Spaghetti alle Vongole

Spaghetti alle Vongole, a classic dish from Italy. Found on all the coast of the boot and Islands, some make good some make very blend, some make OK, but is hard to mess it up. Usually Spaghetti alle Vongole is served very simple, just with olive oil and white wine.
This is my version of the Spaghetti alle Vongole, the way I like. Adding a little bit of tomatoes, spice and why not some cilantro?

Spaghetti alle Vongole

1kg/2,2 Lbs fresh Vongole (Clams, from a clean sea)
1/2 chopped onion
4 cloves of garlic, sliced (No necessity to be super thin)
1 can tomatoes, crushed (Don't go cheap on that)
1 cup, dry white wine
4 tbsp Olive Oil
Crushed red peppers - Pepperoncini (Optional)
Hand Full of Fresh Parsley or cilantro

Fill a large bowl with cold water and stir in enough salt to make it salty like the sea. Add vongole and let stand 30 minutes. Lift vongole from water and discard purging water; if there is sand in the bottom of the bowl, rinse it out and repeat this process until vongole no longer release sand into the water (usually 2 to 3 purging cycles). Discard any vongole that are gaping open and refuse to close when prodded.
In a large skillet, combine oil with garlic, onion and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat until garlic and onion are lightly golden, about 5 minutes. (Adjust heat as necessary to keep it gently sizzling).
Add white wine, tomatoes, pepperoncino and vongole, cover, and increase heat to high. Cook, checking every 30 seconds or so and transferring clams as they open to a large heatproof bowl, until all vongole have opened, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
Allow vongole to cool slightly, then pull meat from shells; save a few shell-on vongole per serving for garnish. If vongole meat is large (for example, from larger littleneck vongole), you can roughly chop it.
In a pot or large skillet of salted water, cook pasta until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than cooking time on package). Transfer pasta to skillet with white-wine sauce, add a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water, and cook over high heat, stirring and tossing rapidly, until sauce has reduced and is beginning to form a creamy, emulsified coating on the noodles. Add more olive oil, and both vongole meat and shell-on vongole. Cook, stirring, vongole are heated through, about 1 minute; add more pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if sauce over-reduces and becomes dry or greasy. Season with salt if necessary. Remove from heat.
Stir in parsley or the cilantro and a drizzle more fresh olive oil. Transfer to bowls and serve right away.

Coffee Liquor

450g / 2 cups espresso coffee

450g / 2 cups sugar
5ml / 1 tea spoon Vanilla extract
450ml / 1.9 cups your favorite rum

You will need a moka pot or a espresso maker in order to make a strong enough coffee for this recipe.
In a sauce pan, combine the sugar and the coffee in low heat for five minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved. After the sugar is dissolved, let it cool down completely. After is completely cool down combine the Rum and the Vanilla extract. Bottle the liquor and keep for 2 days before drinking.

Coffee & Bailey's Semifreddo

A fusion of Ireland and Italy in one cup!?
This is a very simple semifreddo to prepare.

Adapted from traditional Coffee Semifreddo recipes that we can find in every cook book from Nonna's across Italy. We add Coffee liquor and Bailey's to the recipe instead of just coffee. If you would like to make the traditional recipe instead just substitute the 1/4 cup of Bailey's and 1/4 cup of coffee liquor for 1/2 cup of strong espresso coffee.
It's also possible to transform the Coffee & Bailey's semifreddo in a mousse. For making the mousse instead of the semifreddo, just let cool in the refrigerator instead of the freezer. Other use for this delicious dessert is to use as a cake filling. Just imagine how delicious a cake can be with coffee and Bailey's! 

So here is the recipe for the Coffee & Bailey's Semifreddo:


200g whipping cream
70g Mascarpone
70g Condensed milk
1/4 cup coffee liquor
1/4 cup Bailey's
Cocoa powder for dusting

In a big bowl, mix the condensed milk with mascarpone until is all incorporated. Then add the coffee liquor and Bailey's.
Using a mixer whip the cream until is firm. You can test it turning the bowl upside down.
Fold the whipped cream with the coffee & Bailey's mixture, fold very carefully to make it most fluffy as possible.
You can set the semifreddo in espresso cups in the freezer for about two hours.
Before serving, dust cocoa powder in the top and add a little bit more whipping cream.
It's possible to keep the Coffee & Bailey's semifreddo for six weeks on the freezer.

*For the coffee liquor you can use any type, but you can easily make your own following the recipe here in this link.

Chicken stuffed with pears wrapped in Parma ham with truffle cheese sauce

Ingredients for the chicken:
700gr / 1.5 pounds chicken breast in fillet
1 pear
200g/ 0,4 pounds Parma ham or black forest ham sliced
Olive oil or butter
Fresh sage (optional)

Ingredients for the sauce:
200g / 0,4 pounds truffled cheese or other cheese you like
200g / 0,4 pounds mascarpone
1 cup milk
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp flour
Truffle oil
Salt and pepper to taste

 First step is cut the pears in wedges, in a plate add one slice of Parma ham then put the chicken breast on the top. With the pear in the middle roll it.
 Bake the involtini in a cast iron skillet or copper pan with a little bit of olive oil or butter for about 30 minutes in 180C / 360F.
 When the involtini is cooked take them out of the pan. On the same pan you cooked the chicken add the sage and white wine and cook for about five minutes in medium heat or until the alcohol of the wine evaporates. Then, mix the mascarpone, the cheese and the cup with milk mixed with the flour. Let cook in low heat for five minutes. After the sauce is thick, add the chicken and few drops of Truffled olive oil!

Pasta dough recipes

Classic pasta dough

Bigoli dough

Chitarra pasta

Squid ink pasta

Beets pasta

Carrot pasta dough

Red pasta

Spinach pasta

Garganelli dough

Gluten free buckwheat pasta

Whole grain pasta

Gluten free pasta

Gluten free pasta dough

Ingredients

• 150 g gluten-free rice flour , plus extra for dusting
• 50 g potato starch
• 1 tablespoon corn flour
• 2 tablespoons xanthan gum
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 large free-range eggs
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  
  

  Method

  1. Place the ingredients in a food processor and blitz to a rough dough. Tip out onto a flour-dusted surface and knead for 3 to 5 minutes, or until smooth.
  2. Cut the dough into four pieces, then carefully press a portion out flat with your fingertips and start to roll it out using a pasta machine. Start at the widest setting and roll the dough through it, lightly dusting with the rice flour if it sticks. Roll the pasta through the widest setting a second time, then click the machine down a setting and roll the dough through again.
  3. Now, start clicking the settings down, rolling the pasta through each setting twice – gluten-free pasta isn’t as elastic as standard pasta, so make sure you avoid using the two narrowest settings, otherwise it may rip. Once you have a thin sheet of pasta (about 2mm thick), set aside on a flour-dusted surface and cover with a damp tea towel to avoid it drying out, then continue with the remaining dough.
  4. Now’s the time to transform your dough into whichever variety of pasta you like. If you want to make tagliatelle, roll the pasta through the tagliatelle setting on your pasta machine, or use a sharp knife to slice the pasta sheets lengthways into long strips (roughly 7mm thick), placing on a flour-dusted tray as you go. To cook, place in a pan of boiling salted water for around 3 minutes, or until al dente, then serve how you like it.

Garganelli dough

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup (7 oz) all purpose flour
• 1 ½ cup (7 oz) semolina flour
• 4 eggs
• Pinch of salt
• More flour for dusting

Instructions

Fresh pasta dough

1. Sift both flours on work surface (preferably wooden).
2. Scoop a well in the center and pour in slightly beaten eggs.
3. Add a pinch of salt and start mix all ingredients using a fork or a dough scraper until a crumbly dough forms. You can do this using your hands only if you’re OK getting s a little messy.
4. Continue to knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth, elstic and no longer sticky. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and let rest for 15-30 minutes or even overnight (in a cool place or in the fridge).

Rolling the dough

1. Cut off a piece of the dough and slightly flatten it with your fingers.
2. Sprinkle lightly with flour.
3. Option 1 (rolling pin)
4. Using a rolling pin roll the dough into approx 1 millimeter thick sheet.
5. Option 2 (Atlas Marcato Pasta Machine)
6. Set machine on the widest setting (0) and pass the dough for the first time.
7. Fold the dough in half and pass again on the same setting.
8. Adjust to the next-narrower setting, until you rich thickness of approx 1 mm or position 6 on Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine.
9. Return machine to original setting for each piece.
10. Arrange ready sheet on a lightly floured work surface.
11. Cut each sheet into 1.5x1.5 or 2x2 inch squares and let dry for 10-20 minutes. This will prevent garganelli from flattening when they’re ready.

Shape garganelli

1. Place a pasta square on a well floured gnocchi board (gnocchi paddle).
2. Fold a corner of the square over the garganelli pin.
3. If you don’t have a special pin, try using a simple chopstick or even a round wooden pencil.
4. Holding both ends of the pin roll it towards you. Apply pressure to imprint the ridges on the garganello and seal it at the same time.
5. Be careful not to press too hard to avoid the dough sticking to the board but apply enough pressure to seal and imprint the ridges.
6. Repeat the process with remaining squares and ultimately with the remaining dough.
7. Let shaped garganelli dry for about 15 minutes before cooking or let them dry completely overnight and store in a sealed plastic bag.Garga

Beets pasta

Ingredients:


For the pasta:

1 cup and a half 00 flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
1 medium beet, roasted, peeled and puréed (about 5 to 6 tbsp purée)
2 large whole eggs
3 large egg yolks

Instructions:
For the pasta:
On a clean counter, mound the all-purpose and semolina flours together and create a well in the middle. Add eggs, egg yolks, and beet purée to the well. Use a fork to break up the egg yolks and start drawing in flour using a swirling motion. Keep mixing in this fashion until the dough becomes sticky and difficult to swirl. At this point, take a bench scraper and gather the dough into a ball. Knead the dough with the heel of your hand for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic (it should bounce back when you press in with your fingers). If at any point while you're kneading, the dough is too dry or too sticky, add more flour or water as needed. Once the dough is ready, cover with an inverted bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.

Split the dough into six equal portions. Flour each portion then take them through the lowest setting of your pasta machine. Fold each portion into thirds like a letter and take them through the lowest setting again. Take the dough through the subsequent settings of your pasta machine until you reach your desired thickness. Cut the noodles using the fettuccine attachment (or by hand if you want a thicker type of noodle). If not using immediately, dust the pasta in flour and lay it on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. You can let the pasta dry for a bit before transferring it to the freezer.

Chitarra pasta

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups semolina (durum wheat) flour, plus more for sprinkling
  

  
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 6 extra-large eggs
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for the cooking water

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DIRECTIONS

To mix the pasta by hand: Measure the flours into a bowl and whisk to combine. Dump the mixture onto a clean work surface to create a mound. Make a wide well in the center. Break the eggs into the well and add the oil and salt. Beat lightly with a fork to break up the eggs. Begin incorporating flour from the inside wall of the mound to form a thick slurry. Once the mixture is too thick to mix, switch to your hands and start kneading. Continue to knead until you have incorporated all of the flour, or enough to make a stiff ball of dough. Knead for a few minutes

more, until the dough is smooth.

To mix in a food processor: Measure the flours and salt into a food processor, then pulse briefly to combine. Break the eggs into the flour mixture, then add the oil. Pulse until the mixture forms large, curdlike crumbs. Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface and gather it together to form a rough ball; then knead for several minutes to make a smooth, stiff ball of dough. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with clean kitchen towels and sprinkle with semolina flour.

Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and rewrap 3 (so they don't dry out). Using a hand-crank pasta machine or a stand mixer pasta roller attachment, stretch the piece of dough to a strip about 1/8-inch thick — thicker than you normally would for noodles. Let the sheet dry slightly while you roll out the remaining 3 pieces of dough in the same way.

If you're using a traditional chitarra, trim the sheets of pasta so they are about 3 inches shorter than the length of the instrument. (Save the trimmings in plastic wrap and reroll once to make one more sheet of pasta.) Place one sheet on the chitarra. Use a small rolling pin to roll back and forth over the dough, pressing, first gently and then more firmly as you go, to cut through the dough. A wood slat in the bottom of the chitarra will catch the noodles as they fall through the wires. (Some cooks “strum” the chitarra with their fingers to help the noodles drop.) Tip out the noodles, sprinkle them liberally with semolina and wrap them around your hand to form a nest. Set it on the prepared baking sheet. Cut the remaining sheets of pasta in the same way and set them on the baking sheet.

If you're using a pasta machine, use the chitarra attachment to cut the noodles. Form them into nests, then transfer to the baking sheet.

If you're cutting the spaghetti by hand, sprinkle a pasta sheet liberally with semolina flour. Beginning at one end, roll the sheet up loosely. Use a sharp knife or cleaver to cut the roll crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick noodles. Gently toss the noodles to separate them, sprinkle with more semolina, and place them in a mound on the baking sheet. 

To cook, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat, then salt the water generously. Drop in the chitarra nests and return the water to a boil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until al dente. 

Squid ink pasta

Ingredients

•   500g (4 cup) soft-wheat “00” flour

  
  
•   5 whole eggs and water up to a total of 250g (1.06 cup)
•   1 bag of squid ink
•   For tastier pasta, we suggest using a mix of 250g soft-wheat “00” flour and 250g durum wheat flour (semolina).

STEP 1 - Preparing the dough by hand

Pour the flour into a bowl; add the eggs, the water and the bag of squid ink.

Mix with a fork to thoroughly blend the ingredients with
Knead the dough with your hands until it is completely smooth and consistent. If the dough is too dry, add some water; if it is too sticky, add some flour. Perfect dough should never stick to your fingers.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a table, lightly dusted with flour.
If necessary, continue kneading the dough by hand and break it up into little pieces.

the flour. Do not add salt!

STEP 2 - Preparing pasta sheets

Set the adjustment knob of the machine to number 0, so that the two smooth rollers are fully open. Feed a piece of dough through the rollers while turning the crank clockwise or after turning on the motor.

Lightly dust both sides of the pasta sheet with flour and fold it in half. Feed the pasta sheet through the smooth rollers several times, until it is long and regular in shape.

Cut the pasta sheet in two and dust each piece lightly with flour on both sides.

Set the adjustment knob to 1 and pass the pasta sheet through just once; then, set the adjustment knob to 2 and pass the pasta sheet through once more; then, set the adjustment knob to 3, and so on until you reach the desired thickness (the recommended thickness setting is no. 6 for fettuccine and no. 7 for tagliolini).

Cut the pasta sheet crosswise, into pieces about 25cm long and dust them with flour.

STEP 3 - Cutting the pasta

Insert the crank or the motor in the cutting accessory and feed the pasta sheet through the rollers to cut it. Pick up the dough with the stick and transfer it to the Tacapasta.

The pasta dries in about 1-2 hours, depending on the temperature and humidity and can then be stored in suitable kitchen containers.

Tips

• do not use cold eggs straight out of the refrigerator;
• Do not add salt to the dough;
• clean the rollers of the machine by feeding a little dough between them;
• preserve home-made dried pasta for no more than 1 month;
• you can freeze freshly cut pasta, but always consume it within 1 month;
• cook the pasta in a large amount of hot water (4 litres for every ½ kg of pasta).

Red pasta

Ingredients

•   500g (4 cup) soft-wheat “00” flour
•   5 whole eggs and water up to a total of 250g (1.06 cup)
•   1 tablespoon of concentrated tomato paste
•   For tastier pasta, we suggest using a mix of 250g soft-wheat “00” flour and 250g durum wheat flour (semolina).

STEP 1 - Preparing the dough by hand

Pour the flour into a bowl; add the eggs, the water and

Mix with a fork to thoroughly blend the ingredients with the flour. Do not add salt!
Knead the dough with your hands until it is completely smooth and consistent. If the dough is too dry, add some water; if it is too sticky, add some flour. Perfect dough should never stick to your fingers.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a table, lightly dusted with flour.
If necessary, continue kneading the dough by hand and break it up into little pieces.

the tomato paste.

STEP 2 - Preparing short pasta with regina

Insert a small piece of dough into the Regina hopper and turn the crank. After a few moments the pasta will come out of the extruder. When it reaches the desired length, cut the pasta with the slicer.

Repeat this step, adding the dough in small pieces. Lay the freshly cut pasta on a cloth or tray and dust it with flour using Dispenser.

Tips

• do not use cold eggs straight out of the refrigerator;
• Do not add salt to the dough;
• preserve home-made dried pasta for no more than 1 month;
• you can freeze freshly cut pasta, but always consume it within 1 month;
• cook the pasta in a large amount of hot water (4 litres for every ½ kg of pasta).

Carrot pasta dough

Ingredients

•   500g (4 cup) soft-wheat “00” flour
•   5 whole eggs and water up to a total of 250g (1.06 cup)
•   150g carrots
•   For tastier pasta, we suggest using a mix of 250g soft-wheat “00” flour and 250g durum wheat flour (semolina).

STEP 1 - Preparing the dough by hand

Peel and slice the carrots, and boil them for 15-30 minutes; then blend them.

Pour the flour into a bowl; add the eggs, the water and the carrots in the middle.

Mix with a fork to thoroughly blend the ingredients with the flour. Do not add salt!
Knead the dough with your hands until it is completely smooth and consistent. If the dough is too dry, add some water; if it is too sticky, add some flour. Perfect dough should never stick to your fingers.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a table, lightly dusted with flour.
If necessary, continue kneading the dough by hand and break it up into little pieces.

STEP 2 - Preparing pasta sheets

Set the adjustment knob of the machine to number 0, so that the two smooth rollers are fully open. Feed a piece of dough through the rollers while turning the crank clockwise or after turning on the motor.

Lightly dust both sides of the pasta sheet with flour and fold it in half. Feed the pasta sheet through the smooth rollers several times, until it is long and regular in shape.

Cut the pasta sheet in two and dust each piece lightly with flour on both sides.

Set the adjustment knob to 1 and pass the pasta sheet through just once; then, set the adjustment knob to 2 and pass the pasta sheet through once more; then, set the adjustment knob to 3, and so on until you reach the desired thickness (the recommended thickness setting is no. 6 for fettuccine and no. 7 for tagliolini).

Cut the pasta sheet crosswise, into pieces about 25cm long and dust them with flour.

STEP 3 - Cutting the pasta

Insert the crank or the motor in the cutting accessory and feed the pasta sheet through the rollers to cut it. Pick up the dough with the stick and transfer it to the Tacapasta.

The pasta dries in about 1-2 hours, depending on the temperature and humidity and can then be stored in suitable kitchen containers.

Tips

• do not use cold eggs straight out of the refrigerator;
• Do not add salt to the dough;
• clean the rollers of the machine by feeding a little dough between them;
• preserve home-made dried pasta for no more than 1 month;
• you can freeze freshly cut pasta, but always consume it within 1 month;
• cook the pasta in a large amount of hot water (4 litres for every ½ kg of pasta).