Martha Stewart Best Pasta Food

FRESH PASTA

Steps:

• To make the dough by hand, mound flour in the center of a work surface, and make a well in the middle. Crack eggs into the well.
• Beat eggs with a fork until smooth, then begin to work flour into eggs with the fork.
• Use a bench scraper to work in the rest of the flour, a bit at a time.
• Once all the flour has been incorporated, start working the dough with your hands to form a rounded mass for kneading. Be sure your work surface is clean of all loose bits of dough; lightly dust with flour. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Cover dough with an inverted bowl or plastic wrap; allow to rest 1 1/2 hours, or chill overnight.
• To roll using a machine: Divide dough into 4 pieces. Quickly knead and flatten a portion of dough into a disc shape somewhat narrower than the machine opening; very lightly dust the dough with flour. Feed through at your machine's widest setting. (If pasta pulls or tears when passing through machine, simply sprinkle a little more flour over the dough, just before it's fed, to keep it from sticking. When finished, remove excess flour with a dry brush.) As the pasta sheet emerges, gently support it with your palm and guide it onto the work surface. Fold the sheet lengthwise into thirds. Repeat sequence twice with the same setting to smooth the dough and increase its elasticity. Then thin the dough by passing it through ever finer settings, one pass on each setting from widest to narrowest (machine settings differ -- some have as many as 10, others only 6). For ribbon pasta, roll remaining three portions of dough as soon as the first is finished. For filled pasta, it's best to roll and cut a single portion at a time, otherwise the dough will dry out.
• To roll by hand: Lightly flour a clean work surface. With a rolling pin, vigorously roll dough to a very thin circle; apply even pressure. As it stretches, roll constantly. Do not bear down, or it will tear. Roll for several minutes, until dough is as thin as possible, almost translucent. If it shrinks back as you roll, cover with a towel, and let rest 10 minutes before you resume rolling.
• To cut by hand: Lightly fold sheets one at a time into thirds. Cut with a sharp knife to desired thickness.

SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO SAUCE (MARTHA STEWART)

Steps:

• In a tall stockpot, bring 3 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil.
• In a separate pot, prepare the tomatoes by bringing a pot of water to a boil and peeling and seeding. Add 2 tablespoons salt to water to loosen skins. Cut a small X on bottom of each tomato and drop one or two into boiling water just until skin begins to curl. Lift out of water and drop into ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Return to boiling water of skins do not slip right off. Use a sharp knife to cut the outside fleshy part of the tomatoes into large pieces and cut them into strips. *If using whole canned tomatoes make sure you strain before adding to the pan.
• Drop spaghetti into boiling salted water and stir. Cook until al dente, about 11 minutes.
• Place a 12 inch saute pan over medium heat, and add the oil.
• Add the garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add the red-pepper flakes and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until the garlic is medium golden, about 1 minute.
• Increase heat to high. Tilting pan at an angle, add the reserved tomatoes. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down (pear tomatoes will burst and canned tomatoes will thicken).
• Drain pasta in a colander, reserving 1 cup liquid in case sauce gets too dry when pasta is added. Add pasta to sauce in saute pan. Cook until the sauce begins to cling to the pasta, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir in the basil and cook 30 seconds more.
• Divide among bowls, and sprinkle with cheese, if desired. Serve.

RIGATONI PASTA PIE (MARTHA STEWART)

Steps:

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until slightly underdone (I cooked mine for 12 minutes when the box indicated 14 minutes). One pound of pasta should be cooked in 6 quarts of water, make sure you are using a big enough pot so the pasta doesn't stick together. When done, rinse in cold water and drain again. Toss pasta with 1 Tablespoon olive oil to coat. Set aside.
• Heat remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Add garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes more.
• Add crushed tomatoes; simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Toss pasta with Parmesan cheese. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Tightly pack pasta into pan, standing each piece on end. Spread meat sauce on top of pasta.
• Push the meat sauce into the pasta holes filling each one up. Stuffing the meat into the holes is a weirdly satisfying task. Enough said.
• Place in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen and then unmold.
• Cut into wedges and serve with any remaining meat sauce you might have.

SPAGHETTI WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE (MARTHA STEWART)

Steps:

• Make sauce: In a dutch oven (or a 5-quart saucepan), heat oil over high heat. Add onions, carrots, and garlic; cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add beef and pork; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Add wine and tomatoes. Bring sauce to a simmer; cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 1 hour. Add milk; simmer until completely absorbed, about 15 minutes more. Season again with salt and pepper.
• When sauce is almost done, cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions; drain. Toss pasta with half the meat sauce; save remaining sauce for next day. Serve sprinkled with cheese.