Fresh Pasta For Eleanora Scarpettas Fettuccine Alfredo Recipes

FRESH PASTA FOR ELEANORA SCARPETTA'S FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

Steps:

• Mound flour in the center of a work surface, forming a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well. Add oil and salt.
• Beat eggs with a fork until smooth. Gradually work flour into the eggs.
• 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 the work surface is clean of all loose bits of dough; lightly dust with flour. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Cover the dough with an inverted bowl or plastic wrap; allow to rest 1 1/2 hours, or chill overnight.
• Divide dough into large walnut-size pieces. Quickly knead and flatten each portion of dough into a disc; very lightly dust with flour. Feed through a pasta machine set at the 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 work surface. Fold the sheet lengthwise into thirds. Repeat sequence twice on the same setting to smooth dough and increase its elasticity. Thin the dough by passing it through even finer settings, one pass on each setting from widest to narrowest (machine settings differ -- some have as many as 10, others only six). Repeat with remaining dough.
• Pass each portion of dough through cutting blade for desire thickness. To cut by hand; lightly fold sheets one at a time into thirds. Cut with a sharp knife into desired thickness.

ELEANORA SCARPETTA'S FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add prosciutto, mushrooms, and parsley. Saute until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add heavy cream and cheese. When cheese is melted, add egg yolk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
• Add fettuccine to boiling water and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain pasta and transfer to a large serving platter. Pour sauce over fettuccine; sprinkle with mushroom and prosciutto mixture. Serve immediately.

FRESH PASTA

Steps:

• Beat together the eggs, yolk and olive oil with a fork in a large spouted measuring cup.
• Combine the flour and a large pinch of kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine. With the food processor motor running, gradually pour the egg mixture through the feed tube and let it run until the dough forms a ball around the blade. (If the dough is too sticky to form a ball, add a tablespoon or so of flour and process again. If it is too crumbly to form a ball, add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process again.) Once the dough forms a ball, process until smooth and springy, 20 to 30 seconds.
• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead several times, until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. (The dough can be made 1 day ahead, wrapped and refrigerated. Let it come to room temperature before rolling.)
• Anchor a pasta machine to your countertop or secure the pasta attachment to a stand mixer. Set the machine to the widest setting. Unwrap the dough and cut it into 4 equal pieces. Wrap 3 of the pieces while you work with the fourth.
• Flatten the dough into a rectangle and lightly dust with flour. Roll it through the pasta machine at the widest setting. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter and feed it through the pasta machine. Repeat the folding and feeding of the dough through the machine 2 more times. (Rolling and folding in this manner will help strengthen and smooth the dough.)
• Set the pasta machine to the next setting (one setting thinner than the widest). Flour the dough as necessary and feed it through the machine. Repeat, feeding it through one more time.
• Adjust the machine to the next thinnest setting and feed the dough through 2 times as above. Continue changing the setting and feeding the dough through 2 times for each setting until you have fed the dough through the second-to-last setting. The dough should be thin enough so that you can see your hand through it.
• If you are cutting your pasta into noodles: Stop rolling the dough through after you have gone through the second-to-last setting.
• If you are making filled pasta, like ravioli: Change the machine to the final setting and feed the dough through.
• Cut the dough in half crosswise and cover it with plastic wrap. Repeat the folding, rolling and cutting process with the 3 remaining pieces of dough. Cover each piece of dough as you finish. You should have 8 pieces of dough total.
• If you are cutting your pasta into noodles: Affix the cutting attachment to the pasta machine. Choose the desired setting and feed the dough through. Lightly toss the noodles with a little flour on a baking sheet to prevent sticking and cover with a dry kitchen towel while you process the rest of the dough. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes.
• If you are making filled pasta: Proceed according to your recipe's instructions.