Plan: eGullet Pasta Feast

[Al_Dente]

I'm still not positive I can make it-- mostly work stuff getting in the way of any plans. Plus Miss NC won't return my calls for some reason, so I'll feel kinda like a 3rd, or 13th wheel, or 23rd wheel.

I'm gonna do my best though. I could probably snag a couple of fresh lobes of Hudson Valley foie gras if I come down. Interested?

[Varmint]

Am I interested in foie gras? Do I need a new kitchen design? Do I sweat when I play basketball? Do serranos make my lips burn? Do I make myself perfectly clear??????

I'll get you a date if you want.

[Al_Dente]

Am I interested in foie gras? Do I need a new kitchen design? Do I sweat when I play basketball? Do serranos make my lips burn? Do I make myself perfectly clear??????

I'll get you a date if you want.

Crystal.

Date? Errr.... sounds potentially sketchy-- unless you can find my ex from Millbrook High in Raleigh. Her name was Beth, I think she's a pharmacist or something now. Otherwise, I'll supply my own. Besides, foie is nearly a substitute.

[edemuth]

Consider me confirmed.

[Varmint]

Excellent!

Varmint +1

phlawless +1

Al Dente ??

scottie +1 ??

weka +1

Random Alias +1

Edemuth

That's 12, and let's try to arrange a Magnolia Grill outing on Friday, the 7th.

Start thinking of the dishes you want to make, as we need to have some variety.

[phlawless]

so with 12 we could have quite a feast...how do you want to organize this? and should we set courses now? Maybe we could have some small plates sans pasta; antipasti, then move to four different pasta courses, then dessert...how does this sound?

[Varmint]

Dishes to make:

Beef Cheek Ravioli

Tagliatelle with truffle and porcini (Weka's in charge)

Some octopus or calamari pasta -- semi-piquant

One other dish. We could do a dried pasta, such as a penne or rigatoni. Or we could go bonkers with a lobster pasta.

Let's do a tortellini in brodo, too, which might make it 5 dishes. It's just so classic, and a good opener with the cold.

We should get one of our NY friends to send us some kick ass salumi.

I suspect we'll end up with a few more than 12. Didn't you say you might bring some folks, phlawless? Remember, we'll likely do this at my in-laws, which can seat 20.

[phlawless]

I thought I might have some folks with me, but I haven't recieved confirmation from anyone yet. So, I was thinking of doing the beef cheek rav en brodo...will that conflict?

[Varmint]

Conflict? Nah. We can do that.

People need to decide what dish to do. We can go from there.

And get your folks to confirm!!!!

[scottie]

Sorry I've been incommunicado about this. All my online time has been taken up with a big job search.

Anyway, you can consider us confirmed, myself and my husband. I doubt we're up for Magnolia Grill, however.

I can do some kind of pasta with pumpkin and sage butter.

Or I could do a veggie, maybe broccoli rabe, or a salad with bitter greens and gorgonzola.

Or we could do clean-up. I guess someone has to!

[phlawless]

another thought: should those supplying a course bring an approriate wine?

[Varmint]

Is everyone bringing/making a course?

Let's see:

phlawless +1 -- Beef Cheek Ravioli in Brodo

weka +1 -- Tagliatelle with truffle and porcini

Varmint +1 -- some seafood pasta (octopus, squid?)

scottie +1 -- a veggie pasta? Let's nail something down.

Random Alias +1 -- Chef Boyardee! He's working on it. Can you find something with a tube-shaped dry pasta? With lots of green bell peppers?!?! (RA despises green peppers!)

Edemuth???

We're not sure if Al Dente's coming or if his back will be fixed by then. I know that we'll have at least a few others in attendance (my in-laws will likely be there, seeing we'll be cooking in their kitchen).

We do need to sort out the wine. Plus some apps and dessert. Simple apps and simple desserts -- I can get my mother-in-law to make a couple of sorbets. Grapefruit? Ginger? Blood orange? Chocolate? Limoncello?

[Random Alias]

I kind of like the idea of a toasted penne as seen here.

But I really don't want to make anything with cream as that's too heavy considering all the other dishes that will be there. Ideally I'd like some type of sauce I could simply make in advance as that seems it be the easiest all around. I've never had toasted penne either. No idea what it tastes like, or if it's even worth the bother, but then that's why I want to try it.

Any ideas of what else to try with it?

[Random Alias]

Duck Ragu w/ Toasted Penne?

[Varmint]

Duck Ragu w/ Toasted Penne?

Bingo! That should be fun!

[hjshorter]

Sounds like a wonderful menu.

I'll be on my way to Charlotte for my nephew's baptism. I'll wave as I pass Raleigh on I-85.

[Varmint]

phlawless +1 -- Beef Cheek Ravioli in Brodo

weka +1 -- Tagliatelle with truffle and porcini

Varmint +1 -- some seafood pasta (octopus, squid?)

scottie +1 -- a veggie pasta? Let's nail something down.

Random Alias +1 -- Duck Ragu w/ Toasted Penne

Edemuth???

Al Dente???

Anyone else coming???

[Varmint]

Does anyone still want to go to Magnolia Grill? I'm going there on Jan. 31, and if we get a crew, I might be able to go on the 6th, too, but we need to go ahead and make reservations.

[scottie]

Okay, I can do a veggie pasta. But, um, am I expected to actually make the pasta itself? I do have a pasta machine (2, actually, for some unknown reason), but I've never done it without disastrous and inedible results. Guess I have time to practice... But just to warn you, if I make it myself, it will be at least somewhat experimental.

As for the veggie part, I'm thinking pumpkin with sage-infused brown butter. I have a pumpkin surplus at the moment. This could be topped with some crumbled pancetta, if people like.

Or, the other option I'd like to try is a bitter green of some sort, like broccoli raab or dandelion greens or similar, with olive oil and pine nuts. I think cheese would be appropriate with this. And maybe some white truffle oil, though that might be redundant with the Tagliatelle.

So, maybe this is a stupid question, but should be bring our dishes pre-made, then heat them up there? Or are we all doing cooking and assembly on location? Pasta's best freshly cooked, I suppose, but there's the potential for a lot of butt-bumping in the kitchen.

[phlawless]

I was under the impression that dough will be made at Varmint's (or inlaws) house, and all who are participating bring their sauces/fillings either partially or totally made. Varmint, am I wrong on this?

[Dave the Cook]

I'm not certain, but I think Varmint's incommunicado for the next couple of days.

As for butt-bumping, have you checked out Varmint's kitchen (scroll about halfway down the page to see the layout)? Butt-bumping will be the least of it. Y'all are gonna be best friends by the time this thing is over.

Edit: on the other hand, Mrs. Dr. Varmint's mother's kitchen is wonderful.

Edited January 23, 2004 by Dave the Cook (log)

[Random Alias]

I was under the impression that dough will be made at Varmint's (or inlaws) house, and all who are participating bring their sauces/fillings either partially or totally made. Varmint, am I wrong on this?

That's my plan - seems like it would either be chaos or eternity to make everything there.

[phlawless]

what about munchies before?

I can bring some bagna cauda.

[edemuth]

I'll make dessert and will bring wine to go with. Should I stick to traditional Italian or do something more contemporary? Requests/ideas welcomed; I'll also look into munchies/apps and finalize my choice(s) next week.

I'm up for Magnolia Grill as well on the 6th.

My home computer is sick, so I'm without access over the weekend. Have a good one, everybody!

[Varmint]

I was under the impression that dough will be made at Varmint's (or inlaws) house, and all who are participating bring their sauces/fillings either partially or totally made. Varmint, am I wrong on this?

This is correct -- we'll be making pasta on-site. If you have particular needs for your pasta, let me know in advance. I plan to have 4 types of flour available: coarse semolina, durum, all purpose, and 00 (phlawless, can you bring some of that?). I like semolina for the longer pastas where the sauce needs to cling to it. I use the finer grade flours for sheets of pasta for fillings.

I'm in Baltimore this weekend and will only have limited computer access.

Dave, aren't you coming?

Right now, edemuth is the only yes for Magnolia Grill. I likely can go, but it'd be better to have at least 4, y'all. Erin can only handle my bad jokes for so long.