Greek Avgolemono....Lemon and Orzo Soup

Greek Avgolemono....Lemon and Orzo Soup. I came upon this soup recipe some time ago... loved the simplicity of the ingredients used... eventually jotted down the recipe to try later.

I most always have homemade chicken stock in the freezer.... sometimes even turkey stock and beef stock. Chicken stock is much easier for me to make, as I use chicken meat more often in the dishes I make. I've learned years ago to never throw away any bones... not even from baked chicken. And when I have leftover turkey bones( from Thanksgiving, or other occasions), I'll split them up in bags, freeze them, and later pull them out to make stock. I most always have some carrots, onion, garlic, and celery... basic ingredients for making stock. Sometimes I'll toss in a couple of bay leaves to the pot... I much prefer homemade stock, as I can season to my liking.

It's become a ton easier to make the stock ever since I've started using a pressure cooker. What used to take me a couple of hours, now takes me 40 minutes using the pressure cooker. It's really easy to make...not to mention that nothing gets wasted. I simply add the bones with a few vegetables, cover with water, and season it with salt.... then I bring the stock to pressure and cook it while I do other things around the house. When it's done, I'll place the stock in ice cube trays.... for pan sauces.... in small 1 cup containers.... for soups.... and in 2 cup containers.... for risotto and other dishes.

In any case, this soup comes together rather quickly. It's a lighter sort of soup...no cream involved or half-and-half.... not even milk. The white color actually comes from the egg and lemon juice mixture. This soup is a play on the popular chicken noodle soup... except for the tart and fresh taste the lemon juice imparts to the dish....making it a bit different:). The orzo gives the soup extra body as well as great flavor. Actually the soup reminds me just a bit of the Romanian orez cu lapte we used to eat as kids... similar to a rice pudding.

While I kept the soup rather simple, other versions also use chunks of chicken for a heartier version....even cut up vegetables. Sometimes the orzo pasta is substituted with rice...making the soup gluten -free.

It's a lovely soup that can be used as a starter to any meal... I personally like to serve it in smaller portions, just because a little bit goes a long way. If you like, you can serve the soup as an amuse bousche... in espresso cups. But a big bowlful isn't bad either... as it can brighten a dreary and cloudy day:). Perfect for the winter months. Hope you enjoy...

Tip: Make the soup gluten-free, by using rice instead of orzo.

You will need:

4 cups chicken stock, homemade preferred

1/2 cup orzo pasta, or rice*

2 eggs

2-3 TBS lemon juice

1 tsp grated lemon zest

2 TBS fresh parsley or dill, chopped

salt/pepper, to taste

* if using rice, add 1 cup extra stock

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, add chicken stock and bring to a boil.... if using rice, add 1 cup more stock

2. Add orzo(or rice, if using) and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.... if using rice, simmer for longer, 15+ minutes or until rice is tender.

3. Remove from heat(do not drain). Set aside.

4. Add eggs to a bowl and beat until thick. Whisk in lemon juice and zest.( it's best to start with 2 TBS and add remaining juice at the end, if you feel it needs it... this way, the sourness can be adjusted to preference.)

5. Gradually add 1/2 cup hot broth from the saucepan, whisking constantly.

6. Add 2 more 1/2 cups broth, whisking after each addition.

7. Pour mixture back into saucepan and reheat on low, stirring with a wooden spoon until egg cooks(the egg foam dissipates)... and the soup just slightly thickens. ....Do NOT boil or eggs will curdle.

8. Add salt and pepper to taste....and a bit of parsley(or dill).

9. Garnish with more parsley...or dill right before serving. You can even add a bit more lemon zest, if you like.

10 Serve hot in the winter...or cold in the summer.

Korean Jap Chae(Sweet Potato Noodle) Stir-Fry...

Korean Jap Chae Noodle(Sweet Potato Noodle) Stir-Fry... This has got to be one of my favorite noodle dishes. I love, love these noodles. While I can't find the sweet potato noodles here in Montana, I'll buy them whenever I have the chance...usually when we go down to visit our families or when family comes up our way. I have a sweet sister-in-law who knows I like these noodles and often asks me if I need them before she comes up for a visit. This past Spring, yet another sister-in-law came over for a visit with her family.... and surprised me with a whole new batch of the sweet potato noodles. And they were even the right kind of noodles...made simply with sweet potato starch...nothing else added. It's a blessing to have such a large family:)!

A few weeks ago, my husband and I took a road trip out of state...and headed down southwest. All along I had in mind to stop at a Korean supermarket if I could:). It so happened there was one... just a few miles away from the hotel we were staying at. Of course, I bought enough to carry me through the winter:). And I grabbed the chance to buy a few more pantry items I normally can't find here.

I was initially introduced to this dish when we first moved here in Montana. We were invited for dinner one day, and my friend from church(being Korean) cooked us a feast. I have to say the Japchae noodles were my absolute favorite. I'd never had them before... the flavors of the dish and the texture of the noodles were entirely new to me. That same day I made sure to find out the name of the dish... and the kind of noodles that were used.

It took me some time to finally make the Japchae noodles...just because I couldn't find the noodles here in town. But I couldn't get them out of my mind, so I had my sister-in-law look for them in the city she lived in. I knew she would probably find them as there were plenty of international stores around. Every so often she would bring me some... interestingly enough I was able to find woodear mushrooms here in town:). The sweet potato noodles have a chewy sort of texture with a see-through transparent look to them...that's why they are often called "glass noodles". But I love the springy-ness of the noodles and all the stir-fried vegetables that are mixed in... making a dish that can be entirely gluten-free( if gluten-free soy sauce is used).

The Japchae noodles are meant to be a part of a multi course meal...but we'll have it as a meal in itself. This dish can be varied with all sorts of vegetables and meats... you can even make a vegetarian version. I especially like making this dish when I have leftover grilled beef...even grilled chicken.

This is the sort of dish where the whole family can get involved...some can slice the meat, others can cut the vegetables, while still others can cook the eggs. The sauce can even be made while the vegetables are stir-fried... and then, in a matter of minutes, all the ingredients are combined ... ready to be served. A delicious meal that can be served warm... or even at room temperature.

While I listed a basic way of making this dish...you can be creative and adjust ingredients to taste...even the sauce can be adjusted. I'm not keen on using too much soy sauce... often I will decrease the amount of soy sauce and add a bit of salt instead. But I am posting this recipe for those of you who want to give this dish a try... and actually have access to the noodles. I wish the pictures would've done the noodles justice....it was the best I could do...at the moment. Hope you enjoy...

Note: While it looks like a complicated dish... with all the steps I posted. The dish isn't really that difficult to make. I probably over-explained the dish and repeated myself:)...it's just a matter of cooking the noodles, stir-frying some vegetables and combining everything together with a simple sauce.

Tip: I used a leftover piece of grilled flank steak for the meat...but you can use a fresh piece...just season it, cut in strips and cook before adding the vegetables

You will need:

Cook, Drain, Rinse and Cut:

200 grams dried sweet potato noodles(dangmyeon)

water

Soak and Cut:

20 grams dried woodear mushrooms, cut in julienne strips

5-6 dried shiitake*(only if not using fresh mushrooms below), cut in strips

water

Blanch and Season:

small bundle fresh spinach, blanched( or 1/2 cup frozen spinach)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 TBS sesame oil

Separate, Cook, and Cut Into Strips:

2 eggs

salt and pepper

drizzle of oil

~~~~~~~~~Sauce(option 1):~~~~~~~~~~~~

5 TBS soy sauce( you could use low sodium), or to taste

2-3 TBS chopped green onion

1 TBS sugar

~~~~~~~~ Sauce (option 2):~~~~~~~~~~~~

only if not seasoning the spinach

5 TBS soy sauce, or to taste

1 TBS rice wine vinegar

1 TBS honey

1 TBS sesame oil

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tsps minced ginger

2-3 TBS chopped green onion

pepper to taste

Cut and Stir Fry:

1 onion, sliced thinly

1 large carrot, julienned matchsticks

1/2-1 red bell pepper, julienned

4 oz sliced mushrooms*(only if not using dried shiitake above)

re-hydrated woodear mushrooms, cut in strips

250 grams cooked beef, sliced thinly into strips

oil for stir frying

Combine and Quickly Cook:

stir-fry mix

noodles

spinach

and sauce

Garnish With:

1-2 TBS roasted sesame seeds(I used un-toasted)

strips of cooked egg

chopped green onion

Directions:

1. Re-hydrate mushrooms: Boil some water and pour over woodear mushrooms...and shiitake , if using. Allow mushrooms to soften and re-hydrate.... about 20 minutes or so.

2. Cook noodles: Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add noodles and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until noodles are tender. Drain and rinse in cold water. Using a scissor cut through the noodles a few times to make them a bit shorter and easier to handle. Set aside.

3. Blanch spinach: Place spinach in boiling water...cook until wilted, strain under cold water and then squeeze dry...or use frozen spinach, squeeze dry. Add minced garlic and sesame oil( you can always add less sesame oil, if you don't care for it too much...and if needed you can add more at the end). Set aside.

4. Make Sauce of choice... combine ingredients. Set aside. If you are concerned with the salt amount, opt to add less soy sauce in the beginning... as you can always add some more at the end.

5. Cook Eggs: Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Lightly beat egg yolk and season with a tiny bit of salt. Do the same with the egg whites. Heat a skillet on med heat, add a drizzle of oil and cook yolks like a pancake, remove and then cook whites the same. Allow to cool a bit, roll the yolks up, cut in two parts, and then into strips. Do the same with the whites. Set aside. Now if you want, you can just scramble the eggs without separating the eggs... you just won't have the yellow and white contrast.

6. Stir-fry Vegetables and Meat: Cut vegetables, meat, and re-hydrated mushrooms into strips. Heat skillet on med heat...add 1-2 TBS oil and then add onion, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook until softened...a few minutes. Add strips of bell pepper and strips of beef. Stir-fry another couple of minutes.

7. Combine All Ingredients: Lower heat and add noodles to the stir-fried mixture.( if they're stuck together, quickly rinse them under water and then drain completely). Add the sauce and combine as you cook it for an additional minute or so. Adjust seasoning.

8. Garnish With: Sesame seeds, cooked egg strips and chopped green onions.

Spanish Mushroom and Sausage Fideua...using Nordic Ware Chef's Braiser Pan

..

Spanish Mushroom and Sausage Fideua...using Nordic Ware Chef's Braiser Pan. I am sure many of you are quite familiar with the Spanish dish called paella. When I received a sample paella pan/brasier pan from the really nice folks at Nordic Ware, I knew I wanted to sort of step away a bit from the well-known paella... and make a similar dish called Fideua. I first found out about paella's not so well-known "cousin" shortly after I came home from a trip to Spain. I had bought a cookbook in Spain entitled, The Best 100 Tapas. When I got home, I got a chance to "study" the book more intently instead of just leafing through it. There were many great recipes in the cookbook, but one in particular stood out... a recipe for Seafood Fideua or Fish Stew, as it was translated. I was quite intrigued with it. The ingredients and procedure was very similar to the traditional paella....only in this case, the rice was substituted with thin pasta noodles. While in Spain, my husband and I tried the paella, but the fideua just never got the chance....I sure wished I had known about it then. I loved the variation and was very eager to try it at home. And since Nordic Ware provided me with a paella/braiser pan to test, I was thrilled to try out both the pan and the recipe.

The Nordic Ware Chef's Braiser Pan performed as expected. It heats up rather quickly and even has a non-stick interior as well. The steel chrome handles come in handy when using it in the oven. Because it is oven-proof, you can start the dish on the stovetop and then finish it off in the oven. It is also big enough. The pan is 14 inches in diameter, so it can be used to make larger quantities, if need be. The pan is not only great for making the traditional paella, but you can also make stir-fries, oven pancakes... and in this case, fideua.

Now fideua is more commonly made using seafood, but I opted to make it using ingredients I had at home... chicken garlic sausages and mushrooms. You can easily vary the fideua, by using seafood and substituting the chicken stock with shrimp or fish stock. And if you want to go vegetarian, opt for making it using vegetables you like, such as chunks of yellow squash/zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, peas, green beans, leeks, cabbage, and use some vegetable stock. You will just be making a fideua de verduras. Actually, I just might try that next time:)...

For this recipe, I ended up using what I had. But the fideua can easily be adapted according to preference. Since I had some spicy smoked paprika and some saffron I had bought from Spain, I ended up using them in the dish. But if you do not have them, you can easily use regular smoked paprika or even regular sweet paprika and add a touch of cayenne. As for the saffron, you can skip it altogether.

There are many versions of the fideua... How the dish actually came about... well, there are many theories. But most believe the dish originated in the 1960's in the city of Gandia, which is part of the Valenician community. You might find that the fideua can vary... depending on the region. Some regions use the thicker noodles that have holes in them... and actually do not fry the pasta. Other regions(Catalonia) use the very thin vermicelli noodles... which they fry. Some recipes use a bit of garlic alioli to top the fideua and others do not. I chose to skip it this time around, though I think it would be a wonderful addition. We rather liked the thin fried noodle version and enjoyed the dish very much. I look forward to trying a vegetarian version, as well as a seafood version. So, if you've never tried fideua, you might want to give it a try. Hope you enjoy...

You will need: inspired by my Spanish cookbook, "The Best 100 Tapas" and Epicurious (who actually makes the directions much simpler than I have:))

2 tablespoons olive oil(plus a drizzle)

1/2 onion, chopped ( you could use 1 whole onion)

1 large bell pepper, diced( I used orange, but green is more traditional)

2-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon teaspoon hot smoked paprika ( you could use regular and add a pinch of cayenne)

1 tsp sweet paprika

~~~~~

8 oz mushrooms, quartered

2-3 links garlic chicken sausage(or Spanish chorizo/ kielbasa), cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

~~~~~

3 cups homemade chicken broth( you can use low salt store-bought)

pinch of saffron

~~~~~~

10-12 oz fideo/angel hair pasta/capellini or any thin pasta(broken in 2-3 inches)

Optional Toppings: which I skipped this time around

chopped parsley

garlic alioli

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. ...get pan and ingredients ready.

Saute vegetables:

Heat 1 TBS olive oil in heavy deep paella pan skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until tender, stirring frequently, about 5-8 minutes. Depending how salty your chicken broth is...you may or may not need to season with salt. I added a small pinch of kosher salt, since I used my own homemade chicken stock which isn't on the salty side. Add paprika and cook for an additional minute or so. Remove and set aside.

Cook mushrooms and sausages:

While the onion, pepper, and garlic are cooking, saute mushrooms on medium heat in a separate skillet along with a drizzle of olive oil. Season a bit with salt. When mushrooms take a golden color ( about 3-4 minutes on medium high heat) add sliced sausages and stir until the sausages brown a bit. Remove and set aside. De- glaze pan with 1/2 cup of wine ( you could also use stock).

Assemble fideua:

Heat paella pan on medium heat add about 1 TBS of oil. Add broken pasta and toast until golden brown...being careful not to burn. Add sauteed vegetables, chicken broth mixed with crumbled saffron, and wine with de-glazed browned bits. Stir to combine. Top with diced tomatoes, mushrooms and sausage....bringing some of the pasta on top. Bring mixture to simmer.

Cook and bake fideua:

Cook until pasta is almost tender, stirring just occasionally, about 8 minutes. I don't stir it too much... just sort of push the dried pasta on top towards the bottom so that it can soak up a bit broth and cook as well. You still want to have a bit of liquid left before placing it in the oven. If you find the pasta is too dry you can opt to add a bit more broth...but being careful not to add to much or the pasta will swell too much and become too starchy and clumpy.

Set pan in oven and bake until all liquid is absorbed....about 25 minutes. The pasta should form a crusty top....but be soft on the inside.

Sprinkle with parsley and if desired a dollop of garlic alioli.

Homemade Japanese Udon Noodles...Introduction to Japanese Cooking

Homemade Japanese Udon Noodles...Introduction to Japanese Cooking( PART 1).... I was adventurous this past week, and made some homemade udon noodles. Have you ever had Japanese udon noodles? If you like any type of pasta, you will love the Japanese udon noodles. They are a thick-ish pasta with a chewy sort of texture to it. The udon noodles are wonderful in soups, salads, and even in stir-fries. What better way than to actually make them at home....

Did you know that you make udon noodles by kneading the dough with your feet? Yes, with your feet! Since the udon dough is a pretty stiff dough, it can be kind of hard to do the actual kneading by hand. Well it turns out that it's much better to knead the dough using your body weight. That's where your feet come into play. Ok, before you think that it's a crazy idea...and that you are not going to do such a thing...just hear me out. You don't actually touch the dough with your feet.. you cover the dough with some sort of plastic, usually a large plastic bag. Then, and only then, do you actually stomp on it. Neat?... I thought so :). It would be wonderful if you had a couple of kids to do the job for you:)... Divide the dough in two and give each child a piece. Before you know it, you have some homemade udon dough that is ready to be rolled out. In case you are interested in the foot stomping method you can read the instructions found HERE. Anyway, the idea was so interesting to me, that I decided to try it out myself. Could I achieve making udon noodles at home? I really wanted to give this recipe a try...I had nothing to lose except a bit of time, some flour and water. That's right, udon noodles are simply made from flour, salt, and water....ok, some may use tapioca starch. But I didn't...

Well, I have to admit I had a bit of difficulty with the recipe. I always read the entire recipe(from beginning to end) once or twice...maybe even three times. But this time around, I looked at the ingredient list and noticed the recipe asked for 3 1/2 cups flour....so I immediately measured the flour and placed it in my mixer bowl. Somehow, I overlooked an important step in the directions. The actual directions had you measure out 3 cups of flour .... instead of 3 1/2 cups! My dough was quite stiff...way too stiff and dry. I stomped and stomped on it and it wouldn't knead. I lost my patience and decided to plop the dough in my mixer. I then started adding some water, 1 TBS at a time....to sort of get it moving and become more malleable. I still had a stiff dough at this point. I knew it was essential to have a stiff dough in order to have the udon noodle attain its chewy characteristic. I proceeded to knead it until it got be elastic and sort of satiny. From then on, I followed the recipe with no problem. But, I was still perplexed and decided to look over the recipe again. Why did I have to adjust the water? It was then that I noticed my mistake with the flour amount. Hmmm....I guess the extra 1/2 cup of flour was listed to adjust the dough. In case the dough was too sticky or when rolling it out....at least that is what I think it was used for. Anyway, I am listing a range for the flour amount. You can start with 3 cups and adjust the flour as needed. Despite my mistake, the final product was amazing! I ended up using the udon noodles in a Japanese hotpot( Part 2 coming), a stir-fry, and even dressed the noodles with a bit of oil(try sesame oil), chives and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Hope you enjoy...

You will need: inspired originally by Tea and Cookies and adapted from Epicurious

3 -3 1/2 cups bread flour

3/4 cups warm water

1 TBS salt

Directions:

Mix the warm water with salt until the salt is dissolved. In a mixer or food processor bowl, add the flour. Turn on the food processor(using the kneading blade) and using a slow and steady stream, pour the salted water through the feed tube until the dough forms in a slightly(not too crumbly) crumbly mass. You should be able to gather the dough and form into a ball. You might need to press it together. Place it in a closed plastic bag and let it rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature. You can also refrigerate the dough... to knead it later(even overnight).

Knead the dough:by using the feet stomping method or by kneading it in the mixer/food processor.

I tried the foot stomping method , but noticed my dough was too dry( I originally added the 3 1/2 cups flour instead of 3 cups as per directions..no wonder why the dough was too dry!). I switched to the dough hook on my mixer and added a bit more warm water...1 TBS at a time to adjust the consistency of the dough. I then kneaded the dough until it was elastic and satiny...the dough is quite stiff, but as you knead it it should become elastic....took about 5 minutes or so. Stretch the dough to feel the elasticity...it shouldn't tear. The dough should feel stiff and elastic at the same time...definitely not sticky. As a comparison...I noticed the udon dough to be a bit stiffer than a traditional pasta dough.

Place the dough on a large, lightly floured board. With a rolling pin, stretch the dough into a large oval, about 1/8-inch thick. Since the udon dough is stiffer and a bit harder to roll out, I opted to cut smaller pieces. I then started rolling each individual piece...instead of the whole dough. Roll the dough in an oval shape. You might need to let it rest a few minutes if you find that it is too stiff to roll out.

Sprinkle the rolled-out dough with flour, and fold it back on itself(once or twice). Don't crease the fold. Use a long, sharp knife to cut the dough into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Lightly dust the noodles with flour so they won't stick together.

To cook the noodles:

Bring a very large pot of water to a rolling boil. Shake off excess flour from the noodles and place them into the pot. Stir the noodles so they separate into individual strands. Cook the noodles for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test a noodle by placing it into cold water: It should be translucent, but still firm.

It is important to rinse the noodles well under cold running water to remove the starch. It will make the noodles gummy. The cold water also makes the noodle have that chewy texture.

You can refrigerate for later use... you can rinse noodles in boiling hot water if serving them in hot dishes...such as soups and stir-fries. Rinse them in cold water if serving them chilled as a salad.

Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce...with Angel Hair Pasta

Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce...with Angel Hair Pasta We have had quite a bit of rain these past few days/weeks. I am glad... as it is now nice and green. My chives have been growing from all the rain along with my herbs ....now, what to do with all that abundance? I knew I wanted to use the chives and herbs in a pasta dish. And, this is what I made. I sort of wished I could have had some fresh tomatoes as well. I guess I'll have to make this dish again, later on in the summer, when my tomatoes will be ripe. I really don't mind:)...

Here is yet another summery dish that's quick to prepare. I ended up having to use some store-bought tomatoes, but garden-fresh tomatoes will definitely add so much more flavor. This has got to be one of my favorite ways to eat pasta. I prefer this type of sauce rather than the bottled kind. Just love the fresh ingredients in this dish. Simple... yet tasty. Summery ...and yet so easy to prepare.

Because I like to taste the tomatoes in this dish(and because I think it looks rather pretty), I decided to use some grape tomato halves in addition to the fresh tomato sauce. If you don't like pieces of tomato, you can easily use more of the fresh tomato sauce and skip the halved tomato pieces. I don't think you can go wrong with amounts here. It's really up to you how much of each ingredient you want to use... use more or less of the fresh tomatoes, garlic/onion, basil and herbs. But I am listing what I used as a guide. You will want to use some good quality olive oil. Use a bit of it. Don't be skimpy... as the oil brings everything together. Top the pasta with some Parmesan/Feta Cheese and you are good to go. 

There are lots of variations to this dish... try some kalamata olives, capers, a bit of pesto, sauteed mushrooms, chopped nuts, toasted and buttered bread crumbs, etc... Anyway, I am hoping you will give this dish a try, especially as summer is right around the corner. We really liked this dish. Hope you enjoy...

You will need: makes about 2-3 servings

1/3( or so) box of angel hair pasta, cooked in salted water( reserve some pasta water in case you will need some to thin the sauce...especially if the pasta is not served right away)

Sauce:

2 large roma tomatoes, grated and skins removed*

1 1/2 cups grape (or cherry) tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup(or so) extra virgin olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves,minced

basil,julienned(about 3 TBS)

oregano, minced (about 1/2 tsp)

thyme(a sprig or two, leaves only)

chives(3-4 TBS)

couple of pinches sugar

salt and pepper to taste

chile flakes(optional)

kalamata olives, quartered(optional)

feta cheese, crumbled

* you should have about 2/3 cup(or a bit more) tomato pulp

Directions:

Cook pasta in salted water until al-dente. While pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Remember to keep some pasta water in case you need to thin out your sauce later.

Wash herbs and tomatoes. Halve the grape tomatoes and set aside. Grate Roma tomatoes and discard skin. Add salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar to the tomato pulp. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium/low heat. Add chopped red onion and cook till almost soft about3 -5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds to a minute. Add tomato halves, tomato pulp, chopped oregano and thyme leaves and kalamata olives( if using). Cook and stir for an additional couple of minutes or until a light sauce forms. Don't overdo the cooking as you want the freshness of the tomatoes to still be there.

Add the cooked pasta.

Add the julienned basil and the chopped chives. You can also add some chile flakes ...which I totally forgot. Adjust seasoning.

Toss to coat the pasta and top with feta cheese( or you can use Parmesan).

Homemade Multi Colored Pasta

Homemade Striped Colored Pasta....My first attempt at making homemade pasta...handmade...no pasta machine! I have to admit that this recipe was inspired by a blog I visited recently. I was blown away with her creativity! You can visit her blog here. Her creations are amazing! Oh, I forgot to mention that her blog is in German!:) ...pictures are fabulous...and if you know a bit of German you will understand it more than I did!

I just loved that she used natural food colors and not any food dyes. I just used a basic pasta dough that I mixed the various colors into it to make the stripes. I just really used my own amounts with the coloring and I found out later after I boiled them that the colors faded a bit(though I think that is normal). Next time, I will knead in more of the colors. I found some colored powders at my local Natural Foods store. They didn't have too many choices...but, I was grateful for what I found. Enough to make my pasta creations!

I used beetroot powder,tomato powder,barley powder and the regular uncolored dough. You can easily substitute for the barley (broccoli,spinach,parsley,cilantro). The tomato powder can be substituted by carrot powder. You can also use turmeric to make a yellow dough. This is fun to be creative with....how about checkers instead of stripes, bi colored, tri colored or just making individual colors? Have fun with this recipe! Hope you enjoy...

Pasta dough ingredients:(or use your own favorite pasta dough recipe)

1 cup flour

1 cup semolina flour

2 eggs

2-3 TBS water

1 tsp salt

2 tsp oil

food powders (beetroot,tomato,spinach etc... amount depends on how bright you want the colors to be...start with 1 tsp.)

*you can just use eggs instead of adding oil and water...add 3 eggs instead of 2

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine and whisk semolina flour, flour, and salt.
2. Make a well in the middle and add eggs.

3. Mix and incorporate the eggs with your hands.
4. Add oil and knead...adding 1 TBS of water to dough until all the flour is incorporated into the dough.

5.Split the dough into 5 parts.
6. Add a different color powder to 3 of the dough pieces leaving 2 dough pieces plain colored.

 7. Knead in the colored powder into the dough for approx. 8-9 minutes by hand or until smooth and elastic/pliable.
8. Roll each dough piece out to 1/4 inch or so(depending how wide you want the lines to be).

9. Place each dough piece on top of each other, alternating with a plain color to make stripes.

Make sure you seal the layers with a bit of water( you can use a damp/wet towel to wipe the layers).
10. Cut rough ends off and then cut into 1 inch strips.
11. Seal 2-3 strips together(use the damp towel).

12. Gently roll pasta dough to a 1/8 inch thickness. If you have a pasta machine, this step would be much easier!

13. Use pasta dough to make ravioli.... or make fettuccine.... or make bow ties.
14. Cook in salted boiling water till desired doneness.