orecchiette bolognese

ingredients:

ground beef
ground pork
bacon
garlic
shallots
onions
carrots
sweet basil
red wine
heavy cream
canned san marzano tomatoes
tomato paste
red pepper flakes
dried oregano
nutmeg
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
orecchiette

directions:

1.  prepare the mise en place.  finely mince the shallots, garlic, onion, carrot, and bacon.

2.  mix the ground beef and pork together.

3.  slowly render bacon bits in pot.  after bacon fat has rendered, turn heat on high and saute the ground meat.

4.  when meat is nicely browned, add in the carrots, garlic, shallot, onion, a pinch of chili flakes, some dried oregano, and season with salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

5.   after a few minutes, add in some red wine and the tomatoes.

6.  simmer the sauce on medium heat for 10-15 minutes.  then add a pinch of nutmeg, a splash of red wine, a dash of heavy cream, and the basil.

7.  while the sauce is reducing, cook the orechiette in salted water.

8.  drain the orecchiette and spoon into a big serving bowl.  top with the meat sauce, garnish with more basil and serve immediately.  (freshly grated parmesan optional)

giblet ravioli with tomato sauce, arugula, and white truffle oil

yes, yes, i know the word "giblet" sounds funny.  giblet ravioli.  it's good!  this is a great recipe to use up any leftovers from the previous recipe and change it into something different.

ingredients:

liver sauce, reduced so there's no more liquid (see previous recipe)
green pasta sheets (see previous recipe)
egg
garlic
arugula
canned roma tomatoes
1 can marinara sauce
white wine
red chili flakes
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
sugar

1.  roll out a green pasta sheet and brush egg wash over the sheet.  make raviolis by spooning a bit of the liver mixture about an inch and a half apart and top the liver filling with another pasta sheet.  press firmly around the edges and cut raviolis out.  i just used a glass tumbler upside down like a cookie cutter to cut the ravioli.  you're welcome to use a ravioli cutter, pizza cutter, whatever works.  set aside.

2.  in a large pan, heat up the extra virgin olive oil and saute garlic with some red chili flakes.  then add in the remaining chicken liver mixture and saute over high heat for 3 minutes or so.

3.  deglaze the pan with white wine.  stir sauce.

4.  add the marinara to the sauce and then using your hands, crush the roma tomatoes and add to the sauce.  let the sauce simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.  season to taste with salt, cracked black pepper, and a pinch of sugar.

5.  cook raviolis in a large pot of salted boiling water.  meanwhile, fold the arugula into the tomato sauce.

to plate:  carefully place some ravioli in the center of a white plate.  top raviolis with some of the tomato sauce and drizzle with white truffle oil.  top with some parmesan cheese if desired.  serve immediately.

the picture above shows the ravioli cut so you can see the filling.

green lagane in chicken liver sauce

ingredients:

for green lagane (wide noodles):

3 1/2 cups flour
5 eggs
3/4 - 1 cup blanched spinach

for sauce:

chicken giblets (livers, hearts, gizzards - use more liver)
pancetta
dried porcini mushrooms
white chantrelle mushrooms
carrot
onion
garlic
parsley
bay leaf
tomato paste
white wine
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

directions:

1.  pulse the blanched spinach in a food processor until super fine.

2.  add the spinach into five beaten eggs.  mix well.

3.  mound the flour with a well in the middle on a clean, flat surface. slowly begin to incorporate the spinach/egg mixture into the well and then knead for 10-15 minutes.  wrap the dough in saran wrap and rest for half an hour or so.

4.  slice the chantrelles and soak the porcini mushrooms in some hot water.  when porcini mushrooms have reconstituted, finely chop them up and set aside.  save the porcini liquid.

5.  chop the chicken giblets.  dice the pancetta.

6.  in a large dutch oven, heat up some extra virgin olive oil over medium low heat.  cook the pancetta slowly to render its fat.  meanwhile, finely chop up the carrot, onion, and garlic.

7.  after the pancetta has rendered its fat, throw in the chopped carrots, porcini mushrooms, onions, garlic, and bay leaf.  season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.  saute for 3 minutes.

8.  stir in some tomato paste, the porcini mushroom liquid, and white wine.  bring to a boil then turn heat to medium low and simmer for 40 minutes.  season to taste.

9.  while chicken liver sauce is simmering, heat up some extra virgin olive oil over high heat to sear the chantrelle mushrooms.  season with salt and cracked pepper to taste and then set aside for garnish.

10.  using a pasta machine, roll out green pasta dough to thin sheets.  fold the sheets as you would a cinnamon roll and then slice into flat, wide noodles.  lightly toss with flour to prevent sticking.  cook the lagane in salted boiling water.

11.  after a minute or two, transfer al-dente lagane into the liver sauce to finish cooking.

to plate:  pile some lagane onto a plate.  top with additional chicken liver sauce and garnish with the caramelized chantrelles and parsley.  serve immediately.

optional: you can top the pasta with shaved parmesan or pecorino romano.  both work.

gnocchi with braised lamb shank

ingredients:

red wine braised lamb shanks (see recipe July 4th posting)

1 lb russet potatoes 

3 egg yolks

flour

parmesan

kosher salt

sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

directions:

1.  prepare the braised lamb shanks.

2.  bake the russet potatoes on a baking tray lined with kosher salt.  when potatoes baked, scoop out the insides.  grate potatoes either using a potato ricer and any grater will do.

3.  add the egg yolks, parmesan, sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste to the grated potatoes. mix well.  slowly incorporate some flour into the potato mixture using a folding method until the potato "dough" hold well together without sticking to your hands. 

4.  roll out the potato dough and make gnocchi.  (you can look it up on youtube if you need a visual.) 

5.  heat up a large pot of salted boiling water.  while the water is heating, remove lamb shanks from the sauce and reduce the red wine sauce further to a thick gravy consistency.  shred off the lamb meat with tongs and return to the sauce. 

6.  cook the gnocchi for about 1-2 minutes until they float to the top.  drain gnocchi and lightly toss in the lamb sauce.  garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.  

cognac mushroom spaghetti

ingredients:

crimini mushrooms

yellow onion

garlic

parsley

thyme

dark veal stock

heavy cream

sour cream
hennessy cognac

extra virgin olive oil

thin spaghetti

kosher salt

cracked black pepper

directions:

1.  boil enough salted water to cook the spaghetti. 

2.  prepare your mise en place.  slice the onion and crimini mushrooms.  finely mince the garlic and chop the parsley.

3.  heat up some extra virgin olive oil in a medium flat saucepan.  caramelize the mushrooms in batches. do not crowd the pan.  after mushrooms are caramelized, add in the onions, some garlic, and some fresh thyme.  season with salt and black pepper to taste.

4.  after onions are translucent, remove the pan from the stove and deglaze with hennessy. (3-5 shots or enough to cover the bottom of the pan)  then put the pan back on the flame and continue cooking till the alcohol has cooked out.

5.  add the veal stock and heavy cream to the mushrooms.  season with salt and black pepper to taste.

6.  when the pasta is al dente, drain, and toss in the sauce.  finish cooking the pasta in the cognac cream sauce and top with chopped parsley.  serve immediately.  you can add a dallop of sour cream on top if desired.  (not shown in picture)

razor clam linguini, white wine butter sauce

ingredients:

razor clams in tin

baby razor clams in tin

anchovy fillets in olive oil

yellow onion

garlic

red chili flake

lemon

parsley

white wine

butter

olive oil

sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

linguini pasta

directions:

1.  in a large pot, boil water for pasta. add a handful of kosher salt.

2.  heat up a drizzle of olive oil in a medium saucepan. meanwhile, julienne onion, finely mince garlic, chop parsley, and set aside. when oil is hot, saute onions and red chili flakes with a few anchovy fillets until the anchovy is broken down. (taste your anchovy first, if it's super salty, don't add as many. I got mine from Spain, they are not as salty, with a deep nutty flavor, so I used about 5 fillets to one onion.)  

3.  when onions are translucent, add in minced garlic, and saute for one minute.  

4.  then add the razor clams with the clam juice, butter, and white wine.  cook until alcohol from wine has evaporated. 

5.  using tongs, toss al dente linguini into the pan with the clams and sauce, and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce.  season to taste with freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt if needed.  squeeze some lemon, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.