How to make Basic Pasta Dough

Today, I'm very pleased with myself because I have created my first online video blog, and it was suprisingly easy. The first thing I have recorded is the simplest recipe I can think of and that's how to make Basic Pasta Dough. It's easy for two reasons, firstly it only has two ingredients, eggs and flour and secondly there are only three steps in making it.

I've watched TV chefs and Master Chef contestants make pasta hundreds of times on the television, and they always make it look really simple and quite quick to do. However, I think like the majority of home cooks, I have never tried making fresh pasta so today, as it's looking a bit overcast outside!, I've decided to give it a go.

I must mention, from the start that making fresh pasta is quick and fairly fool proof. So if it's a quick tea you're looking for fresh pasta hankerchiefs (fresh pasta, rolled out and cut into medium sized squares) with a ready made pasta or quick tomato sauce is ideal.

However, if you are thinking of making the pastsa and then filling it or using it to make tortellinin, canelloni, lasagna, spaghetti bolognese etc, it might be best when you have more time on your hands, not after you've finished work, tired and hungry and looking for something quick and easy to cook. Alternatively,if you make the sauce or filling the day before, then you will only have to make the pasta on the day.

Ingredients:

5 x medium sized free range eggs
1 lb plain white flour

1. Take a large mixing bowl, sift in the flour and make a 'well' in the middle.
   Crack the 5 x eggs into the 'well' and with a fork beat them until smooth, then gradually incorporate the flour until you are left with a sticky dough.
   
2. Using your hands gather the dough and knead for 5 minutes on a floured worktop.
   Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
   
3. Remove from the wrapping and roll out until very thin on a floured surface.
   Cut into whatever shapes you need; rectangles for lasagna sheets, sqaures for silk hankerchiefs, strips for tagiatelle or spaghetti, circles for filled tortellini.

Summer Frittata

Frittatas are a more substantial version of the omlette and also usually contain sliced, boiled potatoes. They are traditionally eaten room temperature, and it's always a good idea to not cook them through completely but to leave a slight wobble as it will keep the frittata moist and will continue to cook after removing it from the oven. They are traditionally associated with both Spanish and Italian cookery.

As we are at the beginning of July I am making a Summer Frittata, with summer vegetables that are readily available at the moment. You can use whatever you have available in the fridge, but I would recommend that you use a maximum of about three ingredients, otherwise the flavours become a bit overwhelmed - I know this through bunging everything in and hoping for the best!

My Summer Frittata contains; new potatoes, spring onions, courgettes and fresh garden peas. But I also recommend the following flavour combinations; courgette, tomato and basil, red onion, red pepper and potato, salmon, asparagus and potato or whatever takes your fancy!

Ingredients:

4 large eggs (I allow 2 eggs per person)
salt and pepper
2-3 spring onions
400g boiled new potatoes
1 medium sized courgette
a good handful of frozen or shelled fresh peas
Drizzle of olive oil

1. Start by slicing the boiled potatoes and adding to the frying pan with a drizzle of oilve oil.
2. Slice the courgette and add that to the pan, turn the potatoes so they go golden brown on both sides.
3. Whisk the eggs and season with salt and pepper, add to the pan.
4. Cook on a medium heat for about 5 - 10 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown.
5. Pop into a preheated oven 180 c, Gas Mark 4 for about 10-15 minutes - so that the fritatta still maintains a slight wobble. Take out and allow to cool for at least 10 - 15 minutes. While it cools, this will give you time to prepare a green salad to serve with it.

Fantastico!

Neopolitan-style Pizza topped with Anchovies

I have borrowed this recipe from Gino D'aCampo's book, 'Fantastico! Modern Italian Food'. I have used it many times, because it's quick, cheap and easy. I must admit I have also been known to buy the packet pizza mix, but I have stopped doing this now, honestly because I kept forgetting to add it to the shopping list and would use this reicpe instead. I have used this recipe so often now and find it much more satisfying to make my own base, plus you can change the quantities (make it a bit bigger, or double the quantities for guests) and it is so quick, cheap and simple - now I find it's actually more effort to open the packet!
Gino says that this makes 2 x 25cm Pizza's - but I generally find this amount makes one good large 12" pizza - to share between 2.

Ingredients:

Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon dried yeast
140ml warm water
180g strong plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the Topping:

400g Tinned Tomatoes or Passata
1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 anchovy fillets in oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
Drizzle of Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

1. To prepare the dough, mix the salt, yeast and water together in a measuring jug.


2. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, make a well in the centre and add the water mixture, and the olive oil.


3. Use a spoon to mix everything well to create a wet dough.


4. Turn out the dough onto a clean, well floured surface and work it well with your hands for about 5 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.


5. Place in a bowl and cover with a tea-towel, lave in a warm place to rest for at least 45 minutes (although, I can never wait this long and it still turns out lovely!)


6. The dough should nearly double in size.


7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220/425/gas mark 7


8. Once rested, turn out the dough (you can divide into 2 smaller balls for individual pizza's at this point). Place the bases on an oiled baking tray.


9. Add a topping of your choice, I have added some traditional ones and some of my favourites below.


10. Cook in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden and brown.

Introduction to Italian Cookery

I have decided the best way to organise my blog will be to dedicate each month to a different type of cuisine, so July will be the month for Italian Cookery. This also seems to coincide with my first tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes in the garden, all of which we'll be using alot in our Italian recipes.

What personal experience do I have of Italian Cookery?

Well... it all started when I was about 13 years old with a trip to Italy for an Italian Cuisine Course as part of my Home Economics class. After a very long coach journey, my first memory of entering Italy was how hot, and dry the landscape was (it probably was around June or July time and we were visiting the popular tourist resort of Lido di Jesolo). As we had been travelling overnight, the bus driver headed for a service station where we all got off the coach to stretch our legs, and brush out teeth in the petrol station toilets (it was a modern comprehensive!). The first thing I bought was a litre bottle of Peach Juice, I had never seen it before and it was so thirst quenching and sweet and summery, the taste was wonderful and fragrant and completely refreshing. From that moment I knew I was going to learn alot about different flavours, textures and local delicacies, I was not going to be disappointed.

I will include some of the recipes we were shown back then, and explain a little bit about how the italians eat and our day trip to Venice, but I will also draw on more recent visits to Italy including a couple of business trips to Milan and a wonderful holiday in Lake Como.


I do know that I am very lucky to have travelled to these wonderful places and seen and tasted such a variety dishes, but I must point out that most of my foreign cookery experience comes on my annual two weeks holiday abroad, it is because of my love of food and cookery that I naturally want to find out more about local dishes. One of the highlights for any foreign trip is finding out about local ingredients and trying new recipes. Highlights for me can be a visit to a local market or even a trip to the local supermarket, as these are often not huge monopolised, clones as we have in this country, but local, convenience stores packed with local fresh fruit and veg and toursity specialiaties from the region.

I love Italian food and it makes a regular appearance in the food I cook during the week, mainly because I love tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines and lots of meditterean veg anyway, but also because it quick, simple, tasty and satisfying - all the things you need from a mid-week evening meal.