My friend Valérie is gonna be happy! Recipe promised recipe given. The tagliatelle (home) made with chestnut flour, lemon and walnuts are my favorite ones. All these flavors are a perfect match! And Nora (my mother in law) gave me a little of her « not that so much » free time to come at home and prepare them while I was making at pictures. Exactly 290 pictures! rien que ça, I have pictures for almost every steps of the recipe. And pictures of hands most of all, of course. I really like that kind of pictures, it can tell so much about a person.

So Nora arrived on saturday late morning with the Super macchina per la pasta. It’s almost a game to do pasta with it. She setted up the kitchen, I prepared the camera. We were ready! Giacomo was at the swimming pool, and Joséphine was playing around, stealing some pasta when we were not paying too much attention to her.

The trick:

*** 1 egg for 100 g of flour that’s the rule! ***

300 g of chestnuts flour, and 300 g of « classical » BIO flour (farina di grano). So 6 eggs. 4 adults, 2 kids…. We ate a lot!

While making the pasta:

« E mi raccomando, devi dire nel tuo blog che non è tanto difficile di fare la pasta a casa. Le donne di tua età possono farlo! »

Capito???!!

Nora insisted, it is not difficult to do homemade pasta. She precised (and insisted that I write it down) women in the 30′s-4′s are able to do homemade pasta. It is even easier with the super machine

To be honest, yes it is easy to do homemade pasta. Plus with good flour, good products to go with, you will find any other pasta tasteless. It can easily be frozen too. I hope I will have convinced some of you. For my part I have to get The machine too.

As a dessert I prepared a tiramisù, a coffee one, with Marsala. My parents in law were just enthusiast (I prefer fruits tiramisù)

« you have to do it again when the uncles and aunts will come over here »

The sun was here, it was warm. We enjoyed all that on the terrace.

Then my father in law, Pepino, went to see his nephew at horseback riding, Nora has usually did not stop herself and cleaned flowers on the terrace (she always has to keep herself  busy! always)…

Pasta with chestnut flour, walnuts and lemon

servings: 5-6 pers.

• 300 g flour
• 300 g chestnut flour
• 6 eggs
• olive oil
• 1-2 lemons
• 500 ml cream
• 200 g walnuts peeled and crumbled
• Parmesan cheese

Preparation of pasta

1. On a work surface, pour the 2 flours, mix them, and add a little of olive oil.
2. Add eggs. Amalgamate with fingertips.
3. Knead the dough until you get a homogeneous mass.
4. Let stand for half an hour.
5. Cut the dough into several pieces. Shape them to obtain disks (between 10 and 12 pieces).
6. With a rolling pin or pasta machine, roll out dough (1 mm thickness). We must repeat this process several times since the chestnut flour is harder to « compact ». Thatìs mean, when you roll the pasta, fold it back again and roll it again, until the pasta gets more compact!
7. With the machine or dough cutter, cut out strips of dough into tagliatelle (5.6 mm wide).
8. Let dry tagliatelle (one hour)

Prepare cream.

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. In a saucepan, heat cream, without boiling.
3. Peel 1 or 2 lemons (if you grate the skin, one lemon should be enough, the taste is quite powerful. If you peel the lemons we must take 2)
4. Add the zest to the cream and chopped nuts.
5. Put the pasta in boiling water. Cook 5 minutes.
6. Drain the pasta, place in a bowl. Pour cream over. Mix and serve immediately with some grated parmesan

Bon appétit!

Tagliatelles à la farine de chataigne, citron et noix

Pour 5-6 personnes

• 300 g de farine
• 300 g de farine de chataigne
• 6 oeufs
• huile d’olive
• 1-2 citrons
• 500 ml de crème liquide
• 200 g de noix épluchées et réduites en morceaux
• Parmesan

Préparation des pates

1. Sur un plan de travail, verser les 2 farines, les mélanger et y verser un filet d’huile d’olive.
2. Ajouter les oeufs. Amalgamer le tout du bout des doigts.
3. Travailler la pate jusqu’à obtenir une masse bien homogène.
4. Laisser reposer une petite demie heure.
5. Couper la pate en plusieurs morceaux. Les façonner pour obtenir des disques (entre 10 et 12 pièces).
6. Avec un rouleau à patisserie ou une machine à pate, abaisser les disques de pate sur une épaisseur de 1  mm. Il faut répéter cette opération plusieurs fois car la farine de chataigne est plus difficile à se « compacter ». C’est à dire, quand la pate est abaissée, replier la et abaisser la de nouveau jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit bien compacte!
7. Avec la machine à pate ou un couteau, détailler les rubans de pate en tagliatelles (5-6 mm de large).
8. Laisser sécher les tagliatelles (une petite heure)

Préparer la crème

1. Porter une grande casserole d’eau à ébullition.
2. Dans une casserole faites chauffer la crème, sans la porter à ébullition.
3. Lever le zeste de 1 ou 2 citrons (si vous rapez la peau du citron un seul devrait suffir, le gout est assez puissant. Si vous zestez les citrons il faut en mettre 2)
4. Ajouter les zestes à la creme, puis les noix concassées.
5. Mettre les pates dans l’eau bouillante. Les cuire 5 minutes environ.
6. Egoutter les pates, les placer dans un saladier. Verser la creme dessus. Mélanger et servir aussitot avec un peu de parmesan rapé!

Bon appétit!

Tagliatelle con la farina di castagne, noci e limone

Per 5-6 personne

• 300 g di farina di grano
• 300 g di farina di castagne
• 6 uova
• olio d’oliva
• 1-2 limoni
• 500 ml di panna
• 200 g di noci sbucciate e sbriciolate
• parmigiano

Preparazione della pasta

1. Su un pian di lavoro, versare le 2 farine, mischiare e aggiungere un po’ d’olio d’oliva.
2. Aggiungere le uova. Amalgamare con la punta delle dita.
3. Lavorate l’impasto fino a quando ottenete una massa omogenea.
4. Lasciate riposare una mezz’ora.
5. Tagliare la pasta in vari pezzi e lavorateli per ottenere dischi (tra 10 e 12 pezzi).
6. Con un mattarello o la macchina per la pasta, stendete i dischi di pasta su un spessore di 1  mm. Dovete ripetere questo processo più volte visto che la farina di castagne è più difficile da « compattare ». Cioè, quando la pasta è stesa, piegatela di nuovo e stenderla finché sia abbastanza compatta!
7. Tagliare delle strisce di pasta in pasta (5,6 mm) con un coltello o la macchina per pasta.
8. Lasciare asciugare le tagliatelle (un’ora)

Preparare la crema

1. Portate una pentola d’acqua a bollire.
2. In una casseruola, mettete la crema di riscaldare, senza portarla a ebollizione.
3. Sollevare la scorza di 1 o 2 limoni (se grattugiate la pelle, un limone dovrebbe essere sufficiente, il sapore è abbastanza potente. Se togliete la buccia dei limoni dovete farne 2)
4. Aggiungere la scorza alla crema e i noci tritati.
5. Mettete la pasta in acqua bollente. Cuocere 5 minuti.
6. Scolare la pasta, mettere in una ciotola. Versare la crema sopra. Mescolare e servire subito con un po’ di parmigiano grattugiato.

Buon appetito!

The weather is getting really hot here, I don’t know how it is for you, but I am getting scared of the next weeks to come, specially for Joséphine, you never know when a baby is thirsty. She is becoming more and more « mammone » as italians are saying, that means that she always wants her mum, be in the arms…all time. Right now she is doing lot of noises, bubbling, trying to catch up my attention and I soon as I look at her she stops and smiles (just so cute!)…Her brother was like that but she is on the way to beat up the score.

I already mentioned that beside growing up 2 kids, we are growing up sage on the terrace . The plants found their place and  keep expand! I can not see the end… After many many sage shortbreads, A. desperately came with the idea of sage pesto. I tried once pesto of coriander with almonds too. It goes perfectly with fishes.

This time almonds just tone down the strong taste of sage. You can use it in different dish like with chicken, pasta, bruschette, filet mignon….

Talking about sage and coriander, did you know that coriander helps breast milk production whereas sage decreases it!

Sage pesto

• 100 g almonds
• 40 g sage leaves
• 60 g parmesan cheese
• Olive oil

1. In a pan roast the almonds
2. Wash and tail the sage.
3. Grate the parmesan cheese
4. In the blender, mix almonds, sage leaves and parmesan cheese together at maximum speed and stopping from time to time to avoid the sage warming up.
5. When the mixture starts to get sandy add the olive oil still mixing until the mixture gets more liquid.

You can store the pesto in the fridge covering it with some oil.

Pesto de sauge

• 100 g amandes entières
• 40 g feuilles de sauge
• 60 g Parmesan
• huile d’olive

1. Dans une poele griller légèrement les amandes.
2. Laver et équeuter les feuilles de sauge.
3. Raper le parmesan.
4. Dans la cuve du mixeur (ou robot) mixer les amandes, feuilles de sauge et parmesan ensemble. Arreter de mixer de temps à autre pour éviter que le pesto ne commence à chauffer.
5. Quand la mixture commence à etre sableuse, ajouter de l’huile d’olive jusqu’à ce qu’elle prenne une consistance un peu plus liquide.

Vous pouvez conserver le pesto au frigo en le recouvrant d’huile d’olive.

Pesto di salvia

• 100 g mandorle intere
• 40 g foglie di salvia
• 60 g Parmiggiano grattugiato
• olio d’oliva

1. In una padella tostare le mandorle.
2. Pulire e depicciolare le foglie di salvia.
3. Col frullatore, tritare le mandorle, salvia e parmiggiano insieme. Smettere di frullare ogni tanto che il misto no si riscalde.
4. Quando il misto ha l’aspetto di sabbia, aggiungere l’olio finche l’impasto ha una consistenza un o’ più liquida.

E possibile tenere il pesto  nel frigo coprendolo con un po’ d’olio d’oliva.

Garganelli con asparagi e noci

 It’s been a while since my last appearance here. Family and friends start to show up to enjoy Rome under the warm and sunny season. It’s always a pleasure for us to receive people, Giacomo has sometimes little friends to play with and occasions to learn more about his french family. I also like to think about dinner I will have to prepare, changes from our usual food habits and of course pleasure to discover more about Rome and its neighbourhoods.

Recently Nora showed up with some asparagus she was obviously overwhelmed with. After some disapointed trials in gratin, I though that associated it with pasta would be more Italian fashion. And the result turned out to be pretty good. In the following recipe I used garganelli as pasta, but it seems to me that penne rigatte would be better!    

English table (4 servings):

•  360 g garganelli
• 1 bunch of green asparagus
• 120 g freshly grated Parmesan
• 180 ml liquid fresh cream
• 60 g minced nuts

1. Slice the aspargus in section of 2-3 cm long and 4-5 cm long with head included. Put them in boiling salted water for 7-8 minutes.
2. Drain and reserve the heads.
3. Mix the remain aspargus with the Parmesan, cream and nuts.
4. Pour the salsa on the garganelli and add the asparagus heads. Serve immediately. 

La table française (4 pers.):

• 360 g de garganelli
• 1 botte d’asperges vertes
• 120 g de parmesan fraîchement râpé
• 180 ml de creme fraiche liquide
• 60 g de cerneaux de noix hâchées

1. Couper les asperges en tronçons de 2-3 cm et de 4-5 cm au niveau des têtes. Plonger le tout dans de l’eau bouillante légèrement salée pendant 7-8 minutes.
2. Egoutter. Réserver les têtes des asperges.
3. Mixer le reste des asperges avec le parmesan, la crème et les noix.
4. Verser la sauce sur les garganelli et décorer avec les têtes des asperges. Servir aussitôt. 

La tavola Italiana (4 pers.):

• 360 g garganelli
• 1 mazzetto di asparagi verdi
• 120 g parmigiano grattugiato
• 180 ml panna liquida
• 60 g noci frullate

1. Tagliare gli asparagi in pezzettini di 2-3 cm e di 4-5 cm con la cima. Mettere nell’acqua salata bollente per circa 7-8 minuti.
2. Scolare. Mettere da parte le cime.
3. Frullare insieme il resto degli asparagi, il parmigiano, la crema e le noci.
4. Versare la salsa sulla pasta, aggiungere le cime e servire.

I adapted this recipe from another one that was simply eggplants with fresh cream and pine nuts. In the orginal one the eggplants were sliced and boiled. It was quite good but I was not thta convinced and though about that recipe to go with pasta. Actually it turned out that everybody just loved it!

Pasta with eggplants and pine nuts

• 500 g of eggplant flesh (5-6 eggplants)
• 100 ml of liquid fresh cream
• 150 g of gratted parmesan
• 70 g of pine nut
• olive oil

1. The night before, warm up the oven at 180°C. Wash and cut in half the eggplants. With a knife stripe the eggplants and pour olive oil. Dispose them on a plate and put in the oven. Let them cook until the flesh starts to get dark. Take out from the oven and let them cool down. With a table spoon remove the flesh and put it in a colander. Let it drain until the day after.
2. The day after warm up a little the egglplants flesh. Put it in a bowl of a mixer with all the other ingredients. Mix for 2-3 minutes.
3. Serve with fusilli pasta with some pine nuts and gratted parmesan

Pâtes aux aubergines et pignons

• 500 g de chair d’aubergines (5 à 6 aubergines)
• 100 ml de crème fraiche
• 150 g de parmesan fraichement râpé
• 70 g de pignons de pin
• huile d’olives

1. La veille au soir, préchauffer le four à 180°C. Laver les aubergines et les couper en 2 dans le sens de la longueur. Avec la pointe d’un couteau tailler un peu dans chair. Mettre les aubergines sur une plaque allant au four recouverte de papier cuisson. Verser un filet d’huile d’olive sur aubergines et enfourner. Laisser cuire jusqu’à ce que le chair commence à noircir. Retirer du four et laisser refroidir. Récupérer la chair avec une cuillère et la mettre dans une passoire. Laisser égoutter jusqu’au lendemain.
2. Le lendemain réchauffer rapidement les aubergines. La placer dans le bol d’un mixeur avec les autres ingrédients et mixer pendant 2 minutes.
3. Servir aussitôt  avec des fusilli quelques pignons de pin et un peu de parmesan râpé.

Fusilli alle melanzane e pinoli

• 500 g polpa di melanzane (o 5-6 melanzane)
• 100 ml panna liquida
• 150 g parmigiano grattugiato
• 70 g pinoli
• olio d’oliva

1. Il giorno prima, accendere il forno a 180°C e preparare le melanzane. Tagliarle in due per la lunghezza. Con un coltello incidere la polpa e versare un po’ d’olio d’oliva. Mettere nel forno fino a che la polpa comincia a diventare scura. Togliere dal forno, lasciare raffredare. Poi con un cucchiaio levare la polpa e metterla in uno scolapasta e lasciare scolare fino all’indomani.
2. Il giorno successivo riscaldare leggermente la polpa e metterla nel frullatore con gli altri ingredienti. Frullare per circa 2 minuti.
3. Servire con i fusilli (cotti al dente), un po’ di pinoli interi e di parmigiano grattugiato.

As every respectable young student I used to eat pasta, in their very primitive taste, I mean overcooked and with some supermarket dippers… Yes! I am pretty ashamed of that culinary side of me. That was the image I had of pasta for a long long time, and I would have laught if I was ever said that I would cook pasta again and even create some sauce to go with it. But that day happened, it was last year when my mother in law was offered a huge pumpkin. She cooked it many ways but it was never ending and begged me for help to find something to do with it. I googled it and read recipes and flavours that could go with it. Finally I made the following sauce to go with pasta. Believe me all the italian familly just loved it and I was ordered to do some more this year !   

English table:

6 servings:

• 850 g of pumpkin washed and cleaned
• 50 g of salted butter
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 coffee spoon of curry
• 1 coffee spoon of nutmeg
• 80 g of grated parmesan
• 180 ml of liquid fresh cream

In a pan, melt the butter with garlic. Add the pumpkin cutted in pieces and let it cook for about 10 mns, blend from time to time. Then add the spices. Blend and cook until the pumpkin gets more less mashed. Add the cream and the parmesan. Mix and serve with medium rigatoni.

A la table française:

Sauce pour 6 personnes:

• 850 g de potiron lavé, épluché
• 50 g de beurre demi sel
• 1 gousse d’ail
• 1 c. à café de noix de muscade
• 1 c. à café de curry
• 80 g de parmesan
• 180 ml de crème fraiche

Dans une poele, faire fondre le beurre avec la gousse d’ail. Ajouter le potiron coupé en morceaux et le laisser cuire une dizaine de minutes en remuant régulièrement. Ajouter les épices. Remuer. Laisser cuire jusqu’à ce que le potiron commence à former une purée. Ajouter la crème et le parmesan. Mixer. Servir avec des rigatoni moyens.