Handmade Fresh Garganelli Pasta

I had so much fun making these Garganelli Pasta from scratch. My passion in wanting to learn more about homemade fresh pasta has paid off. I managed to make soft chewy bite that comes in many different shapes. Each shapes goes with different sauces. These Garganelli pasta is similar to Penne but just that they have ribbed texture. Rolled over a Gnocchi Wooden Board using a dowel rod. Very interesting.. the more I make the more perfect they become.  The ribbed texture and hollow tubular shape helps to hold sauces. Fresh pasta taste better and can be stored in freezer till required for at least a month . Straight from the freezer to boiling water. Still retains its shape and chewy bite. 

What I did was to air dry them before storing in ziploc bag. If eaten on same day it is best to air dry the rolled pasta for at least an hour in room temp before cooking. This is to help retain the shape of the pasta while it is cooking . Practice makes perfect is so true.  For making Garganelli Pasta we need egg pasta dough. I used Gennaro's egg pasta recipe . The recipe is as follows

 Recipe for making Egg Pasta Dough

Ingredients

150 gm '00" flour

50gm  semolina flour

2 eggs

 Fresh pasta dough

• Sift both flours on work surface (preferably wooden).
• Scoop a well in the center and pour in slightly beaten eggs.
• Add a pinch of salt and start mix all ingredients using a fork or a dough scraper until a crumbly dough forms. You can do this using your hands only if you’re OK getting s a little messy.
• Continue to knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth, elstic and no longer sticky. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and let rest for 15-30 minutes or even overnight (in a cool place or in the fridge).

Rolling the dough

• Cut off a piece of the dough and slightly flatten it with your fingers.
• Sprinkle lightly with flour.
• Option 1 (rolling pin)
• Using a rolling pin roll the dough into approx 1 millimeter thick sheet.
• Option 2 (Atlas Marcato Pasta Machine)
• Set machine on the widest setting (0) and pass the dough for the first time.
• Fold the dough in half and pass again on the same setting.
• Adjust to the next-narrower setting, until you rich thickness of approx 1 mm or position 6 on Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine.
• Return machine to original setting for each piece.
• Arrange ready sheet on a lightly floured work surface.
• Cut each sheet into 1.5×1.5 or 2×2 inch squares and let dry for 10-20 minutes. This will prevent garganelli from flattening when they’re ready.

the pasta square should be 1.5inches x 1.5 inches square

Shape garganelli

• Place a pasta square on a well floured gnocchi board (gnocchi paddle).
• Fold a corner of the square over the garganelli pin.
• If you don’t have a dowel rod, try using a simple chopstick or even a round wooden pencil.
• Holding both ends of the pin roll it towards you. Apply pressure to imprint the ridges on the garganello and seal it at the same time.
• Be careful not to press too hard to avoid the dough sticking to the board but apply enough pressure to seal and imprint the ridges.
• Repeat the process with remaining squares and ultimately with the remaining dough.
• Let shaped garganelli dry for about 15 minutes before cooking or let them dry completely overnight and store in a sealed plastic bag.

French Crepe With Durian Fillings

It's the King of Fruits season , the durians are selling like hot cakes despite the pandemic. We have our regular supplier who will inform us and thats when we will place our order. We wanted the original local durians ( the Kampung Durian) not the hybrid type . this batch the local durians pulps were thick and creamy . We normally will freeze them in ice cream tupper and thaw them for half an hour whenever we want to eat them. Being the adventurous me, I wanted to try them with french crepes instead of eating with rice. It turned out lip-smacking good. I just need to practice making french crepes. This was a bit thick. I need to make them thinner. Practice makes perfect as the saying goes. Nevermind I still have 2 more tuppers of durian in the freezer.

These local durians are the best, espcially those from Kuala Kangsar, thick and creamy and bitterish sweet. Goes well with glutinous rice, plain rice and crepes.

Recipe for French Crepes

Ingredients for Crepe

2 eggs

1/4 cup butter- melted

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup AP flour

1/2 cup milk

1/8 cup water

1/2 tsp vanilla

tiny dash of salt

Fillings 

Durian pulps

 Method For making the Crepes

1. Whisk all the ingredients, except the flour, together. Add in the flour, a little bit at a time, whisking just until the flour has been mixed in.
2. Let the crepe batter rest for 10 minutes. Then, give the batter a quick whisk again before using.
3. Grease a non-stick, 6" skillet with unsalted butter and heat over medium heat. Pour about 2-3 tablespoons worth of batter into the pan and tip the pan from side to side to get the batter to spread out throughout the pan.
4. Cook each side of the crepe for 30 seconds before gently loosening up the edges with a large spatula. If it lifts, then the crepe is ready to be flipped. If it doesn't lift up very well, give it 10 to 15 more seconds and try again. Gently lift the crepe out of the pan, then flip over into the pan and cook the other side for another 10 to 15 seconds; remove to cool.

Crispy Honey Sesame Eggplant

 

Today I learned a new dish from Marion's Kitchen. Crispy Honey Sesame Eggplant can be served as  an appetiser  or as a main dish. Crispy on the outside yet soft on inside.  The honey sauce compliment the crispy eggplant well. Stay crispy till the last piece. Great with beer too. I made a small portion  and I regretted  I didnt make more. Reason being, we both fought for the last piece. I gave in and let him have the last piece. I am smarter, the last has to do the washing. LOL!

love the crispness from the breadcrumbs

use paper towel to take off excess oil after taking them off the hot oil

coat the eggplant with flour first, 

then into egg then last coating the breadcrumbs

 before adding to the hot oil

just a few ingredients to make this delicious crispy Honey Sesame Eggplant

Recipe from Marion's Kitchen

1 large egplant

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

12 cup plain flour

2 eggs. lightly whisked

vegetable oil for drrp frying

sea salt

1 tsp sesame seeds

Honey sauce

1/3 cup honey

3 tbsp vinegar

2 tsp soy sauce

1tsp corn starch mixed with 2 tbsp water

Method

1. Trim and discard the eggplant stem. Trim the eggplant so that it is almost a neat rectangle. Cut into 3cm cubes. Place the eggplants pieces into a colander set over a bowl and season with salt. Allow to sit for 10 mins.

2. To make the honey sauce, heat the honey, vinegar and soy sauce in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Simmer gently for about a minute. Stir through the corn flour mixture and simmer for another minute until thickened.Set aside until ready to serve.

3. Even out the panko crumbs by using a mortar and pestle to gentle grind and punt them. Alternatively use a ziplock bag and rolling pin.

4. Place the breadcrumbs, flour eggs into separate shallow plates.

5. Dip each piece of eggplant into the flour, then egg and the coat with the breadcrumbs.

6. Fill a saucepan or wok to about 1/3 capacity with the vegetable oil. Heat over high heat. The oil is hot enough at 165C325F or when a wooden spoon dipped into the oil forms small little bubbles.

7. Cook the eggplant in batches in the ot oil until golden. Drain on paper towel.

8. To serve, pile the eggplant nuggets onto a plate. Drizzle with the honey sauce (warm gently on the stovetop if it is too thick) And sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Stir Fried Bittergourd And Wings With Doenjang Paste

Have you tried cooking Bittergourd And Wings with Doenjang paste (Korean soybean paste) and preserved black bean? It is really good. Doenjang paste taste slightly different from our local fermented soybeans ( taucheong) To me, Korean ones are less salty and the fermented soybeans are more fragrant. I have switched from our local one to Korean one. 

One simple way of using up 5 wings to make 2 dishes for our dinner. The Drumettes for roasting and the wingettes for Stir fry Bittergourd. Easy peasy and both are our favourites. Roast Drumettes with Cajun Spice and Mixed Herbs for the hubby. I have the tasty Doenjang flavoured Wingettes all to myself. Wingettes and Bittergourd pairs well indeed.

Stir Fried Bittergourd And Wings With Doenjang Paste

Ingredients

1 medium sized Bittergourd - sliced

5 wingettes

1.5 tbsp Doenjang paste

1/4 tsp preserved black beans

2 bird's eye chilli - sliced

3 cloves garlic - chopped

2tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup water

Method:

1. In a wok ,heat up olive oil,saute garlic, Doenjang paste and preserved black beans till fragrant. 

2. Add in wingettes and stir fry till half cooked. Add in the Bittergourd slices and continue frying for another 5 mins. 

3. Add in water. Simmer over low heat with lid on. Once wingettes and Bittergourd have soften and cooked. 

4. Off heat and dish up. Serve hot with rice.

Salmon Fish Head Curry

Salmon Fish Head Curry......I still have a Salmon fish head in the freezer from the last purchase.  Decided to use half of the Salmon fish head to cook this spicy curry with the last harvest of the okra from the garden. Threw in one last eggplant from the fridge and added in tamarind juice for a tangy after taste. The fresh curry paste was bought a year ago and frozen for almost a year. I can't believe I have to use sparingly as I am not allowed to go anywhere near the wet market. Once I finished this load, will have to depend on Tean's Gourmet ready vacuum packed curry paste. I  know I will miss this fresh curry paste . Have to adjust to the new norm now. Just this one curry dish is enough to warrant two bowls of rice each 😅 Eat first Diet tomorrow .

Norwegian Salmon fish head, good for curry

curry leaves and Okras are from the

garden

these are the ingredients used for the curry, the fish head has to be fried first before adding to the curry

Salmon Fish Head Curry

Ingredients:

1 half Salmon Fish Head

4 tbsp of fresh curry paste

2 tbsp of fish curry powder

5 shallots - slice thinly

1clove garlic- slice thinly

1 stalk lemongrass - crushed

2 sprigs curry leaves

2 tbsp of thick tamarind juice

3 bird's eye chilli

3-4 Okras

1 large eggplant - cut into large cubes

4 tbsp of olive oil

1 cup coconut milk

2.5 cups water

salt to taste

Method:

1.First pan fried fish head till cooked. Dish out and keep aside. Wash pan.

2. Heat up 4 tbsp of olive oil,saute shallots and garlic till fragrant, add in lemongrass, curry paste, curry powder and curry leaves and stir fry till oil surfaces.

3. Add in eggplant and cook till for 5 mins. Add in water and simmer till fragrant and the eggplant has soften. Keep stirring so that base does not get burnt. 

4. Add in coconut milk and tamarind juice . Give it a quick stir, add in the fried Salmon Head and okra. 

5. Add salt to taste. Simmer under low heat for a further 5 mins. Dish up and serve hot.

Orecchiette Pasta With Miso Butter Sauce

A  friend I recently met through the Instagram during the 1st MCO recommended to me Miso Butter Sauce for my pasta. She knows that I love making my own fresh pasta from scratch and she wanted me to experience the umami taste of this sauce. I took her advise and when I make my fresh pasta, this Miso Butter Sauce came to mind and tada no regrets.  The dimple in the Orecchiette holds the thick sauce and the umami taste from the Miso Butter Sauce explodes in the mouth,so yummy good.

I love making pasta from scratch just because I have too much time being a retired person. I have to acknowledge that this pandemic is scary but also at the same time make me more adventurous in my cooking. Learning new dishes every day. Can't travel to places to experience different cuisine from different countries but I can at least cook them from home with some many good people so willing to share their recipes. This Miso Butter Sauce Pasta will definitely be served on the table frequently from now on.

the sauce is so good ,the umami flavour bursting in my mouth with every mouthful

the dimple of the Orecchiette holds the delicious sauce making every mouthful

a delight

Miso Butter Sauce, such a wonderful 

combination

Tip: freshly made Orecchiette Pasta is best air dry for a short while for it to hold its shape when cooking

my 2nd try in making fresh Orecchiette

and I am proud to say it looks like one

it is so fun to make them, easy peasy and lemon squeezy kind of shaping

Recipe for making fresh Orecchiette. Click here to watch how it is done.

Orecchiette Pasta With Miso Butter Sauce - 2 persons

Ingredients

200gm Orecchiette - I used fresh Orecchiette ( you can use packet pasta of your choice)
200 gm mushrooms( button mushroom and shiitake or any of your choice)- diced into small cubes
2tbsp olive oil
5 cloves of garlic chopped
1 tbsp miso paste
2tbsp unsalted butter - soften at room temperature
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup mushroom soup ( Campbell's) ( or 1/2 cup whipping cream)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
salt and pepper to taste.

Method:
1. In a small bowl, mix softened butter, miso paste, soy sauce and sugar together. The miso butter paste is done. Keep aside.

2. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add in enough salt.  Add in pasta and cook till al dente.

3.While waiting for the pasta, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or pan, and add in mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms over high heat until lightly brown.
4. Remove mushrooms from pan and lower heat to low.

5. Add in minced garlic, miso butter paste and stir to combine.

6. Pour in the Campbell's mushroom soup or whipping cream if using and continue to cook over low heat. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.

7. When the pasta is ready, use a slotted spoon and transfer them into the sauce, along with the mushrooms.

8. Toss all the ingredients well. Add some reserved pasta water if the pasta is too dry. Serve warm.

Silky Egg Tofu With Mushrooms Topping

Ever since I learned how to make silky egg tofu successfully from scratch, I have never need to buy from the store anymore . So easy peasy lemon squeezy to make. Just need to have good quality unsweetened soya milk and fresh eggs. Tips to make egg tofu from home is steam over low heat, cover top with aluminium foil so that condensation water doesn't sip in. You can add toppings of your choice. But I like to add mushrooms as topping. A very healthy and delicious dish for adults and kids. Silky smooth texture and rich in protein.

 

silky smooth texture

mushroom is my prefer choice, you can add mince meat if you like

Silky Egg Tofu(recipe for 2 persons)

2 eggs

180ml unsweetened soy milk 

salt to taste

Whisk ingredients together till well combined,sieve the egg soya milk mixture into a bowl. Steam over medium low heat for 8 mins.

Mushroom Topping

1 bunch of Shimeji Mushrooms

2 cloves garlic- chopped

1tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp Oyster sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth or water

1 tbsp thickening ( corn starch water)

Saute garlic with olive oil till fragrant, add in mushrooms and oyster sauce ,stir fry till mushroom has soften. Add in chicken broth or water and thickening. Simmer till sauce thicken. Pour over egg tofu and serve hot.

Gilgeori Toast Korean Street Food

I am a very adventurous person when it comes to food. I will try all kind of food. Two weeks ago, I tried making Korean Street food, Gilgeori Toast for our lunch. But instead of using normal sandwich bread and I made English Muffins instead.This is truly worth waiting for...Gilgeori Toast for lunch.  I made burger bun size 😌 and the flavourful  Korean cabbage omelette is easy to prepare. I tweaked the recipe by using sawtooth coriander instead of spring onions and I added cheese to the toast. 

Every bite is so delicious, seriously good 😋 Recipe is from Maangchi on YouTube . For the English Muffins you can check out my English Muffin post . Click here for it.  Healthy version instead of having meat patties. A really good lunch from home.

Korean Street Food, Gilgeori Toast from home

added cheese to it...so yummy!

I didn't know cabbage omelette is so good, a keeper for sure

the crunchy cabbage is really great for making this omelette

cabbage, carrots, red onions must be sliced 

homemade English Muffins

Click here for the recipe

Click here for Maangchi Recipe for

Gilgeori Toast

No Sugar No Milk No Knead Banana Raisins Bun

Tomorrow is my Vaccine Day, so I thought I will bake some buns for our breakfast tomorrow. I wanted something easy to whip up and doesn't take up much time. Found one recipe that is No sugar No Milk No Kead Banana Raisins Bun that fits into my schedule well and wow, it was amazingly so easy ,even a beginner can do it right. I have all the ingredients at home, oh by the way, I stock up flours of different varieties like nobody business, as if I am a pro baker. The reason being I play with dough all the time so it is convenient to have them around in the pantry or fridge. The banana peels goes into the compost bin. Zero Waste!

The texture of the bun is pillowy soft, banana-ey fragrant too. A keeper for sure. 

Love the softness 

the soft pillowy texture and banana-ey fragrant...love it!

I need to improve on dusting flour on surface to get the design right

Half a load can make 6 buns

After resting the dough is no longer sticky

a well proofed dough..my delight at looking at the gluten web

a Danish whisk is useful when dealing with sticky dough..I love mine

Recipe:

No Sugar No Milk No Knead Banana Raisins Bun

Ingredients :

2ripe bananas - peeled 280gm - mashed

375 gm bread flour

1 tsp instant yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1egg

28gm melted unsalted butter

80 gm raisins

Video is posted here for the method

Fresh Orecchiette Pasta With Savoury' Ratatouille ' Like Tomato Sauce

Pasta Meal always makes me happy and a meatless sauce to go with my own homemade fresh Orecchiette Pasta. It is called Orecchiette because it is shaped like an ear. Pasta dough is the same recipe that I used by Gennaro. I made a thick tomato sauce with eggplant, carrots, red onions  and with lots of garlic and mixed herbs to go with it. It is shaped like a small ear to actually take in the sauce as you eat. I cooked the sauce Ratatouille style, look like and taste almost like one but not 😌. 

Orecchiette is named after their shape, like a small ear. Of course first time making they don't look like one but give me a few more practices, I should be able to get it right. Practice makes perfect. Orecchiette Pasta making is by Gennaro . Check out his YouTube channel if you like to try making your own fresh pasta that shaped like a small ear.

the sauce is so delicious that I will definitely make this again

I will make the pasta more like a small ear in the next making

the Ratatouille style tomato sauce packed with eggplants, carrots and red onions coated the pasta well though the 

dimple is not deep enough

simmering over low heat will allow the mixed herbs and the tomato sauce to soften and flavoured the veggies

I used Tesco Can -Italian Peeled Plum Tomatoes

Saute the garlics and cubed veggies with olive oil till they soften before adding the can tomatoes and paste

Recipe for making the fresh Pasta refer to my previous post. Click here

For the ' Ratatouille ' like Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1 large carrots - cut into cubes

2medium size red onions - cut into cubes

1 large Japanese eggplants - cubed and blanched,drained off excess water

4 cloves of garlic - chopped fine

1tbsp mixed herbs

1 can Tesco Italian Peeled Plum Tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

1tsp of chicken powder

Salt to taste

1/2 cup of water from the pasta cooking to help thickens the sauce.

Method: 

Heat up pan with olive oil and saute garlic till fragrant, add in all the veggies and continue to stir fry till veggies has soften slightly. Add in the while can peeled plum tomatoes and sauce and the mixed herbs. Lower heat and simmer till for 5 mins. Add in the pasta water to further thickens the sauce. Continue simmering until veggies has soften . Add in chicken powder and salt to taste. Simmer for a further 3 mins. Add in the cooked pasta and mix well. Serve hot.