julie’s blog

Mushroom Tortellini with Carrot Tops & Zucchini

nobody@vox.com(julie) — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:25:05 -0700

Mushroom Tortellini with Carrot Tops & Zucchini

I'll never throw away my carrot tops again. Not only are they edible and herbaceously delicious, but in this eco- conscious world of ours, it's just one more way that we can avoid wasting. I don't know about you, but I usually have the tops of my carrots lopped off at the market. This weekend however, I kept them on. If you can eat beet greens, why not carrot? Just be sure to rinse them in cool water a few times because these guys are dirrrty! I had to put mine through three rinses of water to be rid of any grit.

I found myself with quite a few too many rehydrated mushrooms and some leftover chestnut pasta dough (you've seen me using this like crazy) so tortellini was an easy choice. I simply processed rehydrated morels, porcinis and shiitakes with homemade yogurt cheese and a bit of salt and pepper. I filled my tortellini and set them aside as I brought a pot of salted water to boil. To flavor my tortellini, I sautéed a few cloves of minced garlic in olive oil and added baby zucchini and diced carrots. Once my water came to a boil, I turned the water down to a simmer and added my pasta filled with packets of goodness. At this point, I added my chopped carrot tops to wilt down. I wanted them to maintain a bite of earthiness. I drained my tortellini and added it to my sautéed mix of vegetables.

Mushroom Tortellini with Carrot Tops & Zucchini

The carrot tops are very mild in flavor and just give the dish the right amount of freshness. Kind of like curly parsley. So next time you're at the market take your carrots... with the tops!

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Chestnut Pasta with Shiitake Mushrooms

nobody@vox.com(julie) — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:02:21 -0700

chestnut pasta with shiitake mushrooms

Monterey Park is just 20 miles distance-wise, but worlds away culture-wise. If you've been there, then you must be savvy to the incredible Chinese food, discounted designer jeans and $15/hr foot massages - if not, you're missing out big time. I'm going to let you in on one of my newest findings.

I just discovered the most incredible place there called Win Hop Fung. It's half Chinese herb/tea, half wine/alcohol super store. They even have wine tastings on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. You would have never guessed judging from the exterior. They even have a French sommelier. Weird, huh? At first I was a little bewildered by the idea of the combination, but after I actually checked it out, it totally made sense. Not only was I able to stock up on white flower oil and dried white fungus, but I carted out enough alcohol to supply my next few wine parties. Oops! I just can't help myself sometimes.

Above is a riesling that I tasted and actually liked. I only say "actually" because I usually find rieslings a bit sweet for my liking. This one was quite refreshing and at 50% off, I'm really kicking myself now for not getting a few more bottles. I paired this crisp wine with some homemade chestnut noodles and shiitakes (braised in the riesling). The chestnut flour in the pasta gives off a nice sweet, roasted flavor that contrast the wine nicely. I love playing with pairings like this. Happy Monday to all!

Signing off...

The Monterey Park Evangelist :)

Win Hop Fung

725 W. Garvey Ave

Monterey Park, CA 91754

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Fettucine with Broccolini and Pistachio Pesto

nobody@vox.com(julie) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:41:05 -0700

Fettucine with Broccolini and Pistachio Pesto

For those no time, big hunger nights, pasta is an easy choice. I always have a few frozen "nests" of fresh pasta saved just for those nights. Simply add whatever seasonal vegetables you have on hand and saute it in olive olive oil and garlic. I like to add a nice sprinkling of pecorino romano and if you have five extra minutes a nice pesto never hurt anyone.

Pistachio & Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
1 cup unsalted roasted shelled pistachios, I'm currently enjoying pistachios from Santa Barbara Pistachio Co
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup parsley
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon Sun-dried tomatoes (The ones that are jarred and soaked in olive oil)
1/2 cup finely shredded pecorino cheese

In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until they are coarsely chopped. Next add olive oil, parsley, tomatoes and garlic and pulse to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

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Fresh Pasta Epiphany

nobody@vox.com(julie) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:45:39 -0700

Three Cheese Lasagna made with Fresh Noodles

When I first ordered my pasta maker attachment (my reward to myself for working 80 hours a week through out the month of June), I was so excited. I told everyone... friends, co-workers, strangers... you name it. Just when I thought my Kitchenaide couldn't get any better. I had plans, big plans for my entrance into the pasta-making world. It presented me with endless possibilities. I ordered it through Amazon, thinking that my investment would pay for itself - just like the blow torch from Home Depot, right (anyone need any pipes welded?). :)
Here's my first [photographed] creation. Since, this was my first time making lasagna with fresh pasta noodles I turned to my trusty friend, Google, to do a little research. To boil or not to boil that is the question. I typed in "boil fresh pasta lasagna" in the search field and stumbled upon this lovely recipe for a 1000 layer lasagna. I was inspired by the idea of using many delicate sheets of fresh pasta instead of a few thick, store-bought lasagna sheets. I didn't follow the recipe, but loved the concept of the dish. The thin layers would soak up all the flavors of the sauce and really make the simple flavors pop in your mouth. Since we were working with such thin pieces of pasta, I actually opted not to pre-boil. It would cook up quickly in the oven. One less pot to wash. I'm all for that and so is B, since he's usually the one on dish duty. I whipped up a simple marinara sauce with an extra kick from the addition of red pepper flakes. In place of ricotta, I had strained a tub of non-fat plain yogurt overnight to make a nice thick yogurt cheese. I also used parmesan and grated sharp cheddar (sounds weird, but it actually worked really well in this dish). I layered the noodles, sauce and cheeses in a buttered Pyrex and baked it until brown and bubbly on top.
Smelled good coming out of the oven. Time for the taste test. Holy cow! This one's a winner. I never thought I could like a cheese lasagna this much. It's such a heavy, comfort food, but this one felt so luxurious in your mouth. Light and delicate. The flavors married beautifully. I actually tasted the pasta in a lasagna. It's usually all about the sauce or the cheese or the other fillings, but in this case, the layers of pasta were just as important. If you've never made lasagna with fresh pasta, I urge you to do so. It makes such a huge difference. Please. For the love of lasagna!

Lasagna with Fresh Noodles, Three Cheeses & Spicy Tomato Sauce

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