Every Thursday night, Steve hosts a 'how to make homemade paste' at The Beehive that he and his wife Linda own in Rome. We have had the privilege of knowing them, after our first of many stays there, for about 13 years. Lovely, generous and friendly people.
Linda always gives us a big hug.
So with very little time in Rome...I suggested to Deb that I would really like to do that.
25 euros a person, 2 euros per glass of wine....and lots of fun.
To start we measure out 40 grams Durum flour and 60 grams regular flour on a scale.
Mix the flour with your hand then pour onto a wooden table/cutting board....not plastic or steel.
Break one egg into the centre after you have made a wee sort of volcano to hold it.
Add a little more than a pinch of salt and about a teaspoon and a half of olive oil.
Use your fork to beat the egg in the center. Then slowly bring the flour into the egg mixture until it is sticky but not wet.
Sort of looks like the mixture below. Do not use all the flour, only what you need to give the mixture the texture needed. Too much flour and it will be to rigid.
Start mixing and kneading it into the flour until it is no longer sticky in the center.
You can't hurt it, kneading it for 5-8 minutes.
Wrap in serane wrap for about half an hour.
Time to start the sauce....
We are making two different kinds.
Pesto.....begin with a good amount of olive oil and a whole garlic into a fry pan and get it hot. Next you will need 5 zucchinis, chopped, and put them in. Simmer low with lid on.
No rules...white or red wine....whatever makes you happy.
Sitting pasta.....
Proud of my wee pasta ball.
Take ball out of serane and roll it out with a bit of flour. To an uniformed thickness.
Once you are happy with the thickness, start at one side rolling in, then the other side rolling the dough into the center. (below). We are getting ready to cut it.
Using a really sharp, big knife, and not pressing down on the dough, cut straight through and keep the sizing the same all the way down the dough.
Let it sit to dry about 5 minutes or until the water is boiled.
Lots of salted water...no oil....and cook this for 4 minutes.
There is a trick to picking it up...but I failed the first time.
Make sure none of the noodles are folded at all.
Let pasta sit for a bit while we finish the sauce...or Steve finishes the sauce.
For the second kind of sauce it is a traditional tomato sauce.
In a pot you place olive oil, garlic, chili spice, a half onion uncut, a whole carrot uncut, a large celery stock whole. Add oregano and thyme and fresh basil if you have it.
Put 1-2 large containers of tomatoes in the pot. Italian is the best.
Simmer.
The zucchinis are now done.
Place them in a container with a handful of almonds, one more raw clove of garlic, parmesan cheese, little more olive oil and fresh basil.
Using an emulsifier blend it into a pesto consistency.
Done...so delicious.
The tomato sauce is ready once you take the veggies out of it.
Put the pasta right into the sauce and stir around to heat it all up.
Our family from Jerusalem, Deb, and Bob from Utah...Steve and Linda are out of the shot.
What a delicious dinner we all made.
Cheers.
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