Ottaviana's Kitchen Traditional Italian Fresh Pasta Recipe's

Fresh Pasta Recipe's

Pasta is not really hard to make, now especially with the new food processors to mix the dough for you, it cuts down preparation time. Me, I still do it the hard way. Mamma always said I was a little bit pazzo.

Basic Pasta Dough

3 cups flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup warm water

Put flour on pastry board, and make a well in the center. Add your olive oil, and just a small amount of water. Start bringing the edges of the flour in mixing, add more water if needed. Knead until the dough forms a firm smooth ball. Now cover dough and let rest about 10 minutes. Knead dough again until smooth, and let rest another 15 minutes covered. Now your ready to use a pasta machine and make what you want. Always let pasta dry for about an hour before cooking, and keep in mind always that fresh pasta cooks faster than the dry.

Potato Gnocchi

5 lbs potatoes
2 cups flour
6 quarts boiling water
3 tbsp salt
4 cups tomato sauce
4 tbsp Romano cheese

Boil potatoes until they are well done. Cool and peel, then mash thoroughly. Place on floured pastry board and mix well. If too wet, add a little more flour. Knead dough well until dough is smooth. Roll out into finger-thin roll and cut into pieces 2 inches long. With a fork, lightly press each piece of dough. Place around 20 gnocchi in boiling salted water and cook until they come to the surface. Remove with flat strainer and place in a serving dish. Keep the water boiling briskly and repeat until all gnocchi is cooked. Add sauce, and sprinkle with cheese. This will serve about 6 people.

Ravioli/Ricotta

4 cups flour
3 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp olive oil

Mix flour, oil, eggs and water together well and knead dough until firm. Cut into 2 pieces and roll each piece into a very thin sheets.

Ricotta Filling

1 lb ricotta
1 egg
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 cup Romano cheese
1/2 tsp salt
5 quarts boiling water
1 tbsp salt

Mix together, ricotta, egg, parsley, cheese and salt and place 1 tsp of mixture on one of the dough sheets at 2-inch intervals. Place second sheet over the first and press down around each mound of ricotta. Using a ravioli cutter, cut into two inch squares, making sure that the edges are well sealed. Cook in gently boiling salted water about 20 minutes. Do not overcook!

Manicotti
(Little Muffs)

2 cups flour
1 tbsp butter
3 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup lukewarm water
1 lb ricotta
2 cups Neapolitan tomato sauce
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Combine flour, butter, oil, eggs and salt, gradually add water and mix to form a medium soft dough. Knead until smooth and roll out on floured board until thin. Cut dough into rectangles about 4x6 inches. Place 1 1/2 tbsp ricotta in center of each rectangle, roll dough and close, moistening and pressing the edges closed to prevent the ricotta from falling out. Boil manicotti gently for 10 minutes in a large 8 qt. pot. Carefully remove with a flat strainer and place in a large casserole dish. Cover with tomato sauce, sprinkle with fresh chopped basil leaves and place in oven at 400° for 10 minutes. Serve with grated Romano cheese.

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