Spinach Codette with Sausage and Peas Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients 1 batch Fresh Spinach Pasta Dough (see separate recipe) Semolina flour for dusting the work surface 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 lb sweet Italian sausages 2 Tbsp Simple Tomato Sauce (see separate recipe) 2 cups fresh peas or thawed frozen peas Kosher or fine sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving Directions Make the pasta dough and let it rest as directed. Spread a clean tablecloth on a large work surface and dust with the semolina. This is where you will put the pasta once it is shaped. Pinch off a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and rewrap the remaining dough. Place the piece of dough on a work surface lightly dusted with semolina, and roll it into a rope about the thickness of a finger or fat breadstick. Cut the rope crosswise into marble-sized pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll each piece into a thin strand 4 to 5 in/10 to 12 cm long and about the thickness of a skinny green bean. As you shape each strand, transfer it to the semolina-dusted cloth. Continue to shape the codette until you have used up all the dough. (If you are serving the codette the same day, you can leave them out on the cloth for up to a couple of hours.) Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt generously. While the water is heating, warm 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large frying pan placed over medium-low heat. Remove the sausages from their casings and pick them apart over the frying pan, allowing the chunks of sausage to drop directly into the pan. Sauté, using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to break up the large pieces of sausage, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until no trace of pink remains and the meat is cooked throughout. The sausage should still be moist and only very lightly browned. Add the tomato sauce, peas, and the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, raise the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the peas are just tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. Carefully drop the codette into the boiling water and stir to separate the noodles. Cover the pot until the water returns to a boil, then uncover and cook until the pasta is al dente. This will take anywhere from 20 to 25 minutes because of the thickness of the noodles. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta to the frying pan and gently toss the pasta and sauce to combine thoroughly, adding a splash or two of the cooking water if necessary to loosen the sauce. Transfer the dressed pasta to a warmed serving bowl or shallow individual bowls and shower with a generous amount of cheese. Serve immediately. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spinach Pasta Dough ***Emerald green, at once earthy and elegant, spinach pasta is a staple in Italy, particularly in Emilia-Romagna, where it is used in the regions most renowned dish, Lasagne Verde alla Bolognese. Makes about 1 lb Ingredients 9 oz fresh baby spinach leaves 2 extra-large eggs 2 to 2 1/4 cups 00 flour or unbleached all-purpose/plain flour 2 Tbsp. semolina flour, plus more for dusting the work surface 3/4 tsp. fine sea salt Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg Directions Pour 1 to 2 Tbsp of water into a pot over medium-high heat. Add the spinach, cover, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until wilted and tender. Drain the spinach in a colander set in the sink. When it is cool enough to handle, use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Put the spinach and 1 egg in a food processor. Process to a smooth puree. Scoop the spinach mixture into a bowl. Wash and dry the work bowl and blade of the food processor and reassemble the processor. Put 2 cups 00 flour, the 2 Tbsp semolina flour, salt, and nutmeg in the food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add the spinach mixture and the remaining egg and pulse until the mixture forms crumbs that look like small curds. Pinch together a bit of the mixture and roll it around. It should form a soft ball. If the mixture seems dry, drizzle in a few droplets of water and pulse briefly. If the mixture seems too wet and sticky, add additional flour, 1 Tbsp at a time, and pulse briefly. Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface sprinkled lightly with semolina flour and press it together with your hands to form a rough ball. Knead the dough: Using the palm of your hand, push the dough gently but firmly away from you, and then fold it over toward you. Rotate the dough a quarter turn, and repeat the pushing and folding motion. Continue kneading for several minutes until the dough is smooth and silky. Form it into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Simple Tomato Sauce ***When plum tomatoes are no longer available at the farmers market, I turn to this easy, yet still delicious basic sauce (sugo di pomodoro semplice). Using superior-quality canned tomatoes and good olive oil makes all the difference in this recipe. I use diced imported Italian tomatoes packed in their natural juices, which yield a fresher-tasting sauce than one made from tomatoes in heavy puree, which gives the sauce the flavor of tomato paste/puree. Makes about 5 cups Ingredients 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Two cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes, with their juice Kosher or fine sea salt 5 large fresh basil leaves, shredded or torn Directions Warm the garlic in the olive oil in a large saucepan placed over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to press down on the garlic to release its flavor and then swirl the pan to infuse the oil. After about 2 minutes, when the garlic begins to sizzle and release its fragrance but before it starts to brown, carefully pour in the tomatoes (the oil will spatter) and stir to coat with the oil. Season with 1 tsp salt, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring the tomatoes to a simmer. When the juices start bubbling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the tomatoes simmer uncovered, stirring from time to time, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the oil has separated from the tomatoes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, if you like. Simplify: The sauce may be stored in a tightly lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 02:31:29 +0000
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