The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (44 page)

4.
Using a wet pastry brush, moisten the pasta around each mound of filling. Fold the top half of the sheet over the filling to meet the edge; press around the mounds to eliminate air and to seal.

5.
Cut the pasta into 2½- to 3-inch squares using a pizza wheel. Brush away excess flour. Place the ravioli on cornmeal-dusted baking sheets. Roll out the remaining pasta dough, and repeat. (If serving that day, cover the ravioli with plastic wrap, and refrigerate on baking sheets until ready to use. If making ahead, freeze on baking sheets until firm, about 1 hour, and then transfer to an airtight container; freeze until ready to use, up to 1 month.)

6.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add half the ravioli; gently stir once. Cook at a gentle boil until the ravioli are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a colander using a slotted spoon; drain. Cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining ravioli.

7.
Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cook the butter until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add half the ravioli to the skillet; toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to a platter; cover to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining ravioli.

8.
Cook the remaining 4 tablespoons butter until lightly browned as above. Add the reserved cup beans; cook over low heat until warm, about 20 seconds. Transfer the ravioli to serving plates. Spoon the beans and butter over ravioli. Sprinkle with cheese; season with salt and pepper.

fresh pasta dough

MAKES 1 POUND

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

4 large eggs

1.
Mound the flour on a clean work surface; make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well; beat lightly with a fork. Gradually bring small amounts of flour into the well, incorporating it into the eggs using the fork. When most of flour has been incorporated, fold in the remaining flour using a bench scraper.

2.
On a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Wrap in plastic; let stand at room temperature 1½ hours (or refrigerate overnight) before rolling out. The dough can be frozen in an airtight container up to 1 month.

spicy whole-wheat linguine with red peppers

SERVES 6

1 pound whole-wheat linguine

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 medium red bell peppers, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick strips

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1.
Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pasta; cook according to package instructions until al dente.

2.
Meanwhile, heat the oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil is hot but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper strips, and cook until very soft, about 20 minutes.

3.
Drain the pasta well. Rinse with warm water; shake out excess. Return the pasta to the pot. Stir salt into the bell pepper mixture; add to the pasta, and toss well to coat.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 447 CALORIES, 19 G FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 63 G CARBOHYDRATE, 396 MG SODIUM, 12 G PROTEIN, 11 G FIBER

penne with basil and caciocavallo

SERVES 4

If you have trouble finding caciocavallo cheese, you can substitute grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish

2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed with the flat side of a large knife

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Coarse salt

1 pound penne

2 cups grated caciocavallo cheese, plus more for sprinkling and serving

2½ teaspoons cracked black pepper

1.
Stir together the basil, garlic, and oil in a serving bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add the pasta; cook until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking liquid; drain the pasta.

2.
Add the hot pasta, cheese, pepper, and reserved cooking liquid to the basil mixture; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese, and drizzle with oil; garnish with basil. Serve with more cheese.

trofie with pesto, green beans, and potatoes

SERVES 4 TO 6

12 ounces fingerling or small new potatoes, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds or pieces

Coarse salt

1 pound trofie (or fusilli or penne)

4 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise

Pesto (recipe follows)

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1.
Cover the potatoes with cold water by 2 inches in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add salt. Reduce heat to medium; simmer the potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

2.
Bring one large pot and one medium pot of water to a boil; add salt to both. Add the pasta to the large pot; cook until al dente. Add the green beans to the medium pot; cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the pasta and green beans.

3.
Heat the pesto in a large skillet over medium heat until warm. Stir in the potatoes, pasta, and green beans; cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with cheese.

pesto

MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS

3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1 garlic clove

½ teaspoon coarse salt

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground pepper

Process the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor until combined. With the processor running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream; process until smooth. Stir in the cheese. Season the pesto with pepper. The pesto can be refrigerated, covered by a thin layer of olive oil in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

baked gnocchi with cheese

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 cup heavy cream

6 ounces fontina or Taleggio cheese, grated (about 1½ cups)

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Unsalted butter, for baking dish

1 tablespoon coarse salt

Basic Potato Gnocchi (recipe follows)

1.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Add two-thirds of the cheese; stir until melted. Stir in the nutmeg and the pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.

2.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter an 8-inch-square baking dish; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add the salt. Add half the gnocchi; when they rise to the top (after about 2 minutes), continue to cook until tender, about 15 seconds more. Transfer the gnocchi with a slotted spoon to the buttered dish. Repeat the process with the remaining gnocchi.

3.
Pour the cheese sauce over the gnocchi, and gently toss. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake the gnocchi until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

basic potato gnocchi

SERVES 4 TO 6

You can use this recipe to make spinach gnocchi: Thaw 1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, very finely chop the leaves, and squeeze out the moisture. Add it to the potatoes in the bowl, and sprinkle with an additional 2 tablespoons flour. Formed gnocchi can be refrigerated on a floured baking sheet, uncovered, up to 12 hours.

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes

1 tablespoon plus 2½ teaspoons coarse salt

2 large eggs

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1.
Lightly flour a baking sheet; set aside. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce to a simmer; cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes.

2.
Drain the potatoes. When they are cool enough to handle, peel them, then pass them through a ricer or food mill into a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the flour, and add the eggs. Sprinkle with the remaining 2½ teaspoons salt and the pepper. Stir mixture with a fork to combine well.

3.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface; gently knead until it is soft and smooth, about 3 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 to 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about ¾ inch thick. Cut the ropes crosswise into 1-inch gnocchi.

4.
Roll a cut side of each dumpling against the tines of a fork with your thumb (forming ridges on one side and an indentation on the other). Set aside on the floured baking sheet until ready to cook.

spinach gnocchi with tomato sauce

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup dry white wine

1 can (28 ounces) whole plum tomatoes with juice, coarsely chopped

1 can (14½ ounces) tomato sauce

2 sprigs basil

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

Freshly ground pepper

Basic Potato Gnocchi, made with spinach (recipe above)

Thinly shaved Parmesan cheese, for serving

1.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the wine; cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, basil, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until slightly thick, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.

2.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add the salt. Add half the gnocchi; when they rise to the top (after about 2 minutes), continue to cook until tender, about 15 seconds more. Transfer the gnocchi with a slotted spoon to the pan with sauce. Repeat the process with the remaining gnocchi.

3.
Reheat the gnocchi over low heat; gently toss. Serve with cheese shavings.

gnocchi with mushrooms and gorgonzola sauce

SERVES 4 TO 6

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 tablespoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

Basic Potato Gnocchi (Pasta, Rice, and Grains)

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Freshly ground pepper

12 ounces assorted mushrooms, such as chanterelle, cremini, and portobello, stemmed and coarsely chopped

1.
Lightly brush a rimmed baking sheet with oil; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add the salt. Add half the gnocchi; when they rise to the top (after about 2 minutes), continue to cook until tender, about 15 seconds more. Transfer the gnocchi with a slotted spoon to the oiled baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining gnocchi.

2.
Bring the cream and stock to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and let the mixture simmer until slightly thickened and reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. Add the cheese; stir until melted. Stir in the nutmeg and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.

3.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and any released liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the gnocchi; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Pour the Gorgonzola sauce over the gnocchi; gently toss.

orecchiette with green tomatoes, caramelized onions, and corn

SERVES 6 TO 8

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

2 pounds green tomatoes (about 6 medium), coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons sugar

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 pound orecchiette or other short, dried pasta, cooked according to package instructions

1.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, and cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and sprinkle the sugar over the mixture. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are tender and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

2.
Add the corn; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the corn is tender and just starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the thyme.

3.
Add the vegetable mixture to the cooked pasta, and stir until combined. Serve immediately.

rigatoni with sausage and broccoli rabe

SERVES 4 TO 6

7 garlic cloves (3 quartered and 4 crushed)

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt

1 medium bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 pound), trimmed

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained