Pasta Time

I did plan a menu on Saturday after the Pizza Showdown class at Cook's Warehouse and it seems like we'll be eating pasta often this week.  I love pasta and must be craving it particularly.  The pizza showdown with parents and kids was a lot of fun and we had many, many pizzas. 

As soon as I am finished with this entry I am going to the kitchen to start the sauce and read how to make pasta.  I am using Giada De Laurentiis' sauce recipe and am making spinach fettuccine with my KitchenAid pasta roller/cutter attachment.  I am testing/playing with the pasta maker. 

Simple Bolognese by Giada De Laurentiis (from the cookbook Everyday Italian)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 pound ground chuck beef
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, chiffonade
8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

In a 6 quart pot, add extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onions become very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the ground beef. Saute, stirring frequently and breaking up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1/2 hour. Finish bolognese with Pecorino Romano. Check for seasoning.
Serve hot.

I've always loved KitchenAid products and bought my nephew the mixer for Christmas because he needed a good mixer.  I am now a product specialist with KitchenAid and so I get to play with all of their products.  I have such a great job!  Tonight is the pasta maker and later this week maybe the grinder attachment.

If you are looking for something to do on Saturday, I'll be at Bloomingdale's Perimeter in the kitchen playing, I mean working, with KitchenAid products.  I'll start about noon and be there for a few hours.  Come on over, see the cool mixers, attachments, ovens, blenders, etc.  I especially now am wanting the green mixer that is there.  Of course I'll never need a new mixer because my KitchenAid will last forever which is excellent for quality.   I may have to give mine to my niece for her new house and then I'll have to get one for myself!