Pasta and pasta-based recipes

Pasta is the Italian word for "dough," won Latin pulp of the same importance. Although these days is a generic term for an Italian version of pasta with a mixture of flour and water are produced (usually wheat flour), which may also contain eggs and various flavorings and colorings, such as cheese and spinach.

If the dough is usually made several times by a series of rollers that progressively elastic dough for him to do. The mixture isthen cut or shaped in different forms, which can immediately be cooked in boiling water or can be dried for storage.

Today there are over 350 different types of Italian pasta, ranging from large sheets like lasagna pasta for small soups, such as barley determined.

Here is the recipe for creating their own homemade noodles (pasta) with nettles for color and taste. You can substitute spinach for nettles, if you wish, or you can use a mixture of 60 ml of olive oilOil and 40g grated parmesan, or simply add 60 ml of olive oil and more water to bind.

Nettle Tagliatelle

Nettle puree 120ml
360g wheat flour
2 eggs
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper

Method:
Start with the mashed nettle. Take about 200g of bits of nettles, add a pot of boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Take a cloth and wring out to dry. Tansfer a food processor and process until smooth. Hold 120ml andFreeze the rest for later use.

Pour the flour and add the nettle puree, salt and black pepper. Mix well, form a central fountain and eggs in it. The mixture quickly with your hands into a smooth ball. Cover with a cloth and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes together.

At the end of this time the ball into three equal pieces and a step machine lightly floured past (number 3 setting) until youfilm will have a smooth and elastic. Now pass this disc by the cutting knife on noodles, it's not too far away. Put them on a cloth and can be at room temperature for 15 minutes to dry.

This type of cooking pasta is simple, just add it to a pot of salted water for 2 minutes and drain well and serve.

To cut the pasta in just right of the long forward deck you've done.

The following recipe is for a classicItalian soup of pasta:

Potato soup and pasta

25g mixed dried pasta (eg macaroni, shells, butterflies, 5cm length spaghetti, etc.)
1 large onion, chopped
450g of chopped tomatoes with juice
1 large potato, diced
Salt and black pepper to taste
Small amounts of olive oil
Parmesan or pecorino cheese, finely grated

Method:
Fry the onion in a little olive oil for frying. Add the canned tomatoes and season with salt and pepperbring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook pasta and potatoes in a large pot. Drain a little 'water (but enough to let the pasta is covered.) Add the tomato and onion mix, let the pasta and potatoes, and a return to a simmer. Add the grated cheese into the pot, check the ingredients and serve in soup plates, garnish with a sprig of basil.

Pasta and Pasta-Based Recipes

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Pasta is the Italian word for 'dough', derived from he Latin word pasta of the same meaning. Though these days it's used as a generic term for an Italian version of noodles made from a dough of flour and water (typically durum wheat flour) that can also contain eggs and various flavourings and colourings such as cheese and spinach.

When made the dough is typically passed several times through a series of rollers that progressively thin-out the dough making it elastic. The dough is then cut or shaped into various forms which can be cooked immediately in boiling water or which can be dried for storage.

Today there are over 350 distinct kinds of Italian pasta that range from large sheets such as lasagne to tiny pasta intended for soups, such as orzo.

Below is the recipe for creating your own home-made tagliatelle (ribbon pasta) using nettles to colour and flavour the pasta. You can substitute spinach for the nettles if desired or you can use a mix of 60ml olive oil and 40g grated Parmesan cheese or just add 60ml olive oil and more water to bind.

Nettle Tagliatelle

120ml nettle purée
360g durum wheat flour
2 eggs
generous pinch of salt
generous pinch of black pepper

Method:
Begin with the nettle purée. Take about 200g of nettle tips, add to a pan of boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove to a cloth and wring until dry. Tansfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Keep 120ml and freeze the remainder for later use.

Sift the flour onto a pastry board and add the nettle puree, salt and black pepper. Mix well then form a well in the centre and break the eggs into this. Knead the dough quickly with your hands to form a smooth ball. Cover with a cloth and set aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

At the end of this time divide the ball into three equal pieces and pass through the rollers of a lightly-floured pasts machine (number 3 setting) until you have obtained a smooth and elastic sheet. Now pass this sheet through the cutting blades to obtain tagliatelle that are not too wide. Spread these out onto a cloth and allow to dry at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Cooking this type of pasta is simplicity itself, just add it to a pan of well-salted boiling water and cook for 2 minutes then drain and serve.

To make lasagna just cut the pasta into oblongs from the long sheet you've made.

The next recipe is for a classic Italian pasta-based soup:

Potato and Pasta Soup

25g mixed dried pasta (eg. medium Macaroni, Conchiglie, Farfalle, 5cm lengths spaghetti etc)
1 large onion, chopped
450g chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 large potato, cubed
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Small amount of olive oil
Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, finely grated

Method:
Brown the onion slightly by frying in the olive oil. Add the tinned tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook the pasta and potatoes together in large pot. Drain some of the water (but leave enough so that pasta is covered). Add the tomato and onion mix to the pasta and potatoes and return to a simmer. Add the grated cheese into the pot, check the seasonings and serve in soup bowls, garnished with a sprig of basil.