September 19, 2020

TOMATO SAUCE, LINGUINI, AND MEATBALLS

I think the trick to making a good meatball is the order of operations. Start by mixing the eggs and spices together and then slowly whisking in the grated fresh parmesan cheese (no clumps), followed by gently hand blending the meats into the liquid mixture and lastly adding the bread crumbs. Use kitchen gloves to keep your hands clean and a large ice cream scoop to spoon meatballs onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in a 450 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes. Then, gently place meatballs in Basic Tomato Sauce (See recipe below) to finish cooking.

2 eggs beaten
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs fresh chopped basil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c parmesan cheese freshly grated
1 lb ground beef
1 lb mild ground Italian sausage
1/2 c bread crumbs

I’m still striving to make old world meatballs like Tito’s Trattoria in Florence, Italy…the best ever! If you have the opportunity to have them – don’t miss out, but watch out for the lemoncello, it can sneak up on you.

I learned to make pasta with Chef Samuele Scinardo at Castello Banfi in Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy. This is a gluten free version. We used the same equipment in class that I have at home – an Imperia Fresh Home-Made Pasta maker.

Ingredients

83 grams Brown Rice Flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
83 grams Gluten Free Flour (I use King Arthur Gluten Free)
80 grams Chickpea Flour ( I use Bob’s Red Mill)
4 grams Xantham Gum
1 Tsp salt
1 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 eggs yolks and 2 whole eggs

Mix all dry ingredients. Next, on a wooden board make a “volcano” out of the flour mixture. Then add the eggs to the hole in the center and add the olive oil. Using your fingers, work the flour and eggs together. Once incorporated, begin kneading the dough, using your palms, flattening and folding as you go, finishing with a ball. Lastly, divide the ball of dough into 4 equal parts and wrap each one in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove a ball of dough from the refrigerator and flatten with your fingers dusting your surface with GF flour to keep it from sticking. Start passing the dough through the largest setting on the pasta machine. Fold the dough in two, sprinkle lightly with flour, and run through 6 more times. Then, adjust the pasta machine setting one notch smaller, and run the dough through again. Continue to run dough through the rollers, making the setting smaller each time until you reach the next to smallest setting. You may need to cut the sheets in half when they start to get too long. Let the sheets rest for about 10 minutes then roll the dough like you would a cigar and cut it into 4mm widths. Separate the strands.

Repeat with another ball of dough. Finally, boil in water with a teaspoon of olive oil for about 3 minutes or until al dente.