Cooking Therapy: Pasta, Pasta!

In undergrad at UT, my favorite weekday lunch spot was called Pasta, Pasta!  Patrons lined up, selected their style of pasta, chose a sauce, pointed at any add-ins they wanted included, and then the custom mixture was heated in a skillet with olive oil and served piping hot.  The whole process took less than three minutes if there was no line.  And it was delicious!

I like recreating Pasta, Pasta! at home now on a slightly different scale.  On a night when I have a little extra time, I can put together a basic pasta dough, then turn it through the pasta maker to create one or two different types, enjoying one that night and drying others to enjoy in the future.  It's even better when Mama is in town, so that we can team up to make dinner happen even more quickly.  Last week, we did just that.

Basic Pasta Dough

1 2/3 c. Italian “00” flour (or make your own by using two thirds all purpose flour and one third semolina flour)
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. olive oil
A pinch of sea salt

Sift the flour onto a clean work surface and make a well in the center with your fist.

Break the eggs into the well and add the oil and a pinch of salt to the well.

Gradually mix the egg mixture into the flour using the fingers of one hand, bringing the ingredients together into a firm dough. If the dough feels too dry, add a few drops of water; if it’s too wet, add a little more flour.

Knead the pasta by hand until smooth and elastic, 2 to 5 minutes. Lightly massage it with a hint of olive oil, wrap in plastic wrap, and allow it to rest on the counter at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. The pasta will be much more elastic after resting.

Cut the dough into two pieces and gently stretch one out to a thick disk.  Rewrap the other half in plastic wrap to prevent drying out.

Feed the disk of pasta dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine. As the sheet of dough comes out of the machine, fold it into thirds and then feed it through the rollers again, still on the widest setting. Pass the dough through this setting a total of 4 or 5 times. This effectively kneads the dough, ensuring the resulting pasta is silky smooth.

Pass the pasta through the machine again, starting at the widest setting and gradually reducing the settings, one pass at a time, until the pasta achieves the required thickness. To simplify the process, cut the sheet of dough in half and feed each half through separately until it reaches the desired thickness. Generally the second-from-last setting is best for tagliatelle and the last setting is best for ravioli and any other shapes that are to be filled.

After the pasta has reached the desired thickness, hang it over a pasta hanger to dry.  If you don't have a pasta hanger, you can use clean clothes hangers or the back of a chair to dry for 15-30 minutes.  Once it is dry, shape the pasta either by hand or through the machine.  Once it has been cut, toss the cut pasta lightly in flour (preferably semolina) and lay out in loose bundles on a tray lined with a clean kitchen towel. Use as soon as possible before it sticks together.

To cook the pasta, drop into a large pot of boiling, salted water (about 4 quarts water and 3 tablespoons of salt for every 13 to 18 ounces of fresh or dried pasta). Please note that cooking times for fresh and dried pasta vary according to the size and quality of the pasta. The only way to check is to taste it.

A few notes on cooking: Stirring can prevent sticking, but also may tear the pasta.  A rolling boil will keep the pasta moving to prevent sticking.  Do not cover the pot, as it may cause boiling over.  Try to remember to reserve about a cup of pasta water to thin a sauce or prevent sticking (I forget about 75% of the time though...).

Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Olives, and Anchovy Breadcrumbs

8 ounces spaghetti
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 anchovy fillets, mashed to paste with 1 teaspoon oil from can
3 garlic cloves, pressed, divided
1 c. coarse fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless country bread
1 1-pound container baby heirloom tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
1/2 c. olives black
1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti until just tender but firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add anchovies and 2 garlic cloves, then breadcrumbs. Cook breadcrumbs until golden, tossing to distribute evenly, about 5 minutes. Scrape crumbs onto plate and cool.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, olives and remaining garlic clove. Cover; cook until tomatoes begin to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Using fork, crush 1/4 of tomatoes. Add pasta, basil, cheese, and 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid to tomato mixture. Toss, adding more liquid if dry. Mix in half of crumbs. Season pasta with salt and pepper.

Transfer pasta to large shallow bowl; top with remaining breadcrumbs and serve.

Linguine with Lemon

1 lb linguine
2/3 c. olive oil
2/3 c. grated Parmesan
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. lemon zest

1/3 c. chopped fresh basil

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.