Paccheri are short, wide tubes from southern Italy, typically Campania. In order to form each paccheri, I rolled out a piece of dough and cut it into 3- by 2-inch rectangles. Then each piece was rolled over a grooved gnocchi/garganelli board with a 3/4-inch dowel and sealed to form each tube. A bit tedious, but the end […]
It’s pumpkin/winter squash season, so I went with a simple filling of roasted butternut squash, shallot, ricotta, Parmesan, and nutmeg. I made the ravioli extra plump, but you can of course make them as big or small as you like. I piped the filling with a piping bag, which makes the process much easier. If
Butternut Squash Ravioli Read More »
Wasn’t sure if gnocchi alla Romana was technically a type of pasta, but it’s in the Encyclopedia of Pasta, so that’s official enough for me. As its name implies, this pasta hails from Lazio, central Italy, on the western coast, which includes the province of Rome. There is also a gnocchi di semolina from Sardinia called pillas, generously
Gnocchi alla Romana (Semolina Gnocchi) Read More »
I’ve seen this shape referred to as tortelletti, so will go with that until I learn otherwise. Theses stuffed pastas are traditionally from the Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany regions of Italy. To form them, you cut the dough into 2 1/2 – 2 3/4-inch squares, pipe a teaspoon-sized filling in the middle of each square, fold
Burrata-Ricotta Filled Tortelletti Read More »
Braised polipetti (baby octopus) is one of my hands down, all-time favorite dishes. As the octopi stew, they release much of their water content, which melds with the tomatoes and red wine to yield a slightly briny, rich and thick sauce that is nothing short of lick-the-bowl-clean delicious. Octopus can be tricky to prepare. Cook it too
Braised Polipetti (baby octopus) with Squid Ink Spaghetti alla Chitarra Read More »
Trofie comes from Liguria in northwest Italy, in particular the area of Camogli, as well as areas of Tuscany bordering Liguria. They are spindle-shaped, spirals with tapered ends. They’re traditionally made with wheat flour enriched with bran, potatoes, bread or chestnut flour and water. And, served with pesto alla Genovese — made with basil, garlic,
Trofie with Ramp Pesto Read More »
Someone asked me the other day what my favorite pasta is? I didn’t have an answer?? Many pasta shapes floated through my mind. But, to choose, just one, impossible (or better yet, impastable). I’m someone who enjoys variety and that’s the great thing about pasta, there are endless shapes, sizes, fillings, sauces, etc. One for
Pappardelle with Mixed Mushroom Ragú Read More »
This particular shape is called scarpinocc. It originated from the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Its name stems from the word scarpa, which means shoe, as this rather odd looking-shaped pasta resembles an old-fashioned wooden shoe. These scarpinocc are filled with Taleggio, a washed rind cow’s milk cheese that’s big on personality (read: creamy, smooth, salty, strong, complex,
Foglie d’ulivo or olive leaves fall into a category of pasta known as strascinati, commonly found in Southern Italy, particularly Campania, Puglia, Basiliccata and Calabria. This category also includes cavatelli (rolled with one finger), as well as orecchiette; ceccatelli (rolled with two fingers); and those rolled with three, four or eight fingers. Each producing a longer or
Agnolotti (agnolotto singular) del plin are an iconic pasta from Piemonte in Northern Italy. Plin translates to pinch in the regional Piemonte dialect (pizzico in standard Italian) and refers to the way these pasta parcels are ‘pinched’ in order to give them their characteristic shape. Meat filled agnolotti are typical – anything from beef, veal, lamb, rabbit, pork, and/or chicken, often a
Agnolotti del Plin Read More »