Creamy Spinach Ricotta and Mushroom Linguini

We are five days into February and so far it’s been a mixed bag of tricks with peaks and valleys.

Most of which had to do with that damn adorable fluffball, Junior.

Saturday, we had Wes’s sister, brother-in-law and nephews over for dinner to meet our kitty. I was fairly confident she was going to freak out and hiss at a child at least ten times in an evening.

Contrary to what I was expecting, Miss Hiss was perfectly pleasant and allowed lots of little petting and only managed to squeeke out one or two facial and verbal spasms.

Wes and I saw a light at the end of the tunnel to domestication. But my car broke down in the middle of that tunnel Monday morning when Junior freaked out on her trip to the vet to get spayed and bit my finger. Landing me in the doctors office this morning with a sweet infection.

Cooking with a swollen left index was a struggle, but I banged it out and it was damn tasty. This is a deconstructed version of the mushroom ravioli I served up a while back and it was just as tasty in a small portion of the time.

You will need…

¼ lb shitake mushrooms, stemmed removed and sliced

½ lb crimini mushrooms, stemmed removed and sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 slices pancetta, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 large shallot, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

4 cups spinach, plus extra if you would like some wilted spinach in your pasta

1 cup ricotta

1 lb dried linguini

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by boiling a large pot of water and cooking the pasta to the package instructions. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add in the pancetta and cook until you have rendered out some of the fat. About 5 minutes.

Toss in the mushrooms and shallots and cook until the shallots soften, about 8 minutes.

While the mushrooms and shallots are cooking, blend the ricotta and 4 cups of spinach in a blender or food processor.

When the shallots have softened, toss in the thyme and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minutes. If you want to add some fresh whole spinach in, now would be the time. Stir it in until slightly wilted. 

Season the mixture well with salt and pepper and stir in the cooked pasta and the ricotta and spinach mixture. Pour in the reserved pasta water while stirring until the pasta is coated. 

Serve hot with Parmesan and fresh ground pepper.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Creamy Spinach Ricotta and Mushroom Linguini 

¼ lb shitake mushrooms, stemmed removed and sliced

½ lb crimini mushrooms, stemmed removed and sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 slices pancetta, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 large shallot, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

4 cups spinach, plus extra if you would like some wilted spinach in your pasta

1 cup ricotta

1 lb dried linguini

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by boiling a large pot of water and cooking the pasta to the package instructions. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add in the pancetta and cook until you have rendered out some of the fat. About 5 minutes.

Toss in the mushrooms and shallots and cook until the shallots soften, about 8 minutes.

While the mushrooms and shallots are cooking, blend the ricotta and 4 cups of spinach in a blender or food processor. When the shallots have softened, toss in the thyme and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minutes. If you want to add some fresh whole spinach in, now would be the time. Stir it in until slightly wilted.

Season the mixture well with salt and pepper and stir in the cooked pasta and the ricotta and spinach mixture. Pour in the reserved pasta water while stirring until the pasta is coated. 

Serve hot with Parmesan and fresh ground pepper.

Mushroom and Pancetta Ravioli

Remarkably, I survived my first day back to work after the long holiday.

And just like I said yesterday, the last day before your vacation ends is way worse than actually going back.

Yesterday, I went to purchase my first ever pair of tires.

Let me just say, there are at least two pairs of amazing shoes I would much rather have purchased.

But I sucked it up and did the adult thing and bought the tires my little Prius desperately needed.

I was feeling very adult and pleased with myself.

Until I drove less than twenty miles to the mall to exchange some Christmas gifts, and came back to my car to discover the gift of one of my brand spanking new tires completely deflated.

I was rim riding.

So if you were at South Coast Plaza last night around seven in the evening and were blocked by a large tow truck helping some desperate girl, that was me.

Sorry about that.

But I can make it up to you. Because these are wonderful.

Wes bought me a few ravioli cutters for Christmas and I’m going to strongly recommend you go get yourself some if you plan on ever making ravioli. It will change your life.

They make sure your filling is well sealed into the pasta and it cuts them into beautiful shapes.

You can purchase some for yourself (very affordably I might add) HERE.

You will need…

¼ lb shitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

½ lb crimini mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 slices pancetta, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large shallot, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

2 cups spinach

¾ cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 batch homemade pasta dough

1 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

Flour for dusting

Start by heating the oil in a large pan over medium high heat.

When the oil is hot, add in the pancetta and cook just until the pancetta is starting to crisp and some of the fat has been rendered.

Add the shallots and garlic and cook just until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Then add in the thyme and the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft. About 5 to 7 minutes.

Add in the spinach and cook just until the spinach has wilted and cooked down. About 2 minutes.

Remove the mushroom mixture form the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Then in a bowl or food processor, blend together the ricotta, Parmesan and mushroom mixture and season it with salt and pepper to taste.

After the mixture is completely combined, roll out your pasta dough into very thin sheets and lightly flour the sheets on whatever side you will make the top and bottom of the raviolis.

Place about 1 tablespoon of filling on to the sheets about 2 inches a part on half the pasta sheets.

Gently brush the sheet with the filling with water and place the top sheet over the fillings.

With your fingers, gently press the top pasta sheet down to form your raviolis.

Use a knife to cut your ravioli into the desired shape and then press to seal them with a fork. Or, use your handy dandy ravioli cutter.

Make sure that your ravioli are floured lightly so they don’t stick together.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your ravioli for three to five minutes. When they have popped to the top of the water they are done.

Toss with your favorite sauce and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Cooks Note: You can make these and save them for up to five days in the refrigerator or you can freeze them for up to two months.

These ravioli were served with the shitake mushroom cream sauce.

Mushroom and Pancetta Ravioli

¼ lb shitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

½ lb crimini mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 slices pancetta, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large shallot, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

2 cups spinach

¾ cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 batch homemade pasta dough

1 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

Flour for dusting

Start by heating the oil in a large pan over medium high heat.

When the oil is hot, add in the pancetta and cook just until the pancetta is starting to crisp and some of the fat has been rendered.

Add the shallots and garlic and cook just until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Then add in the thyme and the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft. About 5 to 7 minutes.

Add in the spinach and cook just until the spinach has wilted and cooked down. About 2 minutes.

Remove the mushroom mixture form the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Then in a bowl or food processor, blend together the ricotta, Parmesan and mushroom mixture and season it with salt and pepper to taste.

After the mixture is completely combined, roll out your pasta dough into very thin sheets and lightly flour the sheets on whatever side you will make the top and bottom of the raviolis.

Place about 1 tablespoon of filling on to the sheets about 2 inches a part on half the pasta sheets.

Gently brush the sheet with the filling with water and place the top sheet over the fillings.

With your fingers, gently press the top pasta sheet down to form your raviolis.

Use a knife to cut your ravioli into the desired shape and then press to seal them with a fork. Or, use your handy dandy ravioli cutter.

Make sure that your ravioli are floured lightly so they don’t stick together.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your ravioli for three to five minutes. When they have popped to the top of the water they are done.

Toss with your favorite sauce and serve hot. 

Leek and Pancetta Pasta

Score! Momma got a brand new pan!

No, I don’t mean momma as in the mother of this blog.

I mean my actual momma got a brand new pan.

And it is freaking awesome. It makes me want to squeal like a school girl.

But even more than that, it makes me want to cook stuff.

Like this tasty pasta dish.

I loved it because it is light, but still has bold flavors.

The rest of the family loved it because it reminded them of a pasta version of fried rice from Benihanas.

You will need…

4 leeks, chopped

1 pound spaghetti (I try to always use whole wheat)

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 ounces chopped pancetta

4 eggs

½ cup parmesan cheese

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by boiling some water to cook your pasta.

While the water is boiling, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add in the pancetta and cook until it is golden brown and crispy.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta to a paper towel to remove the grease.

Leaving the grease in the pan, add in the leeks.

Season the leeks with salt and pepper and cook them just until they start to brown. Around 7 minutes.

Right as the leeks begin to brown, add the pasta into the boiling water and cook per the package instructions.

When the pasta is done cooking, reserve ½ a cup of the pasta water and drain the rest of the pasta.

Using your leeks, create 4 little nests for the eggs.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil into each nest and then crack 1 egg into each nest.

Cover the pan and cook the eggs just until the white are set. You still want the yolks to be very runny. This should only take about 2 minutes with the lid on.

As soon as the eggs have set, add the pancetta and the pasta back into the pan.

Sprinkle with the parmesan and add in the parsley.

Finally, add the reserved pasta water and mix everything together.

Toss well and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Leek and Pancetta Pasta

4 leeks, chopped

1 pound spaghetti (I try to always use whole wheat)

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 ounces chopped pancetta

4 eggs

½ cup parmesan cheese

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by boiling some water to cook your pasta.

While the water is boiling, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add in the pancetta and cook until it is golden brown and crispy.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta to a paper towel to remove the grease.

Leaving the grease in the pan, add in the leeks.

Season the leeks with salt and pepper and cook them just until they start to brown. Around 7 minutes.

Right as the leeks begin to brown, add the pasta into the boiling water and cook per the package

instructions.

When the pasta is done cooking, reserve ½ a cup of the pasta water and drain the rest of the pasta.

Using your leeks, create 4 little nests for the eggs.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil into each nest and then crack 1 egg into each nest.

Cover the pan and cook the eggs just until the white are set. You still want the yolks to be very runny. This

should only take about 2 minutes with the lid on.

As soon as the eggs have set, add the pancetta and the pasta back into the pan.

Sprinkle with the parmesan and add in the parsley.

Finally, add the reserved pasta water and mix everything together.

Toss well and serve hot.

Fettuccini Carbonara

For once, instead of using the internet to scour for NFT recipes I decided to hit our impressive library of cook books. With everything from Nobu cook book to the Soup Bible, I figured there have to be a lot of untapped recipes in there for my archives. In my search through our books, most of which I have barely glanced at, I stumbled upon a culinary gem. William-Sonoma’sROME cookbook.

I started flipping through page after page of delectable pasta’s and fish dishes and before I knew it there was a large puddle of drool on my desk. Don’t worry Lish, I did NOT drool ON the book. Just near it.

Have I mentioned my love of carbs? I seriously admire those who can eliminate complex carbohydrates from their diet. NEVER gonna happen for me. NEVER.

The thing that is so amazing about Italian cooking is that everything is so simple. It’s just simple ingredients and simple techniques, but the quality makes it mind blowing.

With all the amazing pasta recipes that this book had, I didn’t really know where to start. So I just started with number one. This recipe has a TOTAL of eight ingredients. Three of which you probably already have in your kitchen. When you tell people you made carbonara they will be so impressed. Unless they read NFT’z too. Then you’re screwed.

You will need…

6 oz pancetta sliced into ¼ in pieces


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 lb fettuccini
¼ cup grated pecorino romano cheese


¼ cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese plus more to sprinkle after served


2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk at room temperature (very important)

In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, combine the pancetta and olive oil and cook slowly until much of the fat has rendered and the meat has brown a little. Be careful not to make it too crispy. Once it is brown and still soft, remove it from the heat and cover the pan.


Bring a pot that is ¾ full of water to a rapid boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water. Cook the pasta to the package specifications.

While it is cooking, whisk together the 2 eggs and the egg yolk. Stir in about a tablespoon of fresh pepper and then add HALF the grate cheese mix.


Mix the whole thing together.


Here is where timing gets important. Make sure the bowl you are going to put the pasta in is going to be warm. If not, if will affect the eggs when added to the pasta.


When the pasta is finished, pour it into a colander and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Shake the pasta a couple of times to get rid of excess water and then add the pasta back into the pan of pancetta. Toss the pasta a couple of times to coat the pasta with the fat and pancetta.

Transfer the pasta and pancetta into your already warm bowl and with a wooden spoon stir in the egg mixture, mixing vigorously to coat the pasta evenly. If the pasta seems dry, add small splashes of the reserved pasta water until it is moist.

Add in the remaining cheese and serve. Sprinkle with extra parmesan if desired.


Whatever you do, don’t bring your leftovers to work. Your work vultures I mean buddies will devour it if you do.

Love and Beer Floats
Angela