Fettuccine Alfredo

Cook Time: 50 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

Pasta Dough:

3 cups 00 flour or unbleached all-purpose, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs plus 2 yolks
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon water
Cornmeal, for dusting


Directions

To make pasta dough: Combine the flour and salt; shape into a mound on your work surface and make a well in the center. Add whole eggs, yolks, and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the well and lightly beat with a fork. Gradually draw in the flour from the inside wall of the well in a circular motion. Use 1 hand for mixing and the other to protect the outer wall. Continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. Knead and fold the dough until elastic and smooth, this should take about 10 minutes. Brush the surface with remaining olive oil and wrap the dough in plastic wrap; let rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. Divide the ball of dough in small sections, cover and reserve the dough you are not immediately using to prevent it from drying out. Form the dough into a rectangle and roll it through the pasta machine, 2 or 3 times, at widest setting. Pull and stretch the sheet of dough with the palm of your hand as it emerges from the rollers. Reduce the setting and crank dough through again, 2 or 3 times. Continue tightening and rolling until the sheet is about 1/4-inch thick. Keep in mind, overly thick pasta tastes gummy. Cut the long sheet into workable 18-inch pieces. Now, using the fettuccine cutting attachment, run the sheets through the cutting slot. Dust the noodles and a baking sheet with cornmeal. Coil the strands into a nest. Allow to dry for about 10 minutes before cooking.


Alfredo Sauce:

1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly cracked black pepper
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish


To prepare alfredo sauce: Heat heavy cream over low-medium heat in a deep saute pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. In a large stockpot, cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Quickly drain the pasta and add it to the saute pan, gently toss the noodles to coat in the alfredo. Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl. Top with more grated cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.


From: foodnetwork.com

Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

Cook Time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

* 1 pound linguini
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
* 2 shallots, finely diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
* 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* Juice of 1 lemon
* 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

Directions

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it
has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the
linguini. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water
returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is
not quite done. Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2
tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots,
garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are
translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and
pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink,
about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and
keep warm. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Add 2
tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted,
return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta.
Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more
olive oil and serve immediately.

From: foodnetwork.com

Tagliatelle Bolognese

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

* 2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, wiped of grit
* 1/4 pound pancetta or slab bacon, finely chopped
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
* 2 carrots, finely chopped
* 5 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
* 2 bay leaves
* 2 sprigs rosemary
* 1 1/2 pound ground pork
* 1 1/2 pound ground beef
* 2 cups milk
* 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 2 cups dry red wine
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound dry tagiatelle pasta
* Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
* 1 handful fresh basil leaves
* Fresh ricotta cheese

Directions

Reconstitute the mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes until
tender, drain and coarsely chop.

Puree the mushrooms, pancetta, onion, celery stalks, carrots, garlic,
together in a blender.

In a heavy-bottomed pot add olive oil, bay leaves, herbs and cook
gently until fragrant, then add vegetable puree and continue to cook
for a further 5 to 10 minutes.

Raise the heat a bit and add the ground pork and beef; brown until the
meat is no longer pink, breaking up the clumps with a wooden spoon.
Add the milk and simmer until the liquid is evaporated, about 10
minutes. Carefully pour in the tomatoes, and wine and season with salt
and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat and cover.
Slowly simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the
sauce is very thick. Taste again for salt and pepper.

When you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a
boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet
firm (as they say in Italian "al dente"). Drain the pasta well and
toss with the Bolognese sauce.

Serve with a good scoop of fresh ricotta cheese and garnish with some
shredded basil, grated Parmigiano and a drizzle of olive oil

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Cook Time: 1 hr
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

* Extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, smashed
* 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
* 1 cup milk
* 4 thick slices firm white bread, crust removed
* 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
* 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 4 cups heated Pomodoro Sauce, recipe follows, or good quality
jarred tomato sauce
* 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, cut into chunks
* Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh basil
* 1 pound spaghetti

Directions

Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti. Heat 3
tablespoons oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the
onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until the vegetables are soft but
still translucent, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let
cool.

Pour enough milk over the bread in a bowl to moisten and let it soak
while the onions are cooling. Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add
the egg and Parmigiano and season generously with salt and pepper. Use
your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add that to
the bowl along with the cooled onion mixture. (Hang onto the pan -
you'll need it to cook the meatballs.) Gently combine all the
ingredients with your hands or with a spoon until just mixed together.
Don't overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Divide into 10 equal
pieces and shape them into 10 nice looking meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a 3-count of oil in the frying pan over medium heat and brown the
meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes. Put them into a baking dish
and spoon about half of the tomato sauce over. Shower with the
mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil. Put the meatballs in the oven
and bake until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until al dente,
about 8 minutes. Drain and put it onto a large serving platter. Pour
on the rest of the sauce and mix well. Spoon the meatballs on top of
the spaghetti and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately along
with extra cheese.

Pomodoro Sauce:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, drained and
crushed by hand, liquid reserved

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the
onion and garlic and cook until the vegetables are soft, 4 to 5
minutes. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes)
and about 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid and season with salt and
pepper. Cook until the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes. Taste and
adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring for a
few minutes with a wooden spoon to further break up the tomatoes.
Reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the fresh
basil and season again.

Yield: 4 cups

Mac 'N Cheese with Bacon and Cheese

Cook Time: 40 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

* Kosher salt
* 1 pound elbow macaroni
* 4 cups milk
* 2 or 3 sprigs thyme
* 4 cloves garlic, smashed and divided
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 5 1/2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
* 4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
* 1 large onion, diced
* 2 garlic cloves, smashed
* Leaves from 1/4 bunch fresh thyme

Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni
and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme sprigs and 2 garlic
cloves. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high
heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring
constantly, to keep lumps from forming. Strain the solids out of the
milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk
vigorously, and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the
4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese.
Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley
and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture.
Scrape into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1
1/2 cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

While that bakes, heat a saute pan. Add the bacon, render the fat and
cook until crispy. Add onion, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for
about 5 minutes to soften the onion. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the mac and cheese. Use a big
spoon to scoop out servings, making sure you get some of the smoking
bacon mixture on each spoonful.

Spaghetti with Oven Baked Clams

Cook Time: 14 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients
Clams:

* 40 littleneck clams, well scrubbed
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
* 10 garlic cloves, smashed with the back of a knife
* 1/4 pound pancetta, small dice
* 2 dried red chiles
* Handful fresh basil leaves
* 1/4 cup white wine
* 2 pints cherry tomatoes,(yellow and red), stemmed
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound spaghetti

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, scrub the
clams with a stiff brush under cold running water and discard any that
are open. Put a medium roasting pan over 2 burners.

Add the olive oil, garlic, pancetta, chiles, and herbs and cook until
the pancetta renders, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the clams, the wine,
tomatoes, and a good amount of pepper and toss that all together.
Transfer pan to oven and roast until the clams open, about 10 minutes.
While the clams are cooking, drop the pasta into the water for 7 to 8
minutes. Drain. Dump the drained pasta into a serving bowl, and toss
with clams. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, freshly ground black
pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Cook Time: 1 hour
Level: Easy
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

* Extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, smashed
* 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
* 1 cup milk
* 4 thick slices firm white bread, crust removed
* 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
* 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 4 cups heated Pomodoro Sauce, recipe follows, or good quality
jarred tomato sauce
* 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, cut into chunks
* Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh basil
* 1 pound spaghetti

Directions

Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti. Heat 3
tablespoons oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the
onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until the vegetables are soft but
still translucent, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let
cool.

Pour enough milk over the bread in a bowl to moisten and let it soak
while the onions are cooling. Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add
the egg and Parmigiano and season generously with salt and pepper. Use
your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add that to
the bowl along with the cooled onion mixture. (Hang onto the pan -
you'll need it to cook the meatballs.) Gently combine all the
ingredients with your hands or with a spoon until just mixed together.
Don't overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Divide into 10 equal
pieces and shape them into 10 nice looking meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a 3-count of oil in the frying pan over medium heat and brown the
meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes. Put them into a baking dish
and spoon about half of the tomato sauce over. Shower with the
mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil. Put the meatballs in the oven
and bake until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until al dente,
about 8 minutes. Drain and put it onto a large serving platter. Pour
on the rest of the sauce and mix well. Spoon the meatballs on top of
the spaghetti and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately along
with extra cheese.
Pomodoro Sauce:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, drained and
crushed by hand, liquid reserved

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the
onion and garlic and cook until the vegetables are soft, 4 to 5
minutes. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes)
and about 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid and season with salt and
pepper. Cook until the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes. Taste and
adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring for a
few minutes with a wooden spoon to further break up the tomatoes.
Reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the fresh
basil and season again.

Yield: 4 cups

The Ultimate Lasagna

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 min
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

* 2 pound dried lasagna noodles
* Extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 pounds ground beef
* 2 pound ground Italian sausage
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, sliced
* 3 carrots, chopped
* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
* 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
* 1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups red wine
* 2 (28-ounce) cans tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
* 3 tablespoons heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 quarts ricotta cheese, (2 containers)
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
* Grated Parmesan and mozzarella, for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until
pliable and barely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon
to prevent sticking. Drain the noodles thoroughly and coat with olive
oil to keep them moist and easy to work with.

Coat a large skillet with olive oil, add beef and sausage and brown
until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
In a food processor, combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic,
basil, parsley, an oregano. Process until pureed, add to the pan with
the ground meat and stir to combine. Stir in the flour. Add the wine
and cook until it has reduced by half. Stir in the tomatoes and add
the heavy cream and the cinnamon.

In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta and the parmesan. Stir in the eggs
and season with salt and pepper.

To assemble the lasagna: Coat the bottom of a deep 13 by 9-inch pan
with olive oil. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise in a slightly overlapping
layer on the sauce. Then, line each end of the pan with a lasagna
noodle. This forms a collar that holds in the corners. Dollop 1/2 of
the ricotta mixture over the pasta, spread to the edges with a
spatula. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the ricotta. Sprinkle 1/2
of the mozzarella on top of the ricotta. Top with a ladle full of
sauce, spread evenly. Repeat with the next layer of noodles, ricotta,
sauce, and cheeses. Top last layer with noodles, sauce, shredded
mozzarella and Parmesan. Tap the pan to force out air bubbles. Bake
for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Let lasagna rest for 30 minutes so the
noodles will settle and cut easily. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

From: foodnetwork.com