Pasta in red tomato sauce

Pasta that we eat in India is to a great deal Indianised just like the Chinese cuisine we eat is more of Indo Chinese. So even with the pasta dish I have adapted it to my taste. There are so many varieties of pasta. You can sue any one that suits you as this sauce goes well with all kinds of pasta. I have used Penne Rigate, a tubular kind which is well suited to using with red sauce. The tube like structure hold the sauce inside and you get a mouth full of flavour with each bite.


Ingredients

For the red sauce
2 onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
5 tomatoes, blanched and chopped
3 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp red chilli flakes
3 tbsp fresh cream
1 tsp dried oregano

Heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and saute. Add the chopped onions. Cook till the onions become soft. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar, salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Cover and cook till the whole thing comes together. The tomato should be cooked and mushy. Take off the heat and cool a little. Take about ¾ of the mix and puree it well in the mixer. Now add it to the rest of the mix. Put it back on the gas again. Check the seasoning. Now add the cream and oregano. Switch off the flame.


For the pasta
2 cups of Penne Rigate
5 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oil

Bring the 5 cups of water to a boil along with salt and oil. Add the pasta and boil till it is well done. Drain the hot water and wash the pasta is cold water. Keep aside.


Assembling the pasta
1 tbsp oil
½ cup grated cheese
2 sausages, chopped (optional)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp fried garlic

Heat the oil. Add the red sauce and once it starts simmering add the pasta and sausages. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Check the seasoning. Switch off the flame. Add the cheese and mix so that it melts. Sprinkle oregano and fried garlic on top.

Homemade Gnocchi

Homemade Gnocchi

I have bought this pasta machine but have been too scared to use it. Things seem pretty scary until you try them out. Same was the case with Gnocchi. My son has tried out Gnocchi in restaurants a few times and he loves it. When he stood first in his class his demand was that I make Gnocchi for him. That is how I finally ended up making Gnocchi at home.

Gnocchi means “dumplings” in Italian. They are made with potatoes and flour. The boiled potatoes are riced and mixed with flour to make dumplings that are then boiled. They can also be made with semolina, cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs etc. I have tossed the Gnocchi in Arrabbiata sauce.

Ingredients

For the Gnocchi

6 large potatoes, boiled

2 cups flour+1/2 cup flour

1 egg

Salt to taste

For the sauce

2 tbsp chopped garlic

1 ½ cups Arrabbiata Sauce
(Get the recipe here: http://apigeonnapie.blogspot.in/2015/07/arrabbiata-sauce.html)

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 tsp oregano

Drain and cool the potatoes. Use a fork to mash them. Clean a working surface in the kitchen. Dump 2 cups flour on the surface. Sprinkle some salt. Add the mashed potatoes. 

Mix together. Add one egg and slowly bring the dough together. 

Do not knead the dough. You can add some more flour if you feel the dough is too sticky and is not coming together. However remember that adding too much flour will make the Gnocchi hard.

Put a big pan of water to boil.

Cut the dough into 6-7 portions. 

Now take each portion and roll it out into a thin rope. 

Cut small pieces of Gnocchi and put into the boiling water. 

The Gnocchi will float to the top after a few minutes. Take them out with a slotted spoon. 

The Gnocchi is ready.

Heat some olive oil. Saute the chopped garlic on low flame till they are well fried. 

Add the Gnocchi and Arrabbiata Sauce and toss well. 

Put the Gnocchi in a baking dish. Spread the cheese on top and sprinkle the oregano. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes.

Salad Trio

Salad Trio

Its hot. Its sticky. The only food you feel like having is something light and cool. These salads are just right for the summer months giving not only sustenance but also keeping you healthy.

Fruit Salad

250 gms grapes, halved
2 apples, chopped
2 bananas, chopped
2 cups pomegranate 
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp kala namak/black salt

Mix all the fruits. Add the chaat masala, lemon juice and black salt. 

Sprouted Moong Salad

1 cup moong dal, sprouted

½ cup chopped cabbage

½ cup chopped cucumber

½ cup chopped onions

1 tsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

Mix all. Refrigerate before serving.

Pasta Salad

2 cups penne pasta, boiled

2 tbsp olives, halved

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

½ cup hung curd

3 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp fresh cream

2 tbsp Thousand Island Dressing (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together hung curd, mayonnaise, fresh cream, Thousand Island, salt and pepper. Add the pasta and bell pepper. Chill.