The Daring Bakers: Lasagna and Ravioli

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

I have to admit, I wasn't so thrilled when I saw this months challenge. But after thinking about it for awhile, I realized I could also make ravioli with half the recipe. I'm having a 7 course dinner party next month, and this would make a perfect course. A little attitude adjustment, and I was pretty excited to give this long, and I do mean long, recipe a try.

The recipe consisted of three elements.

A Ragu sauce,
Spinach Pasta,
White sauce.

Lets start with the ragu!

I thought it was delicious!!!
The recipe actually called for beef, pork, and veal. I opted to just go for the beef. I bought some skirt steak and ground it in the food processor. So much better then hamburger!!!

It's got onions, celery, carrots in there with tomatoes, wine, and seasonings. Simmered for hours, it wasn't hard to make, just hours of simmering time. I'll make it again. Perfect for one of those stay at home rainy kind of days!!!

The second element was the pasta. It was fun to mix this together. Just three ingredients.

But if I ever do this again, I'll invest in a pasta roller.
In fact, I think I'll start pricing me one! ;)

It seems I had pasta every where but it was so fun to look at. MY PASTA!!!
It was so exciting to see my results.

And I cut out little circles and filled them some ragu.

Sealed and crimped with my umpteen year old Pampered Chef thingamajig that I have never used. Glad I'm a pack rat! Look how beautiful! Let's just pause for a moment and...
and admire them!

The third element of this challenge was the Bechamel sauce AKA white sauce. Simple white sauce with a dash of fresh nutmeg. That is what I'm going to use as the sauce for these beautiful raviolis. They're in the freezer just waiting for the party. They will get a quick dip in the hot tub, then be dressed in white for their presentation. I can't wait!

If you would like this recipe, you can click here

It's Not Your Mama's Mac and Cheese!

If your looking for creamy, cheesy, comforting, southern kind of mac and cheese, It's not here. In fact, the name MAC and cheese doesn't even do this little lady justice. That's because she's all grown up and sophisticated.

She's got style, she's got grace, She's a winner.
She's a Lady. Whoa whoa whoa, She's a Lady.

Remember that song? It's by Tom Jones. Remember?

I've had that song on my mind since I made Ina Gartens grown up version of macaroni and cheese. This little dish has Gruyere, sharp Cheddar and blue cheese in it.


I told you she was grown-up.

I was Leary about the blue cheese but it all comes together and it really works! The picky kid, who I thought would hate it, ate two bowls before I could even get the topping on and put it in the oven. The sure sign of a winner in my family.

Thanks to Heather from Randomosity and the girl for picking this Barefoot Bloggers recipe. If you want the recipe, you'll find it on Heathers blog here or on the food network site here.
I say give her a whirl!
But instead of Mac and cheese, let's call her *Three Cheese and Roni*

Yeah yeah yeah She's a Lady
Listen to me baby, She's a
whoa whoa, She's a Lady
And the Lady is mine!


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Pasta, Pesto, and Peas

Day late and a pasta short. I signed up to be a Barefoot Blogger! We're a group of bloggers cooking our way through Ina Garten's cookbook Barefoot contessa. This recipe was chosen by Elizabeth from Ugg smell food. I was suppose to post this on the 2nd Thursday of the month. Oops! Day late.

This is the second recipe the group has done so I'm in from almost the beginning. I missed Baked eggs. I'll have to make up for that, maybe for fathers day breakfast. They looked fabulous.

Anyway, back to the pasta. It called for bow tie pasta and fusilli pasta. I didn't have any bow tie so I skipped it. A pasta short!

I also couldn't justify buying the basil (it was more expensive then the the pesto) so I bought pesto. I used half the pesto and half the mayo that the recipe called for. You would of never missed it, if I didn't tell you. That made this a quick and easy side dish.

Perfect with grilled chicken or a burger, this was a refreshing summer pasta salad. Give it a try, you'll be glad you did. Trust me!

PASTA, PESTO & PEAS

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil (I omitted)
1 1/2 cups pesto, packaged or see recipe below(I used 3/4 cup)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise (I used 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignolis, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

PESTO:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Notes:
Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

Yield: 4 cups

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Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray






1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating
Pumpernickel or whole grain bread, as an accompaniment
Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion, as an accompaniment, recipe follows

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.
Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.

Serve pumpkin sausage pasta with pumpernickel or whole grain bread and Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion.


Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion:
1 pound triple-washed spinach, de-stemmed
1 small Golden Delicious apple, quartered, cored, and sliced
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons (a couple of splashes) apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grain mustard
1 tablespoon (a good drizzle) honey
Coarse salt and black pepper

Place spinach, apple, and onion in a salad bowl. Place oil, vinegar, mustard and honey in a small plastic container and fit lid on container. Shake dressing to combine, 1 minute. Pour dressing over salad, toss, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Yield: 4 servings