Homemade Pasta

This is a basic recipe for the dough for whole egg pasta, used for making homemade tagliatelli, papparadelle and all stuffed pasta shapes.

Use one egg for every two people
2/3 cup all purpose flour or ¾ cup “00” Italian flour

Put the flour and egg in the bowl of a food processor. When it comes together and pulls away from the side of the bowl, remove it to a floured counter and knead for a little while. Try not to add too much flour as this makes the dough tough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for ten minutes.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Using a pasta machine, run the dough through on the widest setting for about 15 times. Then begin to reduce the size of the opening and run through one time on each setting.

Lay the pasta on a kitchen towel and sprinkle with a little flour. Repeat with the other 3 pieces.

Go back to the first piece of pasta and run it through the cutters. Put pasta on a kitchen towel and sprinkle...

Cast Iron

WHERE TO FIND OR BUY CAST IRON
Antique stores and junk stores are great places to find cast iron skillets and other cast iron pieces. You can find Lodge cast iron at the grocery store or places like Walmart and also amazon.com.
COOKING TIPS

New cast iron comes seasoned and ready to use! Just give it a quick rinse and hand dry, and you’re ready to start cooking. Used cast iron might need to be seasoned. Instructions are below.
Use any utensils you like, even metal. There is no chemical coating to damage.
Cast iron can be used on all stovetops, from induction to electric to gas, even on the grill! It also works well on glass top stoves.
Cast iron performs best when heated and cooled gradually, so give it a few minutes to pre-heat before adding your food. 
Cast iron retains heat very well, so using a lower heat setting can prevent food from sticking. And don't forget to use an oven m...

Sheet Pan Dinners

The object of this lesson is to teach you how to make a complete dinner on a sheet pan. Here are some things you need to know:

1. I like to cover my sheet pans with parchment paper. Aluminum has been shown to be connected with breast cancer and Alzheimer's so I don't like to cook on aluminum sheet pans without parchment. If your sheet pans are stainless steel you don't have to worry about that.
2. You can get half sheet pans and lots of other kitchen equipment at AceMart Restaurant Supply. There are many locations. I buy parchment paper there, tongs, leftover containers, etc. Love this place!
3. You can use any kind of meat (even meatloaf) and any kind of vegetables your family likes.
Here are some combination ideas:
- Roast whole chicken, Hasselback potatoes (remember we did these last year), zucchini
- Meatloaf, green beans, red potatoes
- Salmon, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes
- Pork tenderloin, asparagus, broccoli
- Chicken thigh...

Apple Crostata

In the Fall, I think of apples.  I usually try to teach some recipe that includes apples.  Plus, apple pie is definitely a comfort food and we need that right now.

This recipe is from Barefoot Contessa and I have made it over and over using different kinds of fruit.  Enjoy!

APPLE CROSTATA

For the crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons ice water
OR
1 refrigerated pie crust

For the filling:
1 1/2 pounds apples (3 large)
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor...