Stephen Davalos 5/14/18 Stephen Davalos 5/14/18

gnocchi gang gnocchi gang gnocchi gang

There's gnothing better than gnocchi. Is it pasta? Is it potato? Either way, it's 100% delicious.

Hi friends! It's been awhile, but glad to be back! Life got in the way a bit, and that's totally not a valid excuse but I'm back and cooking up a storm of posts! This week, I was inspired by a friend to make gnocchi! Soft delicate little pillows of potato fortified with flour and an egg, and I'm so glad I did. It's super easy, and pairs so well with a variety of sauces. My favorite is just sauteed in browned butter with snow peas, pancetta, and thinly sliced yellow necked squash. So simple and so delicious.

Here's what you need for the gnocchi:

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
2.5 cups flour
2 large eggs

That's it. Seriously. Start by scrubbing the potatoes down, just to get the extra dirt off of them, and putting them in a medium stock pot with just enough water to cover them completely. Don't peel the potatoes! Boiling them with the skin on protects the flesh from water, which is gnocchi's enemy. Partially cover and boil for about 35 minutes or until they're fork tender. Strain, and let cool until they're cool enough to handle.

Once the potatoes have cooled, peel them! I just used my hands, but you can definitely use a pairing knife or those fancy potato peeling gloves. After the potatoes have peeled and cooled a bit more, use a potato ricer, or a cheese grater (the side with the medium holes) to grate the potatoes! If they're still feeling a little wet, just pat them down with a paper towel.

After you've made sure the potatoes have expelled their extra water, mound them on your counter like you would flour while making pasta, with a little well in the center. Then add the flour on top of that, maintaining the well in the center. Crack the egg into the center, and beat with a fork slowly incorporating the flour and potato and forming a shaggy dough. Careful not to over knead the dough, you don't want to the gluten in the potato to over activate, the key to good gnocchi (yes, failed pun there, I know.)

The dough should be a nice, smooth consistency. Using the bench scraper (or a very sharp knife) cut about an inch and a half off of the dough and roll between your palms on the counter forming a rope. Using the bench scraper again, cut the rope in one inch increments. From here, you can crimp with a fork but I prefer just leaving them alone. They're more rustic, easier, and just prettier. Throw them into a pot of boiling water and cook until the float to the top, about 3-4 minutes. That's it! So easy.

From there, toss the gnocchi in your favorite marinara sauce, alfredo sauce, or just butter. My favorite is with brown butter- melt two tablespoons of butter in a medium frying pan on medium high heat until the butter turns a golden brown and nutty- then set aside. In the same pan, add the pancetta and render out the fat. Add frozen peas, and thinly sliced yellow neck squash. Once the squash has gotten crispy on the edges, and the pancetta is browned, add the cooked gnocchi. Toss, and drizzle with brown butter. Garnish with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, salt & pepper.

Aside from pasta being one of my comfort foods, gnocchi has quickly jumped the ranks. Just like it's cousin pasta, it's so versatile and delicious enough to eat on it's own. This recipe makes enough to feed at least 6, so the next time you want to have lunch for a week or throw a dinner party give gnocchi a try!

Stephen Davalos 2/9/18 Stephen Davalos 2/9/18

comfort pasta

There are definitely more than a few foods I consider comfort foods, especially when food is my comfort. Pasta always seems to be right at the top of my list, though! Something about the way it cradles the right sauce, pairs well with wine, and is even better the next day make it one of my top comfort foods. Boxed pasta is definitely the easiest but if you have about an hour to spare (and some aggression to let out) fresh pasta is the way to go!

I recently received the pasta rolling attachment for my KitchenAide stand mixer and since, have become a pasta making machine. It’s SO easy!

Here’s what you need:

4 cups all purpose flour
4 large eggs
salt & pepper to taste

That’s it. Seriously.

The dough:

Mound 4 cups of all purpose flour on a cutting board (I use a marble slab so it stays cool) and create a well in the center
Crack four eggs into the well and add freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt
Slowly beat the eggs with a fork adding flour from the sides until a soft dough forms
Once the dough forms, clear the board of he excess flour and continue to knead for about 10 minutes
Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes

Linguine:

After your dough has rested, cut in 4’s
Cover the remaining 3
Using a rolling pin (or pasta attachment) roll the dough out until you just translucent enough to see your fingers underneath
(If using an attachment, switch to your favorite pasta cutter)
Once your dough is thin, using a sharp knife, fold into 3’s length wise and cut into thin strips
Repeat with remaining 3 sections of dough

You can totally get away with shortcuts here, boxed pasta, jarred sauce etc. For me, the effort of rolling out the dough, the focus that the meatballs require and the patience that sauce needs all take my mind off of whatever I'm stressed about. Maybe the one (or two or three...) glasses of Pinot Noir help, but who knows?

Once you’ve mastered the dough making process, the possibilities are endless! There are over a thousand different styles of pasta, each unique because of the way it holds the sauce. My ultimate comfort pasta dish is definitely spaghetti and meatballs.

Here’s what you need for the sauce:

3 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 8oz cans of tomato sauce
6 medium tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of oregano
1 tablespoon of basil
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more if you like spice)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 small onion
A bottle of Pinot Noir
Parmigiano-Reggiano

I start by finely chopping the onion and garlic, and setting them aside #misenplace. Setting my oven to roast at 375°, I quarter the tomatoes and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper and toss them in olive oil. Once the oven is ready I pop them in on a foil lined baking sheet for about 15-25 minutes or just until they’re tender and slightly charred on the edges. No need to remove the seeds! They’ll thicken the sauce. In a large sauce pan (I use a Dutch oven) add a tablespoon of olive oil and when hot add the remaining garlic and onions, just until they’re translucent and smell sweet. Add the roasted tomato and tomato paste and let the juices from the tomato cook down! There should be a nice layer of frond on the bottom of the pan, from the onions and evaporated tomato juices after about 5 minutes. Quickly deglaze the pot with 1/2 cup of Pinot Noir. Once the tomatoes have deepened in color, add the can of tomato sauce and blend with an immersion blender until the tomatoes are in small chunks. If you don’t have an immersion blender, a wooden spoon will do just fine! Just smash the tomatoes against the side of the pot until you’ve found the perfect consistency. Then, let the sauce simmer for at least 45 minutes adding parm to taste. The longer the sauce simmers, the more developed the flavors become!

When I’m feeling extra moody, which is often since I’m 100% a cancer, nothing makes this dish better than meatballs. Here’s what you’ll need:

1 pound of ground beef
1/2 pound of Italian sausage (I use spicy)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/2 tablespoon of mustard
Teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

In a large mixing bowl add all ingredient and mix using your hands just until everything is evenly incorporated. Using a tablespoon, scoop out enough of the meat mixture to form balls about the size of ping pong ball. Once all the meat is formed into balls, cover and let chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

In a sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Add the meatballs one by one as sear until deep brown on all sizes, but not fully cooked. Add to the hot tomato sauce, cover and let simmer until fully cooked.