NYC Day 1: BreakFast w/ Cookie

After getting situated on our first day (grocery shopping, checking out our surrounding area and relaxing for a bit.) We realized it was time for bed...Having only slept 15 hours in 3 days it was definitely necessary.  

I wake up the next morning and all I could think is..
Breakfast!

What should I make?....Again I began to think about our pantry and what was in stock.


Oatmeal with Honey Caramelized Peaches, and Bananas 

Oatmeal:
1c Oatmeal
2c Milk
1ts Honey


I just throw these ingredients together and gently stir occasionally until the Oats are cooked.


Honey Caramelized Peaches:
1 Peach peeled and cut into segments
1ts of honey


This is really simple..turn your flame on to a bit above medium, add your Honey, heat until it begins to smell caramelized and the bubbles have begun to slow down. Add your peaches and cook until the peaches have begun to breakdown.


Banana
1/2 banana cut into thin rounds




All together this took maybe about 10 minutes. It was a great start to the day. 

Making Pasta: part 1

I got to work early one day and decided I would document my daily pasta prep, so that I could share with everyone. This is a basic Egg based pasta recipe, that can be used for all sorts of dishes. The last picture shown here is the pasta sheet that we will then cut and turn into papardelle.

Making pasta:

300 grams Semolina flour
125 grams "OO" flour
3     egg yolks
3     whole eggs

(This recipe should make enough pasta to feed at least 5 people very well)

Using a bowl,  combine the dry ingredients, then using the classic well method create a well in the center of the flour and put your eggs in the center.

                                      

incorporate all ingredients by gradually bringing the dry to the center

                                      

After you have incorporated as much as you could with your fork, bring the dough together with your hands. When you are finished, it should look like this. 

At this point its time to knead the pasta dough on a clean table with your hands for about 10-15 min. The goal is to just fully combine all the ingredients. Developing some structure but not too much.  Some say a good rule of thumb is to knead the pasta until it feels like the outside of an eggshell. Then let rest for at least half an hour. Making sure to wrap it up in plastic and store it in the refridgerator. 

After your pasta dough has had time to rest, knead it for another 5-10min. At this point begin to roll out your pasta into as much of a rectangle as possible (the width being that of the pasta machine, and the thickness of the largest setting on the pasta machine). Using your pasta machine on its largest setting (on mine its 1) pass your pasta dough at least twice, and continue to do so until you reach to the 7 where you would only pass it once.  

Finished sheet.

This takes some practice, but its worth it. I will post another blog on passing the pasta through the pasta machine very soon. As for now, I hope this post at least sparked interest into some to try to make homemade pasta.