl or divide on to individual plates. Top with seared scallops, reserved prosciutto, and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

February 26, 2015

Homemade Spelt Pasta

For years I kept the pasta maker that was passed down from Ryan’s grandmother stashed away in the back of our pantry where it was easily forgotten. The whole process of homemade pasta making seemed intimidating and tedious and the pasta maker remained untouched for the longest time. Homemade pasta had been near the bottom on my long list of recipes to try. Then all of the sudden last year, the idea of making my own pasta intrigued me. I finally tried it and oh my goodness, homemade pasta takes pasta to a whole new level. Spelt flour has been a favorite to bake with for some time now and I also love it in this pasta. It gives the pasta a slightly nutty flavor without having an overwhelming wheat flavor. Realistically, fresh homemade pasta will not be the new normal around here, but it is a special treat once in a while. It does take some time, but it’s really not as much work as I had expected. There are two methods to making the dough- by hand or with a mixer or food processor. From my experience, I’ve had consistently better results when I make it by hand.

First, make a well in a mound of flour and fill with the lightly beaten eggs and olive oil. Use a fork to gradually incorporate the flour, starting in the middle and working outwards.

Knead the dough together by hand until the dough is smooth and flexible. Form the dough into a ball and allow to rest.

Make flat sheets of pasta through one side of the pasta machine.

Then cut those sheets into strips of noodles with the other side.

You have pasta!

Spelt Pasta

Ingredients

2½ cups whole spelt flour (10 ounces)
½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3-6 tablespoons water

Instructions

Make a mound of flour and sprinkle the salt across the top. Use a spoon to create a well in the center of the mound.
In a liquid measuring cup, lightly whisk together the eggs, olive oil, and 3 tablespoons of water. Pour the mixture into the well. Using a fork and a circular motion, gently incorporate the flour starting from the center and working outwards until all of the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough with your hands, adding more water 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary, until you can form a soft ball of dough. Continue to knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and flexible. Form the dough into a ball and cover with a glass bowl or plastic wrap. Allow dough to rest and relax for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
Secure pasta machine to the edge of a countertop. Divide dough into quarters. Take one of the quarters and keep the remaining three quarters covered. Flatten and shape the piece of dough into a rough rectangle. Start with the rollers on the thickest setting (this is #1 on my pasta machine) and roll the dough through the machine. Fold the dough into thirds towards the center of the rectangle. Roll the dough through the machine again starting with the open end of the dough. Fold and repeat once more. Continue rolling the pasta through the machine, gradually adjusting to the thinner settings. I like to roll the dough twice through at each setting and I stop at #4 on my pasta machine. After #3, the dough becomes quite long and I cut the dough in half to make the length more manageable.
Choose the size noodles you would like from the opposite side of the pasta machine and roll the thin sheets of pasta through the machine to cut into noodles. Allow pasta to dry on a pasta rack.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the remaining quarters of dough.
To cook the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir immediately to avoid sticking. Boil 2-4 minutes, until pasta floats to the top and is tender.

Notes

very slightly adapted from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals

April 28, 2014

Spinach and Prosciutto Stuffed Shells

It’s amazing how the quality of ingredients used can completely change the way a dish tastes. There is a world of difference between stuffed shells made with fresh whole milk ricotta without any added gums or stabilizers and those made with ricotta packed with added stabilizers. The ricotta in these stuffed shells lends to a creamy and slighty sweet dish with the prosciutto balancing the sweetness with its salty flavor. The prosciutto transforms this meal into one that is worthy of serving to company and it is perfect for making ahead of time and simply putting in the oven as guests arrive. Enjoy!

Spinach and Prosciutto Stuffed Shells

Serves: 6

Ingredients

For the shells:
15 oz. whole milk ricotta
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, slightly beaten
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
20 pasta shells
extra mozzarella and parmesan for sprinkling on top
For the sauce:
1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes
1 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon garlic salt

Instructions

Cook pasta shells in salted boiling water according to package directions.
Cook the spinach in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Drain and squeeze excess water out and roughly chop spinach.
In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper until well blended. Set aside.
In another medium bowl, mix the stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, and salt.
In a 9x13 baking dish, spread a thin layer of the tomato mixture to cover the bottom of the pan.
Divide the ricotta filling among the stuffed shells, about 1½ - 2 tablespoons per shell. Arrange the shells neatly in the baking pan.
Spoon remaining tomato mixture over the shells and sprinkle with extra mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 400. Uncover and continue baking for another 15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Notes

filling adapted from Giada De Laurentiis's Lasagna Rolls