The Philly Foodist: Gathering at the Table; Easy Home Made Pasta

These days are hectic, I know. I hope that folks are not using the busyness of the holidays to start living on take out or drive through food. If you are already feeling stressed, tired, extra busy, a constant diet of processed food will not make you feel better!

Use your slow cooker or pick a day on the weekend and make some versatile meals that will hold you over most of the week. A roast chicken, leftover turkey from the freezer, things that you canned like corn and tomatoes can all go a long way towards an easy, delicious dinner and/or lunch of real food. I am a big fan of using a can of our tomatoes and some passata to make a great pot of tomato soup (see The Philly Foodist March, 2015). Add a grilled cheese sandwich and you have comfort galore!

So, a few thoughts have been floating around as I read various holiday entertaining articles. I think some of these thoughts are good reminders for all of us so I am sharing. We’ve been talking about coming together around the table for awhile now. There a few things to remember - first let's talk about when you are the guest:

Do not arrive early! As a matter of fact, 10 minutes later than the allotted time is just perfect. Be kind to your hosts.
Observe Grand Mom’s Rule and never show up empty handed. Now - a few caveats to that rule are important. Do not bring food/dishes unless you were requested to bring them. There’s nothing worse when the whole menu is underway, folks are starting to arrive, and somebody walks in the door with their favorite 9 layer dip! Also, if you have been asked to bring something, bring it in the dish in which it is to be served. A kitchen in the middle of preparing a big dinner is not the best place to find and use an appropriate service dish.
If you bring wine that was not requested, it may not be opened that evening. Cooks usually have a need to match the wine to the food. Hand it over and let it go; don’t offer to open it, unless you were asked to bring a specific wine. If you were asked to bring a specific wine, bring it. No substitutes. If you are having trouble finding what you were asked to bring, let your hosts know before the evening of the dinner.
“Hosts Gifts” - they are real things and they are very nice and thoughtful! Someone has gone to a lot of effort; acknowledge that. When someone says, “what shall I bring?” and I really do have the meal, the cocktails, and the wine all set (as we often do), my saying we don’t need anything for dinner does not mean you should just show up empty handed. People in the homewares business go to a lot of trouble finding lovely, little host gifts. Go in a store and look at the wonderful things they have for you. Lovely hand soaps are thoughtful. Kitchen towels are a nice idea (goddess knows who doesn’t always need them?). An unscented candle is always useful (for your hosts Hygge moments). Lastly, flowers are nice too, but don’t put them on a table and walk away. Ideally bring them in a vase. If not, ask where you can find something to put them in and do it yourself.
Last thing to consider. It should be a gathering at which folks relax and talk and enjoy each other’s company. Sit! As a guest, you're jumping up to "clear" the table is unwelcome and unnecessary. Also, leave the phone on vibrate in your pocket; ideally your coat pocket. Frankly I am really annoyed by folks who just have to immediately see every text; every post in mid conversation. There are only a few instances when this is acceptable. Live in the moment. Once in awhile, at least.

Recipe: Homemade/Handmade Pasta

One very easy thing to make at home - believe or not - is pasta. And once you get the technique down, you will get really hooked on the lightness, flavor and possibilities of making your own. You can freeze it, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t want to. Fresh is so much better and again, it is so easy! Note: I recommend starting out by making this in a big bowl. As you get more comfortable making it, try it on a big board or countertop. I also roll out the pasta by hand, I don’t use a pasta machine. I can make shaped pasta with an attachment I have for my Kitchen Aid and I think there is something really nice about rolling out the dough and cutting it to the desired width.

But certainly if you are pressed for time or space, and you have a pasta roller, you will get excellent results.

Ingredients

Two cups of flour, plus extra for rolling

1/2 Teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

Technique

Combine the flour and salt - whisk the two together well in a large mixing bowl

Eggs - create a deep well in the middle of the flour & salt mixture, crack your 3 eggs into a small bowl, pour them into the well, and whisk with a spoon or fork.

Combine the eggs and flour - as you whisk the eggs, start slowly to incorporate the flour by pulling into the eggs from the bottom and sides. Take your time with this. First, the mixture will look like a slurry and gradually as you pull the flour in it will form a soft dough.

Knead - Turn the dough and any remaining flour out onto a large board or a counter. Knead by turning the dough on itself, flattening it, and folding it again. It will feel really soft in the beginning and as you knead, it will begin to get firmer. Use flour on the surface to keep the dough from sticking. If you cut into the dough and see lots of bubbles, keep kneading. What you want is a smooth, elastic ball with very few bubbles visible.

Rest - Clean the mixing bowl and place the dough (shaped into a ball) into the bowl and cover with a dinner plate or plastic wrap. If you can have a plate that fits, keep that plastic wrap in the drawer! The Earth thanks you. Rest the dough for 30 minutes.

Divide, Roll Out and Cut - Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and cut the dough into four sections. Keep the dough covered with a clean dish towel. My approach from this point is to flour my board, take a section out and using a rolling pin, start to roll the pasta out - you want it pretty thin. Prepare a cookie sheet with flour. After you get each section of dough rolled out as thin as you want it, roll it up like a cigar and cut to your desired thickness - spaghetti, fettuccine, etc. Make little “nests” of your cut pasta and place each on the floured cookie sheet - you don’t want to dry the pasta out - unless you do, of course. To dry you should hang the noodles over a dowel or pasta dryer, etc. You can also freeze the pasta in an airtight container. Frankly, I go to the trouble and fun of making my own so that I can eat it fresh. Repeat the rolling out, rolling up and cutting with all four sections and you are ready to make cook your pasta. Al dente will be about 4-5 minutes in boiling, well salted water. Do NOT use oil in your pasta water! Sauce as you wish and Enjoy.