Tasty Tuesday: Cooking Class Success!!!

I had an amazing time at Well Done Cooking Class - Pasta Making I on Saturday.  Making pasta was incredibly easy and I'm so happy I treated myself to this class.  Now, I need a Kitchen Aid mixer with the pasta making attachments and I will be in business :)  *hint hint to my bf* :D

Here are a few of the recipes that were delicious.

Fresh Pasta 

Kitchen Aid Mixer with Pasta attachments :D

Fresh Pasta dough

Ingredients:

3 cups of flour

5 - 6 fresh, large eggs

1 tsp. salt

semolina flour for dusting

METHOD

The making of pasta isnʼt some temperamental 

nightmare - you just chuck the eggs and flour 

together, no big deal  You donʼt need oil, thatʼs a 

fallacy.  The only essential for the most superior 

pasta experience is the freshest eggs, and 

good, finely ground flour.  You want to knead 

these ingredients together to a smooth, fine and 

silky-textured dough, and work it enough to 

develop and strengthen the structure of the 

gluten in the dough to make it elastic.  It can be 

made using a well on a clean, flat surface; in a 

bowl; a food processor; or a stand mixer in five 

minutes or less.

Directions:

✦ Stage 1: Make a well in the center of the 

flour and add the eggs (and yolks if using 

the special recipe ingredients),  Using a fork, 

break up the eggs slightly as you bring in the 

flour from the sides.  As it begins to form a 

semi-soft dough, start to use your hands.  

Work the dough hard for about 3 minutes or 

until smooth, silky and elastic.  Wrap it in 

plastic wrap and allow to rest in the 

refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

✦ Stage 2: Remove the dough from the fridge 

and divide into four balls.  Re-cover the 

three of the balls to prevent them from 

drying out while working with one at a time.  

Flatten the ball with your hands to about 1/2 

inch thick before running it through your 

machine set to thickest setting.  This is 

important because if you try to run it through 

the machine while it’s really thick, it could 

break your machine not to mention being 

really difficult to work with.  On the thickest 

setting, you want to roll the pasta through it 

at least twice (really three or four) trying to 

get the sheets as wide as the roller and as 

Spicy Squash, Basil and Ricotta Ravioli with 

Crispy Herbs

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

1 level tablespoon coriander seeds

2 small dried chillies

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra Virgin olive oil

12 slices dry-cured smoky bacon

2 good handfuls of fresh basil, roughly chopped

9 oz Ricotta Cheese

1 - 2 handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. basic pasta recipe

2 handfuls of mixed herbs (sage, thyme, 

 oregano)

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F. Carefully cut your 

butternut squash in half and scoop out the 

seeds. Put these to one side as you can 

actually roast and salt them just like nuts for a 

great snack. 

• Cut the squash lengthways into ¼ inch slices. 

Bash up your coriander and chillies with a 

pinch of salt and pepper in a pestle and mortar 

(or use a metal bowl and the end of a rolling 

pin). Dust this over your squash with a 

tablespoon of olive oil. Toss around until 

completely coated.

• Line up snugly in a roasting tray and bake for 

around 20  minutes and then throw your 

bacon on top of the squash. Cook for another 

10 minutes until the flesh and skin are soft to 

the touch and the bacon is cooked. 

• Divide the roasted squash in half and finely 

chop one half, leaving the other coarsely 

chopped (you can remove the skin if you wish, 

but I love it.)  Put all the squash into a bowl 

with the basil, ricotta and most if not all of the 

Parmesan.  Mash with a fork and taste for 

seasoning. 

• Roll out several sheets of pasta about 1/16 of 

an inch thick, keeping them covered with a 

damp cloth.  Make them 3 x 3 inches (most 

machines make 4 inches wide).  Lay out your 

pasta on a generously dusted surface and 

place a good heaped teaspoon of filling in the 

middle of the sheet at one end.  Repeat this all 

the way along the pasta, spacing 2 inches 

apart.  Then, using a clean pastry brush and 

some water, lightly but evenly brush the pasta 

(this will be your glue).  Lay another similarly 

sized sheet of pasta on top.

• At this point you should have a gentle touch.  

With the base of your palm, gently pat the 

pasta down on the long side farthest away 

from you.  Starting from one side, with the side 

of your hand, push the pasta down at one 

end, then slowly curl your fingers and your 

palm around the filling, eventually cupping and 

gently pushing down on the other side of the 

filling. Repeat along the length of the pasta, 

making sure it hasn’t stuck to the work 

surface. Then trim and cut the ravioli into 

shape with a knife or crinkly pastry cutter.

• After filling and shaping your ravioli, cook in 

boiling salted water for 3 - 4 minutes, until 

tender.  You can store in your fridge for 3 - 4 

hours, dusted with semolina.  Fry off the 

mixed herbs in a little butter until crispy  and 

scatter over your ravioli.  You can serve with a 

little extra Parmesan on top.

Keep the Faith!

Until next time,
~E