Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook (24 page)

Basic Egg Pasta

MAKES ABOUT 1 POUND, 2 OUNCES

We have our fresh pasta delivered from an establishment that has been in business even longer than we have. Fresh pasta cut into fettuccine and linguine is available at supermarkets, but the sheets needed for lasagna and manicotti are not easy to find. (That’s because even pasta shops cut sheets into strands or shape them into ravioli.) Here’s how to make egg pasta at home the way countless Italian cooks still do every day. Hand-cranked pasta machines can be purchased at kitchenware stores or online. The pasta roller attachment for some brands of heavy-duty stand mixers works very well and is quite fast.

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2¼ cups all-purpose flour, or as needed

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

A hand-cranked pasta machine or a pasta rolling (not extruding) attachment for a heavy-duty stand mixer.

1.
To make the dough with a mixer: Combine the eggs, water, and oil together in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Fit with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed to combine. Gradually add enough of the flour to make a soft, pliable dough that cleans the sides of the bowl. Change to the dough hook. Knead with the mixer on medium-low speed, adding more flour if the dough sticks to the bowl, until the dough is smooth and supple, about 5 minutes.

To make the dough by hand: Put 2 cups flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, water, and oil to the well. Using a fork, beat the egg mixture to combine, being sure not to mix in any of the flour at this point. Stir the egg mixture with the fork, then gradually begin drawing in the flour, until all of the flour has been combined with the egg mixture to make a moist, shaggy dough. Knead the dough in the bowl a few times to smooth it out. Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and supple, about 8 minutes.

2.
Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3.
Set up the pasta machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Divide the dough into sixths. Working with one-sixth at a time, keeping
the other portions covered with plastic wrap, shape the dough into a thick rectangle about 3 by 4-inches. Dust the dough with flour on both sides. With the machine on its widest setting, pass the short end of the dough through the rollers a few times, folding the dough in half lengthwise after each pass, and dusting with flour as needed to keep it from sticking. When the dough begins to smooth out, move the dial to the next setting. Repeat, flouring and folding the dough for two to three more passes, and passing the dough through progressively narrower rollers until the pasta is a long sheet about 1/16 inch thick. Drape the sheet over the back of a straight-backed chair, which allows the pasta to air-dry on both sides. You may need to use two chairs. (You could hang the strips on a pasta drying rack, but really, the chairs work fine. Or cover a table with a tablecloth, lightly dust the cloth with flour, and lay the pasta strips on the table, turning them often as they dry to avoid sticking.)

4.
Let the pasta dry, turning it occasionally to discourage sticking to the chair top, until it has a somewhat leathery, but not brittle, texture, 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the ambient temperature and humidity. For lasagna and manicotti, use a large knife to cut the dough into the desired size. For fettuccine, cut the dough into 12-inch lengths, then dust with flour and pass through the fettuccine cutters on the pasta machine. (Or fit the mixer with the fettuccine cutter attachment.) Place the pasta on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with flour, and let stand at room temperature until ready to cook, up to 8 hours.

Patsy’s on West Fifty-sixth Street is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. I have wonderful memories of going there with my dad and Uncle Frank as a teenager in the 1950s. It feels like home, but with better food! Fortunately, Sal and his people have continued the tradition generation after generation. The magic in Patsy’s kitchen has been going on for decades and the result is that many of the families of his devoted patrons have also become lifetime fans.—Deana Martin

Fettuccine with Arugula Pesto

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

Arugula has a peppery, strong flavor, and while I love it in salad, I’ve discovered that it also makes an excellent pesto with the arugula standing in for basil. Crunchy and buttery toasted pine nuts give the pasta a nice finishing touch.

ARUGULA PESTO

½ cup pine nuts

1 large garlic clove, peeled

One 5-ounce bag baby arugula

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1¼ pounds fresh fettuccine

¼ cup light cream or half-and-half

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

1.
To make the pesto: Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

2.
With the machine running, drop the garlic clove through the feed tube of a food processor and process until minced. Add 2 tablespoons of the pine nuts along with the arugula and the grated cheese. Process until the arugula is minced. With the machine running, gradually pour the oil through the feed tube to make a thick pesto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pesto. (The pesto can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours.)

3.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Scoop out and reserve ½ cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta well. Return the fettuccine to its cooking pot.

4.
Add the pesto, light cream, the ¼ cup grated cheese, and the reserved cooking water to the fettuccine and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring constantly. Transfer to a large serving bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 6 tablespoons toasted pine nuts. Serve hot, with more Parmigiano cheese passed on the side.

Linguine with Bacon and Prosciutto

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

This is my take on pasta carbonara, one of the richest pastas on the planet. The eggs and Parmigiano-Reggiano give the sauce a creamy quality that is hard to resist. And I love the combination of bacon and prosciutto—if one pork product is good, then two are better, right?