pasta tortellini

HISTORY OF PASTA:

Typically, pasta is a noodle made from an unleavened dough of a durum wheat flour mixed with water or eggs and formed into sheets or various shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. It can also be made with flour from other cereals or grains.^{[citation needed]} Pastas may be divided into two broad categories, dried (pasta secca) and fresh (pasta fresca).

Most dried pasta is commercially produced via an extrusion process although it can be produced in most homes. Fresh pasta was traditionally produced by hand, sometimes with the aid of simple machines,^[3] but today many varieties of fresh pasta are also commercially produced by large-scale machines, and the products are widely available in supermarkets.

Since the time of Cato, basic pasta dough has been made mostly of wheat flour or semolina,^[4] with durum wheat used predominantly in the South of Italy and soft wheat in the North. Regionally other grains have been used, including those from barley, buckwheat, rye, rice, and maize, as well as chestnut and chickpea flours.

Tortellini with basil pesto and cheese sauce

Portion: 1

INGREDIENTS	QUANTITY
FOR PASTA
Flour	100GM
Egg	1
Salt & pepper	2gm
For stuffing
Pumpkin	50 gm
Basil	6 nos
For polenta
polenta	50 gms
Water/ milk	200 ml
Salt & pepper	5gm
For basil pesto
Basil	50gm
Garlic	5gm
Parmesan	2gm
Pine nuts	10gm
Olive oil	100ml
For cheese sauce
Béchamel	100ml
Cheese	20gm

Method:

HOMEMADE PASTA:

1.    To make the dough by hand, mound the flour in a bowl or better yet on a flat, non-porous surface — your counter or tabletop work great. Add a pinch of salt to the flour. Without it, the pasta will taste flat.

Make a well in the mound of flour and crack the eggs into the well. Use a fork to beat the eggs in the well, then slowly incorporate the flour from the sides of the well into the egg mixture.

2.    Once the flour is fully incorporated and is too thick to mix with a fork, it’s time to knead by hand. Kneading the dough creates the critical gluten structure that holds the pasta together. Knead the dough until it is smooth, very firm, and dry — about 8 to 12 minutes. If it feels sticky, dust your dough and work surface with flour and knead until smooth and firm.

3.    The dough is ready to be shaped when you can set the dough on a clean countertop without it sticking. Portion the dough into balls. Keep the balls of dough relatively small for easier handling — about tennis ball-size. As you become more comfortable with the dough, you can shape larger pieces of pasta.

Tightly wrap the pasta dough in plastic and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour to give the gluten a chance to relax. This step makes the dough easier to work with — keeps it from shrinking and snapping back as you stretch it.

POLENTA:

1. Bring water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan; pour polenta slowly into boiling water, whisking constantly until all polenta is stirred in and there are no lumps.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Polenta mixture should still be slightly loose. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 5 to 6 minutes. When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.
3. Turn off heat and gently stir 2 tablespoons butter into polenta until butter partially melts; mix 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into polenta until cheese has melted. Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken; stir and taste for salt before transferring to a serving bowl. Top polenta with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and about 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnish.

BASIL PESTO:

1.    Place the basil leaves and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a several times.

2.    Add the garlic and Parmesan or Romano cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.

3.    While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor is running, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor.Stir in some salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.