TORTELLI STUFFING

(EXTRA LARGE RAVIOLI)

FILLS 20 - 24 LARGE TORTELLI

1 CLOVE GARLIC
3 TBS. COARSE CHOPPED FRESH PARSLEY
2 TBS. TOMATO PASTE
½ CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
3 CUPS RICED POTATOES
1 TSP. NUTMEG
SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE

BOIL 6 LARGE WHITE POTATOES WITH SKINS IN UNSALTED WATER.  COOK UNTIL L FORK TENDER (AS IF YOU WERE MAKING MASHED POTATOES.

PEEL POTATOES WHEN THEY ARE COOL ENOUGH TO HANDLE AND USE RICER OR OLD FASHIONED HAND POTATO MASHER UNTIL POTATOES ARE MASHED.

PLACE  GARLIC & PARSLEY IN OLIVE OIL INTO COLD SKILLET.  SAUTE QUICKLY ON HIGH HEAT FOR 2 MINUTES AND DO NOT BURN. REMOVE GARLIC CLOVE (UNLESS YOU ENJOY BIG GARLIC TASTE IN WHICH CASE LEAVE IT IN).  ADD TOMATO PASTE AND STIR IN QUICKLY FOR 2 MINUTES.  DON’T BURN.  ADD THIS MIXTURE TO RICED POTATOES ALONG WITH NUTMEG AND SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE AND MIX WITH FORK UNTIL WELL BLENDED.

WITH SHARP KNIFE CUT PASTA INTO APPROX. 8" X 3" SHEETS.  LAY THE SHEET FLAT IN FRONT OF YOU ON FLOURED BOARD.  PLACE 3 MOUNDS OF  THE MIXTURE ACROSS THE PASTA SHEET ON THE SIDE CLOSEST TO YOU.  EACH MOUND SHOULD BE 2 HEAPING TBS.   GENTLY TAKE THE OPPOSITE END OF THE PASTA SHEET AND FOLD TOWARDS YOU COVERING THE FILLINGS.  PULLING PASTA TOWARDS YOU (INSTEAD OF AWAY FROM YOU) HELPS PREVENT TEARING THE PASTA DOUGH.

USING BOTH HANDS, CUP AND PRESS CLOSELY AROUND EACH MOUND OF FILLING TO HELP REMOVE AIR.  REMOVING THE AIR PREVENTS THE TORTELLI FROM POPPING OPEN WHILE BOILING.

USING A PASTA ROLLER/CRIMPER CUT BETWEEN EACH “PILLOW”, SEALING ALL 4 EDGES WITH THE CRIMPER.  SET ASIDE ON FLOURED BAKING SHEET UNTIL READY TO COOK.

DROP TORTELLI INTO RAPIDLY BOILING UNSALTED WATER FOR APPROX. 3 MINUTES, OR UNTIL TORTELLI FLOATS TO THE TOP.  REMOVE WITH SLOTTED SPOON AND PLACE ON WARM PLATE.

COVER AS DESIRED WITH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL AND SHAVINGS OF PECORINO CHEESE

PESTO SAUCE OR BOLOGNESE SAUCE....BUT DON’T DROWN THE PASTA IN SAUCE.

HOMEMADE PASTA

SERVES 12
                          
3 LB. ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
3 LARGE EGGS
6 TBS. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
1 TSP. SALT

IF YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE YOUR PASTA BY HAND YOU WILL POUR THE FLOUR ON A BOARD AND MAKE A PASTA TOWER WITH A HOLE IN THE CENTER.  IN THE CENTER YOU WILL ADD YOUR EGGS, OIL AND SALT.

KNEAD BY HAND UNTIL WELL BLENDED AND ADD SM. AMOUNTS OF ADDITIONAL FLOUR IF NEEDED TO KEEP DOUGH FROM STICKING TO YOUR HANDS.

YOU CAN ALSO TAKE THESE SAME INGREDIENTS AND BLEND IN MIXER USING THE DOUGH HOOK ATTACHMENT.

IN EITHER CASE PLACE DOUGH IN A COVERED BOWL IN THE REFRIGERATOR FOR 20 MINUTES BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO PROCESS THRU YOUR PASTA MACHINE.

TAKE YOUR BALL OF PASTA DOUGH AND ROLL ON FLOURED BOARD UNTIL THIN ENOUGH TO RUN THRU THE PASTA MAKER.  RUN THE DOUGH THRU THE MACHINE 4 TIMES, EACH TIME ADJUSTING THE THICKNESS MEASUREMENT ON THE MACHINE FOR THINNER AND THINNER PASTA.  EACH TIME YOU RUN THE DOUGH THRU THE MACHINE YOU WILL FOLD THE DOUGH IN HALF BEFORE RUNNING THRU THE PASTA MACHINE.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PASTA MACHINE YOU WILL USE YOUR TRUSTY ROLLING PIN UNTIL YOUR DOUGH IS ALMOST PAPER THIN.  THIS IS A REWARDING BUT TIME CONSUMING PROCESS.

FRESHLY MADE PASTA WILL KEEP IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR FOR 2 DAYS IF WRAPPED TIGHTLY.  YOU MAY ALSO WRAP TIGHTLY AND FREEZE THE FINISHED PASTA DOUGH.

THE SAME DOUGH IS USED FOR ALL SHAPES OF PASTA.  IN FACT, IN ITALY "PASTA" MEANS DOUGH.  SO, IF YOU ARE MAKING A BREAD DOUGH, YOU ARE MAKING A "PASTA".

THE VARIOUS SHAPES OF PASTA WERE CREATED TO ACCOMMODATE THE INGREDIENTS TO BE USED AS STUFFING OR FOR THE TYPE OF SAUCE BEING PRESENTED WITH THE PASTA.