The perfect shape + the perfect sauce!

A few months ago Quirk Books was kind enough to offer me a review copy of “The Geometry of Pasta” by Caz Hildebrand and Jacob Kennedy. I accepted with enthusiasm and then life got a bit complicated and every time I came to post about it something delaying came up. Well I am sorry it has taken me so long to share this marvelous book with you because it is truly fun and interesting. The design is straight forward and stunning in black and white graphics. The information about pasta- the shapes and history- is fun to read and informative and the sauce pairings are inspired. Critically acclaimed chef Jacob Kenedy and award-winning designer Caz Hildebrand, were recently featured on the Martha Stewart Show!  Have a look: http://bit.ly/9t9e6U.
You can read more about the book here.

I chose to make some Orecchiette (little ears) following the directions in the book I mixed 1 cup and 3 Tablespoons semolina flour and 1/3 cup water,

mixed it kneaded it,

let it rest 20 minutes

and then shaped it into a small log, cut 1/2 pieces off then smeared them with a blunt knife to make the orrecchiette.

These are to be served with a broccoli rabe and sausage sauce. Try the book – you’ll like it- I do!

xo

Remember this dish? Well I’m excited to send a great big “Thank you” to Buitoni and Foodbuzz  for picking my recipe for Manchego Mornay Sauce over Wild Mushroom Agnolotti as a runner up winner in the Buitoni Riserva Pasta sauce contest over at Foodbuzz.  I’ve won a lovely colander and an even greater assortment of coupons for Buitoni Riserva Pasta. I’m looking forward to them because memories of the Manchego Mornay sauce over the lovely Wild Mushroom Agnolotti do still haunt us.

Many congratulations also to Lori Lynn at Taste With The Eyes for being chosen as the grand prize winner- her recipe for Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Veal, Portobello, Fried Sage and a Pinot Noir Cream Sauce sounds glorious.  Congrats also to the other eight runners up- you can read their recipes and link to their sites from here:

PrincessBacon
Luscious Smoked Tomato Sauce with Portabellas & Fennel

FoodMuse
Fried Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Tomato, Fennel, and Olive Gremolata

dvmamg2001
Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Garden Vegetables in a Creamy Sweet and Savory Sherry Sauce

 Here is a  link to my original recipe post  and here is a link to the congratulatory post at Foodbuzz!

Whoo hooo!!!!!

Those nice folks over at Buitoni are coming out with a new line of all natural Riserva pasta which they made available to some of the Foodbuzz bloggers. They shipped me a  cooler box containing a package of the new Wild Mushroom Agnolotti variety.  They also challenged us to come up with an original sauce to compliment this delicious pasta. Rick and I mulled over a few flavours and came up with the idea of using Manchego in a cheese sauce.  I know Manchego is a Spanish cheese but fusion seems to be what’s happening in my kitchen lately anyway.

I decided to make a Mornay sauce (which is basically a Bechamel with cheese and a bit of seasoning added) and top it off with some toasted pine nuts (pignoli), some diced sun dried tomatoes and a bit of Italian flat leaf parsley. I have to say the combination of flavours with the mushroom pasta was OMG delicious!

Here’s the recipe I hope you try it and the other new Buitoni Riserva All Natural Fresh Pastas- varieties include: Quattro Formaggi Agnolotti, Wild Mushroom Agnolotti, Chicken & Four Cheese Ravioli and Braised Beef Sausage Ravioli.

Manchego Mornay Sauce over Wild Mushroom Agnolotti

for the Bechamel:

• 2 cups milk
• 2 small bay leaves
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon season/garlic salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tablespoons half and half cream
• 1 Tablespoon Amontillado Sherry

Heat the milk with the bay leaves until just coming to the boil. I do this in a 2 cup Pyrex glass measuring cup in the microwave for ease. In a medium heavy bottomed (preferably copper clad) sauce pan heat the butter until melted and bubbling. Add the flour and season salt and stir until a paste forms. Remove the bay leaves from the hot milk and add the milk to the flour paste in the sauce pan. Stir constantly with a whisk until slightly thickened. Mix the egg yolk with the half and half and add to the mixture in the pan stirring as you add to incorporate it without making scrambled eggs. Cook until thickened. Remove from the heat and add the Sherry- stir in. Use for Mornay sauce that follows.

For the Mornay Sauce:

• heated Bechamel from above
• 1/2 cup shredded/crumbled Manchego cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• small pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix the cheese and other ingredients into the hot Bechamel and stir until melted. Serve immediately over Buitoni Wild Mushroom Agnolotti.

To put together:

• 1 package Buitoni Riserva Wild Mushroom Agnolotti, cooked per package directions and drained gently but well
• Manchego Mornay sauce
• 1/4 cup freshly toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup diced sun dried tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoon minced Italian flat leaf parsley

Toast the pine nuts in a pie plate in a 350F oven for a few minutes just until golden. Drain the sun dried tomatoes on a paper towel to remove the oil they come in and then dice them. Place the cooked Agnolotti into deep plates ( we used six per person) top with the Manchego Mornay Sauce, toasted pine nuts, tomatoes and parsley. Enjoy!

Rick and I were in the produce section of our favourite grocer (Harmons) when we spied some fuzzy green pods that were not familiar to us. They turned out to be fresh Garbanzo beans -also known as Ceci beans or chickpeas. We took them home and then debated about the best way to use them- we  regularly use lots of dried and cooked garbanzos but have never used fresh before. 

From what  I could find about them, they have a relatively short season when they are available but I am considering planting some in our garden to experiment.  They are delicious steamed and added to pasta- I thought they had a bit of a meaty texture and a nice fresh flavour. I even thought they were fun to shell – they start with a bit of a pop! I helped with that part.

The day before, I had invited some of the women in my family over for lunch and an afternoon of working on knitting projects. I made some sausages, onion and peppers for sandwiches and Rick used the leftovers in this dish.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Fresh Garbanzos & Sausage and Peppers

for the Sausage and Peppers:

• 6 sweet Italian sausages in casings
• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced about 1/4″ thick
• 1 large green bell pepper, sliced about 1/4″ thick
• 1 medium red onion, sliced  vertically about 1/4″ thick
• 2 count of olive oil

Heat a large cast iron or other heavy bottomed pan with a lid over medium heat, add a two-count of olive oil and then the sausages. Cover and cook a few minutes until browned on one side. Use tongs and flip over then add the peppers and onions.  Replace the lid and cook until the sausages are cooked through and the peppers and onions are soft. Taste  and add salt and pepper if needed and a small pinch of dried oregano, red pepper and basil if your sausages are not flavourful enough already.  For sarnies, serve whole or sliced on toasted buns.

For the pasta:

• 2 cups fresh Garbanzo beans, shelled and steamed
• 1/2 pound of whole wheat spaghetti, cooked and drained
• left over sausage and peppers,  links sliced  and heated
• freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Combine , heat through and serve to your taste.

Easy and fast and best of all prepared by Rick while I relaxed and read a good book

 (Pardonable  Lies by Jacqueline Winspear) on the couch.

xo