Because I'm a spoiled young lass, I got a pasta maker this past Christmas. It's my favorite (and only, really) fancy kitchen tool. Like, if Ina Garten came to my house and ignored the lack of central air and the faint smell of old-ish trash, I think she'd be vaguely impressed with my pasta maker. Anywho, I've been havin' a ball with this machine. It's really easy to use and you feel somewhat impressive when using it. I had friends over for "freshly made pasta" and they were wowed for a whole 10 minutes! Imagine that. So, when I make pasta, I keep it as simple as possible. Which isn't hard cause pasta is inherently simple af anyways...
So yep, here's what I use to make pasta (it makes enough for two reasonable people who aren't pasta hogs):
-1 cup of flour
-1 egg (at room temp)
-A pinch of salt
-1-2 Tbs room temp water (or more, if need be)
Now, I firmly believe you can eat just pasta and live a perfectly happy life. However, if you're a hungry gal like myself, you want more food if that's ever an option. So the pseudo-sauce I made for this was sort of a hodgepodge of ingredients I had in my fridge and in my garden. It goes as follows (enough for two reasonable people or a single very hungry person with no control like myself):
-2 Tbs olive oil
-2 chicken thighs, cubed
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-2 cloves diced garlic
-Splash of red wine (or whatever alcoholic thing you're drinking while trying to cook this. But maybe not like..gin or tequila. Stick some some sort of wine or beer. Or do whatever, you're the one eating this.)
-1 large red tomato, chopped
-1/2 Tbs fresh oregano, finely chopped
-1/2 Tbs fresh basil, finely chopped (make extra for garnish if you want)
-1/2 Tbs parsley, finely chopped
-1/2 Tbs salt (I used Max's Degrees Roasted Onion Salt)
-Diced fresh chili pepper to taste (be modest cause this shit is spicy)
-1 yellow squash, chopped
-1/2 cup of kale, roughly chopped
-Splash of Balsamic
-Shredded parmesan cheese
Okay, here's how the make the pasta (FYI it's a big ol' mess so make sure you clear enough space, or be doomed to have all your beloved possessions covered in flour, or something less dramatic)
1. Put the flour on your counter in the shape of a mound; sprinkle the salt on top.
2. Make out a small well in the top of the Mt. Flour.
3. Add the egg to the well.
4. Start to mix the egg and flour with either a fork or your hands- try not to let the egg sneak away because he's a slippery bastard who will try to escape the clutches of the flour.
5. Once the egg is thoroughly mixed with the flour, start to add the water one tablespoon at a time and roughly knead in between additions until it's firm, yet pliable. Add a pinch more water if it's still too dry, but be careful not to add too much.
6. Woo! You now have pasta dough! Boy, wasn't that easy? Now, cut it in half and flatten the first half as best you can.
7. Feed it through your pasta maker, on the thickest setting first, folding it in between turns. Keep doing this, and adjusting the thickness level during the process, until it comes out smooth. Make pasta as flat as the thinnest setting.
8. Now, take the flattened pasta dough and feed it through either the spaghetti or fettuccini part of your pasta machine, up to you. Hang up to dry. Repeat with second half of dough.
9. As the pasta is drying, bring a pan to a medium heat, add olive oil and onions. Let the onions cook until they're somewhat glossy (5ish minutes). Add your chicken thighs and stir.
10. Put on a pot of water and bring to a boil for the pasta. Then, while you're at it, get another pan going on low heat, with a splash of olive oil, for the squash and kale.
11. Let the chicken and onions cook for another 10-12 minutes, then add your wine or whatever and your chopped tomato. Bring down the heat to low and add salt. And hell, maybe add more wine or beer? Idk.
12. Once the water is boiled, add your pasta. Add salt, and stir with a fork. It takes about 3 minutes for fresh pasta to finish, so keep a close eye on it. Then, drain.
13. Add your fresh herbs, along with a tiny bit of diced pepper, to the chicken and tomato dish and keep the heat low. Add the squash and balsamic to your other pan--season with salt and pepper.
14. Let both cook for 10 more minutes. (Pro tip: If you're scarred from a terrible bout of food poisoning like I am and you get real weird about food temperatures, check to make sure your chicken is at least 165F before consuming.)
15. Put the kale in with the squash, add a splash of water, stir, and cover the pan to steam the kale. Let sit for 3 minutes.
16. Plate yo shit, add some cheese, and have at it.
So yep, here's what I use to make pasta (it makes enough for two reasonable people who aren't pasta hogs):
-1 cup of flour
-1 egg (at room temp)
-A pinch of salt
-1-2 Tbs room temp water (or more, if need be)
Now, I firmly believe you can eat just pasta and live a perfectly happy life. However, if you're a hungry gal like myself, you want more food if that's ever an option. So the pseudo-sauce I made for this was sort of a hodgepodge of ingredients I had in my fridge and in my garden. It goes as follows (enough for two reasonable people or a single very hungry person with no control like myself):
-2 Tbs olive oil
-2 chicken thighs, cubed
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-2 cloves diced garlic
-Splash of red wine (or whatever alcoholic thing you're drinking while trying to cook this. But maybe not like..gin or tequila. Stick some some sort of wine or beer. Or do whatever, you're the one eating this.)
-1 large red tomato, chopped
-1/2 Tbs fresh oregano, finely chopped
-1/2 Tbs fresh basil, finely chopped (make extra for garnish if you want)
-1/2 Tbs parsley, finely chopped
-1/2 Tbs salt (I used Max's Degrees Roasted Onion Salt)
-Diced fresh chili pepper to taste (be modest cause this shit is spicy)
-1 yellow squash, chopped
-1/2 cup of kale, roughly chopped
-Splash of Balsamic
-Shredded parmesan cheese
Okay, here's how the make the pasta (FYI it's a big ol' mess so make sure you clear enough space, or be doomed to have all your beloved possessions covered in flour, or something less dramatic)
1. Put the flour on your counter in the shape of a mound; sprinkle the salt on top.
2. Make out a small well in the top of the Mt. Flour.
3. Add the egg to the well.
4. Start to mix the egg and flour with either a fork or your hands- try not to let the egg sneak away because he's a slippery bastard who will try to escape the clutches of the flour.
5. Once the egg is thoroughly mixed with the flour, start to add the water one tablespoon at a time and roughly knead in between additions until it's firm, yet pliable. Add a pinch more water if it's still too dry, but be careful not to add too much.
6. Woo! You now have pasta dough! Boy, wasn't that easy? Now, cut it in half and flatten the first half as best you can.
7. Feed it through your pasta maker, on the thickest setting first, folding it in between turns. Keep doing this, and adjusting the thickness level during the process, until it comes out smooth. Make pasta as flat as the thinnest setting.
8. Now, take the flattened pasta dough and feed it through either the spaghetti or fettuccini part of your pasta machine, up to you. Hang up to dry. Repeat with second half of dough.
10. Put on a pot of water and bring to a boil for the pasta. Then, while you're at it, get another pan going on low heat, with a splash of olive oil, for the squash and kale.
11. Let the chicken and onions cook for another 10-12 minutes, then add your wine or whatever and your chopped tomato. Bring down the heat to low and add salt. And hell, maybe add more wine or beer? Idk.
12. Once the water is boiled, add your pasta. Add salt, and stir with a fork. It takes about 3 minutes for fresh pasta to finish, so keep a close eye on it. Then, drain.
14. Let both cook for 10 more minutes. (Pro tip: If you're scarred from a terrible bout of food poisoning like I am and you get real weird about food temperatures, check to make sure your chicken is at least 165F before consuming.)
15. Put the kale in with the squash, add a splash of water, stir, and cover the pan to steam the kale. Let sit for 3 minutes.
16. Plate yo shit, add some cheese, and have at it.
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