Greetings! I am so excited to cook with all of you. We will be cooking through recipes below step-by-step, and learning to make pasta by hand. I like to color my pastas with freeze-dried natural vegetable powders. These are totally optional and add minimal flavor, but are absolutely beautiful. They can be easily found at Whole Foods or the internet. Alternatively, dried parsley will add a nice speckling to the dough, as well.

To cook along, please be sure to have all of your ingredients, measured out, and organized! As we say in the restaurant, “Mise en Place!”

Serving sizes are estimates, and always depend on who is eating, and what else is being served and enjoyed with the meal

One Dough, Endless Pastabilities

Flour & Water Pasta Dough

150g (approx 1 cup) rimacinata semolina (substitute durum wheat or semolina flour)

150g (approx 1 cup) 00 Flour (substitute AP or Bread Flour)

140-155g (approx 1cup) water, warm (approx 90F)

15-25g (approx 1 Tb) freeze dried vegetable powder (optional)

(makes 2-3 servings)

1. using the well method, slowly start with the water in the middle of well of flour, and while stirring, draw the flour into the center.

2. gradually draw more of the flour into the center until a shaggy dough begins to form.

3. using a bench scraper, fold the dough ball over itself to draw the remainder of the water and flour together.

4. using your hands, begin to knead the dough, folding it over itself, and rotating the mass, turning it repeatedly.

5. continue to knead until a smooth and supple dough forms. (15-25 minutes)

6. wrap tightly in plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to an hour.

(for gluten free pasta - substitute semolina and 00 flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour or Cup4Cup + 1 whole egg)

alla Vodka

3 tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter

1 medium (8-ounce; 225g) white onion, diced

4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced

pinch red pepper flakes

salt

4oz tomato paste

14oz can whole peeled tomatoes

1 cup (240ml) heavy cream

1/4 cup (60ml) vodka, plus more if desired

2 ounces (55g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

kitchen equipment

large mixing bowl (for dough, optional)

kitchen scale

blender

bench scraper or pastry card (substitute knife)

2ea baking sheets (parchment paper optional - for holding pasta)

pasta pot (for boiling water)

sauce pot (for sauce)

saute pan (for pasta)

can opener

strainer or spider (for removing pasta from water)

spoon & fork (for eating)

kitchen towel

microplane or box grater

knife & cutting board

welcome pasta people