sequim
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Posts posted by sequim
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We have a winner, folks, it's Mr and Ms LEdlund!
I guess I will have to live vicariously once again....
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I have a friend who's flaking out on me for our dinner tomorrow (Wed) at Union at 6pm. If there is someone out there who wants a rez for two, or if there's a single (heh, not as in unmarried, married single welcome) out there who wants to join me, that would be great.
I have to cancel today if I'm going to give this rez up, so thought I'd throw this out there in case there's someone reading.
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sequim-
Sorry to go off topic here, but can you paraphrase the Ricotta recipe for us (or PM it if possible)? I use Batali's recipe and although very tasty, I think it just has a little too much lemon/sour flavor in it which is not always welcome.
Thanks
Elie
I'd be happy too, Elie. However, I haven't tried the ricotta recipe yet. I did try the mascarpone recipe, however, and used in a sauce with my spinach pasta last night and it was delicious. Like a very soft cream cheese or clotted cream with a hint of buttermilk, but overall creamy tasting, not sour at all.
Ricotta:
4 quarts whole milk
1 qt cultured buttermilk
salt, pepper, sugar(optional)
Combine milk and buttermilk in 6-8 qt pot. Place over medium heat until 180 on candy thermometer, about 40 minutes. Cook for about 20 mins for a very soft-curd cheese or about 35 mins for a firmer curd (1 to 1-1/4 hrs total). Do not stir while cooking as it yields poor texture. Recipe says a small scorched part on the bottom will develop but this is just part of the ricotta flavor.
To test curd, use back of spoon to gently press top of clot that forms, should feel like custard and the whey will surround it.
Finally, line a colander with cheesecloth dipped in cold water, wrung dry and pour cheese in, then cover. Do not scrape pan. Let cheese drain for 40 mins or longer, serve warm, sprinkled with salt, pepper or sugar. Cover and refrigerate for as long as a week. Makes about 1 qt cheese (2 pounds).
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*SIGH* ... you can imagine it - elderly parents sat patiently at table with smoked salmon starters, saying yes, a small glass of champagne would go down nicely. Daughter decides to do the honours by removing bottle from freezer and proceeding to open it. Now because we're not "stupid" (!) and we don't want to waste any, I do the trick of holding the cork down with one hand and twisting bottle from the base.
What happened next was not so much a gentle sigh as the pressure is released, as a huge "bleep bleep" jet of frozen champage shot out, going all over parents, dinner and the whole room as I was unable to control the force... bit like a fireman's hose at full blast. As I tried to shut it down by putting one hand over the top, found that it was too powerful to be stopped, and actually my fingers created some sort of spray head effect - just to make sure no-one escaped.
Christmas - it's what it's all about ...
That's too hysterical.
For me it happened the other night. My mom made a mess in the oven from her homemade pie leaking. She was going to clean it up manually. Oh no, we've got a self-cleaning oven I told her. Turned it on. Maybe an hour or two later I start smelling something funny - at first I thought it was normal. Then all hell breaks loose when all our smoke alarms go off and they are so incredibly loud. I get the ladder out (we have cathedral ceilings - just what you want at a time like this), struggle to get the battery undone, no luck. Give up on that idea and open all windows and doors. I check the stove and there's a plastic bottle of oil on the stovetop by the pilot light. Although the bottle didn't melt, it must have gotten hot enough that the oil boiled up, all over the stovetop and down the burners. What a mess, although not as bad, I'm now thinking, as burned plastic.
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I've got durum flour, and I've got semolina flour, but no 00. Thanks for the recommendation to DeLaurentis, sequim. I've never been there. Maybe you and I and agnolottigirl should have a pasta-making fest sometime soon?
That's a mahvelous idea Abra but if word got out, everyone would want to go.
DeLaurentis is a treat. They have all these great cheeses, too. But it is across the pond from you. I would think Central Market would have '00' flour though. Have you checked?
Damn, I don't want to be at work, I want to be working on my pasta!
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Mario Batali's Ricotta couldn't be easier - but of course it's not real ricotta (which means re-cooked), which involves only the leftover whey once the curds have been removed. I sometimes use organic skimmed milk to emulate this. Having said that, if you find great organic cream or milk, the result is fantastic. Wholefoods in LA had some raw milk for a while, which worked really well.
That must've been fantastic.
Thanks Moby. That's interesting that in place of buttermilk which my recipe uses, his has fresh lemons.
Salumi is fantastic and an eGulleter hangout...
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What city are you in? If you can't find Tipo '00' anywhere, then I'd go with AP, and if you can't find semolina for dusting, then maybe you use that King Arthur stuff?
Maybe we should set up a service - people tell us what city they're in, and we all google it like mad, finding a place where they can find '00'?
Actually Abra and I live in the same part of the country - Seattle and environs. We have DeLaurentis Italian food store downtown and when I went there checking on the pasta flours, they said semolina is different from durum so I got a bag of each. Plus they also had '00' flour. I did notice that semolina gave a different feel to my pasta than using the durum which made a very soft pasta. The semolina/ap mix had more gritiness in it.
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I did exactly the same thing! Within a year I was making my own ricotta, using a Batali recipe.
You know, I went through a 'trying to get more texture' phase with my pasta making, and it took me a while to realise that I was cooking it too long. As fresh pasta, it needs much less time - when I realised that, my pastas and raviolis had much more texture and bite to them.
If you knead the pasta sufficiently, it should have a good bite.
Could you pm me the mascarpone sauce recipe? I'd love to see it. Making spinach pasta is a blast - remember to either really squeeze it dry before you put it into the food processor, or chop it finely, or cut down on the eggs or oil.
Actually here in Seattle, we have Mario B's own father's restaurant to go to and the other day some of us eGulleters went to a lunch there and at the end he brought out a huge bowl of homemade ricotta that we put on the slices of bread with some chestnut honey. Oh heaven! So when I came upon the two recipes for mascarpone and ricotta in my book and saw how easy they were, I have to try them. If you are able to share the ricotta recipe you have, I'd love to see it. My recipes only involve buttermilk and whipping cream.
I'll get my recipe at home tonight for you tomorrow. It's quite simple involving pine nuts and basil.
I think I kneaded my pasta quite a bit as I not only did about 10 minutes by hand, but then ran it through the machine several times. Perhaps I did overcook it a tad which is quite easy to do if you're used to the very dried out store pasta.
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That grating of chocolate sounds irresistable - I might have to make half arugula and half squash with chocolate when I find some ravioli-eaters to help me out.
Hey, sequim, we roast our own coffee pretty regularly - it's not only for geeks anymore!
"ravioli-eaters to help" you out?
I know someone....Yikes, is roasted coffee going to be next, espresso machines, foamed milk...where does it all end?
Actually this weekend I got out my well worn Sunset Italian cookbook and found a recipe for spinach pasta that uses homemade mascarpone for its sauce. So I decided to make the mascarpone, putting the ingredients together on Saturday, and after waiting and waiting for it to thicken, I got up this morning and got it out of the oven and lo and behold it had finally curdled! I think it just hadn't been warm enough. So tonight will be spinach pasta with the mascarpone sauce. I'm going to use a higher proportion of semolina than I did before, in order to try and get more texture and flavor in the noodles.
It's funny how one thing leads to another. The making of pasta leading to the making of mascarpone - and this would naturally lead to the making of ricotta for which I have a recipe as well.
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Thank you very much LEdlund for the night's recap! I'll also be happy to hear what wines were drunk and enjoyed.
That's what I love about the eGulleters - they may have an aversion to something but they're always willing to give it a second chance.
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Sequim - bravo. When I was eating tortelli in Parma, it became about very simple but perfect things - the pasta, the filling, the cheese and butter.
If you want to get seriously into the pasta-ness of it, I think you need to consider consistency - so, for starters, have considered getting some scales? With scales, you can stick to 100g per large egg, and not have that over-tenderness you mention - which is fine for tortelli etc, but inhibits taglietelle (which you should leave the pasta to dry for a while before cutting anyway).
The difference between cups of flour is dramatic - and although with years of experience, you might get a very similar product, why not start weighing, and get that part out of the way?
Second, you can start really getting into the quality of flour and eggs. Not all type '00' flour in the same. And are you using the absolutely best quality eggs you can get your hands on? I just found a shop around the corner that imports eggs from Emiglia-Romagna - the yolks are an amazing gold - I'm going to start experimenting with them. You can do the same.
Third - start playing with proportions of flour. i.e. a 75/25 split of '00' to semolina. Then a 75/25 split, plus substituting 3 egg yolks for 1 egg. It can get pretty zen.
Fourth - play with thicknesses, and cooking times. These make a huge difference. You know the way Batali finishes his pasta off in the sauce or 30 seconds? Try that. Play with cooking the pasta for 30 seconds less than you would usually, and letting it absorb something else. Or adding pasta water to your melted butter and making an emulsion - I could go on...
Fifth - if you want to get really funky, I came across a recipe that incorporates cooked and pureed sausage meat and chicken livers into the past dough!
Let me know how it goes!
Thanks Moby, for all that. Wow, lots to think about and getting into dangerous geek-obsessive territory, kinda like those espresso folk who roast their own beans. I can go there, but I'm afraid of what it leads to.
Yes, sigh, I better get a proper scale and not the cheesy little thing I bought at the thrift store either. You're right. Now what exactly makes the dough tender - the egg or the flour?
I have experimented with different flours insofar as I tried all-purpose, then partial all-purpose and semolina (50-50) and then all durum. I couldn't really tell much difference in taste but the feel of the semolina dough was like taking the hand of a very old person! Not sure about the difference between durum and '00' flour or if they're the same.
As far as eggs, no I just used what I had. I should try organic or even farmer eggs.
I understand that if I want the base product, ie pasta, to taste exceptional, I better use exceptional ingredients. And I am an Italian food freak.
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I've been making pasta as you know, Moby, from my posting on another thread. It's going well for me (making enough for one plus leftovers) using a proportion of 1 C flour (whatever kind I happen to be using) to 1 large egg with splash of olive oil, salt and water as needed. I felt like the addition of oil added to the pliability of kneading the dough and less stickiness. My pasta has turned out extremely tender, almost overly tender, and I think I'd like to add alittle more something to it - more texture, more flavor. Any suggestions? Rather than as a bed for the sauce, I'd actually like my pasta to taste well with a minimal addition of other ingredients.
Thanks for the course and I can't wait to move on to stuffed pastas.
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What a beautiful experience I just had reading your course and feasting on the beautiful photos. I do not have a pasta press and am not an olympic level Italian grandmother so I will have to get one. Are they really expensive? What are the most important factors - i.e., if I see a cheap no-name one, what should I look out for to see if it's good enough quality? I almost bought a gelato machine today, thank goodness I didn't, since we're supposed to be watching our expenses.
I got one for Christmas from my sister and b-inlaw. It's called Al Dente. I know this isn't one of the ones mentioned but it is an Italian made one which I heard it had to be to be any good and it seems to work just fine with 7 levels of refinement and two cutters. There's no way I could get my dough thin enough without it. I'm sure they didn't pay over $40+.
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...mmm...home made pasta. One of life's most sublime pleasures. Lately my college attending son has become the ravioli master in our house. We have a kitchen full of family all working on the ravioli, with much wine and laughter. What could be better?
One of our better fillings was roasted garlic potatoes and basil, with a very simple brown butter, sweated onion sauce. Also a sort of shrimp provencal filing: shrimp, tomato, parsley, garlic.
Just an update on a newbie making pasta - let's see, this is about Take Four.
I had my sister's birthday party last week at which I made Tom Douglas's Linguine with Clams and Pancetta and Chiles and it turned out great. Took alot of work making pasta for 5 people though, but I made his recipe for 4 and there was plenty, even for leftovers. Plus we had lots of other courses. I used all durum flour and although I can't tell much difference in taste from my previous all-purpose and semolina attempts, it was highly tender. In fact I may have rolled them too thin as once I had them dried on my clothes rack then tried to take them off, some were breaking. I was freaking out thinking they would all break but the majority were okay.Now, onward and upward. I'd like to start making ravioli as that's really my favorite - the filled pasta.
And that's why I quoted Hathor - oh could you pretty please share any of your ravioli recipes? They sound so good! I'd love to be at your house when you have a ravioli-making session.
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I think LEdlund took home a copy of the menu for transcription.
But I've actually got two 25/$25-related questions for the assembled:
1) This one came up last night at dinner, and I thought it would make a nice sub-thread. Purely for the sake of argument: Given that there are 23 weeknights (Sun-Thur) this year in March, which of two the participants would you choose to avoid if you were trying to eat out every night of the promotion? (And yes, since Union isn't officially participating, I guess you'd have to lose 3 of the 'real' places.) Here's the list, so you don't have to scroll up.
2) Back to reality: I've got a hankerin' for Italian. Given that we've never been to any of the three, would you recommend Assaggio, Tulio, or Serafina? (I've already gotten a pretty firm wave-off on Vivanda...)
~A
I'll reply to #2 to praise Tulio as I simply love that place. However, I've never been there for dinner, just lunch as over the past few years I've always worked in the vicinity. I've never had a bad plate there. The only bad thing was one waitress who's just terribly slow and clueless. I hope she doesn't work there anymore. The last time I was at Tulio I had their pea vine and gorgonzola tortelli (the ravioli type pasta so not sure if I spelled it right) - it was awesome and came with a pea vine broth.
I've only been to Serafina once and found their service was really bad although the food was good. Never been to Assaggio.
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Nine of us just enjoyed the $25 Tasting Menu at Union. Except enjoyed is a feeble word for one of the best restaurant meals Seattle has to offer. Chef Ethan Stowell was incredibly generous to us and stopped by our table to say he regularly reads eGullet. While it would be difficult to choose a favorite from the nine courses, the vanilla bean flan was flawless. Our menu was quite different from the ones previously described, but beautifully balanced and just the right amount. Service was also great. Thank you, Hans. We can't wait to return.
That sounds wonderful, I wish I could have been there!
Does anyone have time to post what you had?
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Ooh whee, I just got a rez for the last day of the month's $25 special at Union! I've never been there and after reading everything I'm very excited to go. If anyone else is thinking of going next week, their times have gotten very limited, mostly just 5pm and then after 8pm.
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And Abra, count me (and Mr. Agnolotti, if he's not working) in for the barrel tasting/BBQ. I'm happy to bring whatever (including second Weber, if needed).
Yes, me too. I'm up for whatever on that side.
Third weber here. -
This isn't Kitsap or Bainbridge, but is anybody going to this event this Saturday?
http://www.stmartin.edu/alumni/vendor_list.htm
It's the Capital Food and Wine Festival at St. Martin's College in Olympia. We went last year and at only $12 ($10 if you preregister) and then $$ for coupons, it was a really fun event and some decent wine/food/beer plus music. It's a nice festival that hasn't become "known" yet.
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And now, the Thai wars! The island divides into devotees of Bainbridge Thai, or Sawadty. I'm totally in the former camp, although I wouldn't be averse to a taste-off. I find Sawadty too sweet and too Chinese-y. Oh, and good burgers at the Blue Star, although they are so grumpy there that I have to steel myself to even walk in.
I haven't been to either of those, but then good Thai is so common in Seattle. However, there's Banh(sp) Thai in Silverdale that is pretty good.
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On island, we end up most often at Casa Rojas (hey, Abra, the tacos al pastor are my favorite!), Four Swallows, and Sawatdy. Haven't been to Ruby's in a while, but ate there a fair amount this past summer (outdoor seating overlooking the water) and it was very good. (The view didn't hurt! It's now in the space where MoonFish was.)
The new teriyaki joint that went in where the Russian place had been is really good--and cheep, cheep, cheep. They've been doing a land-office business since they opened. Other cheap eats favorite is Chili Cosmo's, which is supposed to be reopening soon in the space where Annie's was, in the village green.
Haven't been to the Winslow Way Cafe or to Nola since the changes in each place. Have never been to Bainbridge sushi, but have heard good things about Hakata in Silverdale.
Have found Pleasant Beach to be spotty--sometimes very good, other times not so much. Serivce wasn't especially friendly, either.
Anybody been to Via yet--the new Italian place in the Pavilion (the weird building where the big movie theater is)? Supposedly under the same management as Winslow Way Cafe now.
Now where is Casa Rojas? Is that mexican place on that side street off of Main still there - they had lots of mole dishes. It was a short walk from my apartment when I lived there and had good margueritas, also cozy decor for rainy nights. Boy, there are lots of new places in BI - they seem to go in and out of business very quickly. I haven't been to BI in over a year though.
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I'm just 5-minutes from Central Market...I LOVE it!
Oooh I am so jealous of you. All we have nearby is that Freddie's which annoys me so much when they're out of stuff or don't carry things I want, like kumquats! -
by comparison I haven't run across anything too fantastic here close to where I live.
Exactly. Since I'm in Seattle during the week I have access to lots of good food. So on the peninsula I do alot of cooking. Boy, I sure wish I lived closer to Central Market.
Thanks Abra, I was trying to think of which sushi place in Silverdale was supposed to be the good one.
Oh there is Port Townsend. There's good food up there if we include the Olympic Peninsula.
I like the Salal Cafe for breakfasts they serve all day! -
That's great Foodie-Girl is from Poulsbo.
I have to say that I'm partial to BI restaurants as the rest of the area on that side seem to be lacking....except maybe for Gig Harbor but I haven't eaten there much. On BI I've liked Moon Fish, Ruby's, some of the cafes downtown(can't remember names
), and Four Swallows. Haven't been there lately though and so maybe there are some new places. I know Moon Fish is no longer there. Have also been to The Beach House in Purdy and had a very good meal there. It's a nice little place on the water.
Q&A: Stuffed Pastas
in The eGullet Culinary Institute (eGCI)
Posted
Wow, just read the last installment. So much good stuff. Thanks for all this Moby. I am so behind in this class since I've just made my regular pasta, never mind the stuffed. I have to ask this - when you were putting together this class, did you already have these photos taken or did you really have all these plates of pasta in your kitchen for the week, cuz I sure would have liked to have flown over for some of your leftovers!
The raviolo of artichoke confit really caught my eye, thinking of veggies that are starting to show up in the market. Plus I love artichokes.
I guess what this class has really taught me is that you can make pasta dishes with everything - it opens up a new world of creativity. And the ingredients are just so simple and so available.
Now I have a question about plating. That is, dishes for pasta. I don't have any. My sister got some for Christmas and we have all loved them. In fact, I had to borrow them recently. Does anyone have a good source (online or wherever) for them? I've seen some online and they're wildly expensive.