Fresh Red Pepper Pasta Dough Variation Food

QUICK AND EASY ROASTED RED PEPPER PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
• Meanwhile, add the oil and butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and onions and saute until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped red peppers and cook until hot, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Carefully transfer the contents of the skillet to a food processor or blender. Put on the lid and puree the pepper mixture until totally blended (there will still be some texture to the peppers).
• Pour the pepper puree back into the skillet. Add the broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper, and stir until heated. Splash in the cream and stir to combine. Add the parsley and basil and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Add the Parmesan, and then stir it together to coat the pasta.
• Serve in bowls with extra Parmesan and a sprinkling of parsley and basil on top.

FRESH RED-PEPPER PASTA DOUGH VARIATION

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rub 1 large red bell pepper (about 10 ounces) with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, and place on a baking sheet. Cook, flipping after 10 minutes, until skin begins to bubble and is lightly brown in spots, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and immediately cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to steam 15 minutes. Remove skin, stem, seeds, and ribs, and discard. Puree pepper in a food processor (you should have about 1/2 cup puree).
• Add eggs and yolk to puree in food processor, and process until combined. Add flour and 1 heaping teaspoon salt, and process until dough just comes together, about 20 seconds.
• Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes, adding up to 2 tablespoons flour if dough is too sticky. Place on a piece of parchment, and cover with an inverted bowl, or wrap tightly in plastic; let rest for 1 to 2 hours.
• Cut dough into 8 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time (keep the remaining pieces covered with the inverted bowl), flatten dough into an oblong shape slightly thinner than the pasta machine's widest setting (number 1). Dust dough very lightly with flour, and feed through machine. Fold lengthwise into thirds and rotate 90 degrees. Repeat twice on same setting to smooth dough and increase its elasticity.
• Turn the dial to next narrower setting. Pass dough through twice, gently supporting it with your palm. Continue to press dough, passing it through ever-finer settings, two passes on each setting, until sheet is almost translucent and very thin but still intact (number 5 of 8 on a KitchenAid pasta roller). The dough will stretch to about 16 inches long. If dough bubbles or tears, pass it through again, and dust with flour if the dough is sticking.
• For farfalle, lasagna squares, or ravioli: Place rolled sheet on a lightly floured surface, and cut out as directed in corresponding recipe, using a dry brush to dust flour off if needed. For ribbon pastas: Place dough on a drying rack until slightly tacky, 10 to 15 minutes, and then use a pasta machine or cutting attachment to cut into strands. Drape over rack until strands are semidry and won't stick together, about 20 minutes. Cook immediately, or lay flat on a baking sheet dusted with semolina, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

BASIC FRESH PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Mound the flour in the center of a large, wide mixing bowl. Dig a well in the center of the mound and add eggs and yolks. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. The dough will start to come together in a shaggy mass when about half of the flour is incorporated.
• Use your fingers to continue to mix the dough. Press any loose bits of flour into the mass of dough. If needed, add another egg yolk or a tablespoon of water to absorb all of the flour. Once the dough comes together into a cohesive mass, remove it from the bowl.
• Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 4 to 5 more minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and uniform in color. Wrap the dough in plastic and set aside for at least 30 minutes (and up to 4 hours) at room temperature.
• Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly dust with semolina flour. Set aside.
• Cut off a quarter of the dough. Rewrap rest, and set aside. Use the heel of your hand to flatten the dough into an oval approximately the same width as your pasta machine, about six inches. Set the rollers to their widest setting and pass the dough through.
• Lay the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board or countertop and neatly press together into halves, so it's again about the same width of the pasta machine. Feed the pasta through again at the widest setting. Think of these first rollings as an extended kneading. Continue to fold the dough in thirds and roll it until it is smooth, silky and even-textured. Do your best to make the sheet the full width of the machine.
• Once the dough is silky and smooth, you can begin to roll it out more thinly. Roll it once through each of the next two or three settings, adding flour as needed, until the dough is about 1/4-inch thick.
• Once the pasta is about 1/4-inch thick, begin rolling it twice through each setting. As you roll, lightly sprinkle all-purpose or 00 flour on both sides of the pasta to prevent it from sticking to itself.
• Roll out pasta until you can just see the outline of your hand when you hold it under a sheet, about 1/16-inch thick for noodles, or 1/32-inch thick for a filled pasta. (On most machines, you won't make it to the thinnest setting.)
• Cut pasta into sheets, about 12 to 14 inches long. Dust the sheets lightly with semolina flour and stack on one of the prepared baking sheets and cover with a clean, lightly dampened kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining dough.

HOMEMADE PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• On a clean work surface or in a large bowl, combine both flours and 1 teaspoon salt. Make a well in center; add 1 cup warm water and oil. Using a fork and whisking outward from the center of well, gradually incorporate flour mixture into liquid until a ragged dough forms.
• Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead until dough is smooth and springs back when pressed with a finger, 8 to 10 minutes. While kneading, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough feels too dry; or add more "00" flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough feels too sticky.
• Pat dough into an approximately 1-inch-thick square; tightly wrap in plastic and let stand at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours before using.

FRESH CARROT PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Add 2 inches of water to a medium saucepan, and fit with a steamer insert. Bring to a simmer. Add carrots; cover, and steam until softened, about 10 minutes. Puree carrots in a food processor (you should have about 1/2 cup puree).
• Add eggs and yolk to puree in food processor, and process until combined. Add flour and 1 heaping teaspoon salt, and process until dough just comes together, about 20 seconds.
• Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes, adding up to 2 tablespoons flour if dough is too sticky. Place on a piece of parchment, and cover with an inverted bowl, or wrap tightly in plastic; let rest for 1 to 2 hours.
• Cut dough into 8 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time (keep the remaining pieces covered with the inverted bowl), flatten dough into an oblong shape slightly thinner than the pasta machine's widest setting (number 1). Dust dough very lightly with flour, and feed through machine. Fold lengthwise into thirds and rotate 90 degrees. Repeat twice on same setting to smooth dough and increase its elasticity.
• Turn the dial to next narrower setting. Pass dough through twice, gently supporting it with your palm. Continue to press dough, passing it through ever-finer settings, two passes on each setting, until sheet is almost translucent and very thin but still intact (number 5 of 8 on a KitchenAid pasta roller). The dough will stretch to about 16 inches long. If dough bubbles or tears, pass it through again, and dust with flour if the dough is sticking.
• For farfalle, lasagna squares, or ravioli: Place rolled sheet on a lightly floured surface, and cut out as directed in corresponding recipe, using a dry brush to dust flour off if needed. For ribbon pastas: Place dough on a drying rack until slightly tacky, 10 to 15 minutes, and then use a pasta machine or cutting attachment to cut into strands. Drape over rack until strands are semidry and won't stick together, about 20 minutes. Cook immediately, or lay flat on a baking sheet dusted with semolina, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

MOMOS

Steps:

• Make the dough: Stir together flour and warm water in a bowl until a dough forms. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until dough is smooth and springs back slightly when touched, 10 to 15 minutes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Make the filling: Place potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain, and let cool slightly. Peel potatoes, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Stir together the remaining ingredients except hot sauce, plus 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Gently stir in potatoes. Cover, and refrigerate while you roll out the dough.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces. Work quickly, with 1 piece at a time, keeping the remaining pieces covered with an inverted bowl. Flatten dough into an oblong slightly thinner than the pasta machine's widest setting (number 1 on a KitchenAid pasta roller). Feed through machine. Turn dial to next narrower setting. Pass dough through, gently supporting it with your palm. Continue to press dough, passing it through ever-finer settings, until very thin but still intact (number 5 of 8 on a KitchenAid pasta roller). Transfer to a lightly floured cutting board. Using a 3 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet, and dust with flour. Cover with parchment and a barely damp kitchen towel. Repeat, rolling and cutting 1 sheet at a time.
• Lightly moisten edge of 1 dough round with a finger dipped in water. Cup round in the palm of your hand, and spoon 1 scant tablespoon filling in center. Place the thumb of the hand holding the dumpling over center of filling. Use the thumb and index finger of your free hand to pinch a portion of dough on one side to form a pleat. Make another pleat next to it. Repeat, rotating dumpling slightly as you work your way around, pressing each new pleat so it falls next to the one beside it. The pleats will begin to close around the thumb holding in the filling. Remove thumb, and hold top pleats while you twist the bottom of the dumpling in the opposite direction. Press with your finger to make a small indentation in the center of the pleats, pinching up edges. Make sure dumpling is tightly sealed and air has been pressed out. Return to sheet; cover, and repeat.
• Steam dumplings in batches in an oiled steamer insert or a bamboo steamer set over simmering water until shiny, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with hot sauce.