From Amateur to Master: Pasta Carbonara

51 Porter is graduating!  We’ve come a long way from amateur undergrads to full-on masters.  In the next few weeks, the three of us will be graduating and what better way to celebrate a degree from a nutrition school than by EATING!  We kicked off our celebrations with a classic Italian dish – a simple yet rich pasta carbonara.  Carbonara takes basic ingredients – eggs, Parmesan, bacon – and turns them into a creamy swirl of mouthwatering tenderness.  Soft, supple noodles in a creamy coat complement a salty bacon crunch (converting even a household of vegetarians).  

Pasta Carbonara…perhaps it’s just another way to take something amateur and turn it into a master.  Cheers!

Balsamic Roasted Butternut Squash & Mushrooms with Pasta

Need to warm up this winter?  Try this simple pasta that combines a savory roasted butternut squash puree with sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and balsamic.  Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a dollop of ricotta.  The perfect warm-me-up pasta!

Brussels Menu: Fresh Ricotta, Roasted Carrot, & Spinach Gnocchi

One of the most beautiful things about Europe is the quality of the dairy products.  This week at the market I bought fresh ricotta…wow…fresh, creamy, delicious and just the perfect ingredient for a Sunday afternoon pasta!  Buy the real thing and savor every bite of these fluffy gnocchi. 

Garlic Scapes and Mushroom Pasta in a Lemon & White Wine Sauce

This summer 51 Porter has joined the World PEAS CSA, which means that we get a lot of fresh, local, and novel (meaning not usually seen in your average grocery store) vegetables every week. Tonights dinner made use of some very delicious garlic scapes. The light lemon, wine and olive oil sauce really made the flavor of the garlic scapes come out, which is exactly what you want to do when you get your hands on some these summertime tasty morsels.  

51 Pad Thai

This sizzlin’ sensation is chock full of vegetables and is the perfect combination of sweet and savory.  Sautéed broccoli, Brussel sprouts, onions, and carrots are tossed with rice noodles in a lime peanut sauce.  The dish is finished with sweet sautéed pineapple and crunchy baby corn.

Orzo Stuffed Roasted Red Peppers

These roasted red peppers are packed with flavor and nutrients!  Red peppers are actually a great source of vitamin C and the combination of veggies and tangy feta make for a delicious and nutritious meal, all “stuffed” in one!

Roasted Carrot Ravioli with Warm Apple-Spinach Pesto

Whoa! You might be thinking, what in the world?! Carrots in ravioli? Apples in pesto?

Don't judge it till you try it! This was perhaps one of the finest meals that has graced the 51 Porter table.

Sweet, caramelized roasted carrots, pureed and tucked inside thin sheets of pasta; juicy apples sauteed with onions and garlic, blended with fresh spinach and lemon juice; and a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan cheese atop a mound of roasted Brussel sprouts...just another day in the life at 51 Porter.

Broccoli Soup with Cheese Tortellini

Broccoli is a 51 Porter favorite!  Roasted...sauteed...and now, pureed!  This broccoli soup is very simple with a clean flavor.  It is packed with veggies and complemented by a splash of balsamic and a sprinkle of feta cheese.  The simple wonton wrapper sun-dried tomato, cheese tortellini add a bit of heartiness to this simple soup, but do not overwhelm the fresh, clean flavor of the star...broccoli.

Kitchen Sink Salad: Orzo, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Feta, Pesto, and Spinach

This is a great lunch or dinner to use up all your leftover veggies!

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Hazelnut Pesto

In order to make homemade ravioli, I feel like I might need an Italian grandmother watching over my every move in the kitchen.  But with the help of some wonton wrappers, this was a simple and delicious homemade pasta.   The wonton wrapper method could be used with any filling you like…however, if any Italian grandmothers out there want to teach 51 Porter how to make homemade pasta…we would love it! 

Lasagna

This recipe is probably my favorite lasagna recipe.  It was originally from the Barefoot Contessa with a few new additions.  Mmm….

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Brown Butter Balsamic Sauce

Our first attempt at pasta...result...great success! Our venture into gnocchi makin' was a joint effort starring a Mr. Andrew Kennedy (gnocchi kneader and roller), Ms. Larkin Kimmerer (gnocchi forker), and the off the wall peeps (gnocchi kneaders, forkers, and rollers)... Roasted butternut squash, some fine 00 flour, and some aged balsamic... and some "friendly's"...'nough said! :)

For the Gnocchi

Ingredients

2 cups 00 flour

2 cups roasted butternut squash, pureed (roast cubed-up butternut squash with olive oil and salt and pepper for about 35 minutes at 375 degrees).

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 Tbs. salt

1 tsp. nutmeg

Directions

1. On a flat surface, mix flour, salt, and nutmeg together and form into a mound.

2. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the roasted butternut squash puree and 1 cup parmesan cheese.

3. Mix the flour, squash, and cheese together and knead for about 5-10 minutes. Add a bit of flour to the board as you need to keep the dough smooth. Continue kneading until smooth.

4. Shape the mixture into a ball and cut into four pieces.

5. Roll each quarter of dough into a ropes about 1 inch thick (might be easier to but into eighths instead of quarters to do this).

6. Cut each rope into about 1-inch pieces.

7. Gently press a fork into the surface of the gnocchi to leave a slight indentation.

8. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and add the gnocchi. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the gnocchi float to the top.

9. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain excess water and add directly to the sauce...

For the Brown Butter Sauce

Ingredients

1. 5 Tbs. Butter

2. ~1 tsp. salt

3. ~1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Cook butter for ~5 minutes over medium-high heat until foam dissipates and butter begins to brown. Add the balsamic vinegar and salt and cook an additional 2 minutes.

3. Add the gnocchi directly to the pan with the butter sauce and toss together. Toast the gnocchi for a few minutes in the pan and serve warm with freshly grated parmesan!

YUM!

Difficulty?
Kelly Kut Rating: This is a really fun recipe to make and pretty simple in terms of homemade pastas. It takes time, but I would definitely recommend gettin' some friends together to help...shout out to Larkin (forker), Andrew (roller, kneader, forker), Renee (sue chef), and Stephanie (roller)...great success!

Taste?
Renee's Mmmmm-gasm Scale: When I studied abroad in Italy I had some of the finest food of my life while living with an absolutely amazing Italian family. I was lucky enough to gain an undying appreciation for the Italian cuisine, and I am being completely honest when I say that this butternut squash gnocchi was Italy status. The texture was just right, as it wasn't doughy or too hard, and the butternut squash flavor and hints of nutmeg were magnificent. The balsamic butter sauce was excellent, as well, adding just enough of flavor yet still allowing the gnocchi to hold its own. 10,000 mmmmm-gasms, 'nough said.


Appearance?
Stephanie's Hotty Hot Hotness Rating: The precooked gnocchi looks like giant Captain Crunch cereal because of the orange tint from the butternut squash in the dough, but the finished product was nothing short of elegance. The "pillows" of pasta were nicely complimented by the glaze of the balsamic butter sauce; a lovely presentation that would qualify for the finest of authentic Italian restaurants!

Great Day, Great People, Great Meal...Sun-dried tomato Pesto Pasta and Grilled Vegetables

This post is not simply a recipe. Rather, this post is the outcome of perhaps one of the finest days we have had during our short duration in New England. It all started with a bicycle ride on the Minuteman Trail from Cambridge to Concord...the ring of our bike bells to call out the foliage...the brisk New England air that froze our Californian and Texan frames...graceful bicycle collisions in tribute to the battles fought near this revolutionary trail :) ...a trip to a Concord farm... and an amazing meal. This meal was a collaborative effort on the part of some of the finest New England has to offer including Mr. Kennedy, Miss Viskin (and her amazing parents), Mr. Mizell, and the ladies of 51 Porter Road. Beautiful Place...Great Company...and Amazing Food.

Menu:
1. Grilled homegrown zucchini, eggplant, onion, and peppers
2. Sun-dried Tomato, parsley, and spinach pesto pasta with creamy goat cheese

Ingredients:
-For the Veggies
1. Zucchini, sliced in rounds
2. Eggplant, sliced in rounds
3. Onion, sliced in rounds
4. Olive Oil
5. Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder
-For the Pesto and Pasta
1. ~1 cup packed parsley (flat or curly)
2. ~2 cups spinach
3. ~3/4 to 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
4. 4 garlic cloves
5. Sliced almonds, toasted
6. 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil (depending on how thin you want it...you can always thin it out with a bit of the pasta cooking water).
7. 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
8. 3 oz. crumbled herbed goat cheese
9. Salt and pepper to taste
10. A dash of lemon juice

Directions:
For the Veggies:
1. Toss all the veggies in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

2. With the grill on medium-high heat...place the veggies on and grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until tender but not mush. Get some good grill marks too!
For the Pesto and Pasta:
1. In a dry skillet, toast the almonds over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes until golden and fragrant.
2. In a food processor, combine toasted nuts and garlic.
3. Add spinach, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper, cheese, and sun-dried tomato to the food processor and pulse until a thick even consistency is reached. Taste for seasoning and drizzle a bit of lemon juice over the top.
4. In a pot of boiling, salted water, add 1 pound of pasta and cook according to package directions. (Use a short pasta).
5. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining and then drain the pasta.
6. Return cooked pasta to pot and add about 1/2 the pesto and the reserved pasta cooking water. Stir to combine and coat all the noodles (add more pesto if needed).
7. Stir in about 1/2 the goat cheese till melted and creamy.
8. Pour the pasta out into a big serving bowl and garnish with additional chopped parsley, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, slivered almonds, the remaining goat cheese, and a sprinkle of lemon juice and parmesan.

Serve and enjoy... especially the company!

Difficulty?
Kelly Kut Rating: No cuts!!! However, I did have an amazing team who did a lot of the choppin'...(Note: minor bike injuries were suffered and mouth burning courtesy of a Mr. Kennedy's peppers).


Taste? Renee's Mmmmm-gasm scale: Aw man, my taste-buds were sure in for a treat this crisp autumn afternoon. The wide array of flavors from the slightly sweet, yet spicy pesto to the utter deliciousness of the grilled vegetables, satisfied me to the very core. Overall, this meal evoked 9,5000 mmmmm-gasms. The pesto was very unique and distinct with the addition of sundried tomatoes, and the goat cheese was a very pleasant addition as well. The only issues I had were the hot as hell peppers that Mr. Kennedy roasted. (He did a stellar job with the grilled veggies otherwise!) I had no idea how hot those would be, and they burned both my and Kelly's lips for a good portion of the beginning of the meal. I was honestly transported back to Italy; sitting at the table with my amici, savoring a delicious meal, talking, and enjoying each other's company was just amazing.


Looks?
Stephanie's Hotty Hot Hotness Rating: Hmm, this one's tough because the pasta was so damn good. The sun-dried tomatoes in the pesto made the usual bright green delight turn to a burnt brown color...not the most appetizing of colors. This statement must be followed with the fact that the dish of extra pesto sat next to me at the table and I kept trying to find new things on the table to eat just to have a vector to get that pesto into my mouth. Bread, zucchini, crackers, eggplant...my spoon! Whatever it was, it was better with this pesto! Definitely a recommended dish, regardless of the color!

Speaking of color...this New England place knows how to put on a show in the autumn. What beautiful leaves! Bravo trees, bravo.

Macaroni and Cheese: The Classic vs. The Experiment

Macaroni and cheese...a classic comfort version and an "off the wall" experiment...result...great success! We adapted the Barefoot Contessa's recipe for a classic macaroni and cheese and made a bubbly dish with two versions: a classic comfort of gruyere and sharp white cheddar vs. an experiment of feta and homemade basil pesto!

Ingredients:

For the base-sauce of each version you will need:

1 pound Cavatappi pasta (or elbows)

4 cups milk (skim is fine)

7 Tbs. butter

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 Tbs. salt

For the classic gruyere and cheddar (2/3 of the dish) you will need:

3 cups grated gruyere cheese

2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese

1 medium tomato sliced

For the experimental feta and pesto (1/3 of the dish) you well need:

3/4 to 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 Tbs. pesto (recipe to come)

1/2 cup chopped red onion

For the topping you will need:

4 slices of whatever bread or baguette you have around. You want about 2 cups of fresh bread crumbs.

1 Tbs. butter

Directions:

1. Boil a large pot of lightly salted water and cook the pasta according the package directions (6-8 minutes). Drain and set aside. (You can add a splash of oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking).

2. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

3. Heat the milk in a saucepan over low heat.

4. In a separate pan, melt 6 Tbs. of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for about 2 minutes and then slowly add the milk while continuing to whisk. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce gets thick, whisking every minute or so.

5. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

6. Measure out a little over 1 cup of the milk/flour mixture and set aside.

7. To the remaining sauce, add your gruyere and cheddar and melt off the heat. Add 2/3 off the cooked pasta to this mixture and stir to coat all the noodles. Pour the mixuture into a 13x9 baking dish.

8. With the ~1 cup reserved milk/flour mixture, add the feta cheese, pesto, and red onion and whisk allowing the heat from the sauce to melt the feta slightly. Add the remaining 1/3 of the pasta and stir to combine.

9. Using a piece of doubled-up aluminum foil to separate the two versions, pour the feta/pesto into the last third of the 13X9 pan. See photo if this sounds confusing :)

1o. Spread the sliced tomatoes over the top of the white cheddar and gruyere side.

11. Combine bread crumbs and 1 Tbs. melted butter and scatter over the entire dish.

12. Bake for about 30-40 minutes in a 375 degree oven until the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. mmm....

Classic Comfort + "Off the Wall" Experiment = Great Success! :)

Difficulty?

Kelly Kut Rating: Mild bloodshed (3 cuts, mostly from grating cheese). This recipe takes time but is definitely worth the effort!

Taste?

Mmmmm-gasm scale: This delicious cheesy classic was a flavor explosion and party in my mouth. The food orgasms would not stop coming. A solid 9,500, baby.

Looks?

Hotty Hot Hotness: Even the photos of this dish make my mouth drool. I wish there was an endless surprise of this Mac N Cheese in the house for my belly.

"Naked Pasta": Gnudi

This started as an experiment...and turned into a great success! Gnudi or "naked pasta" are light, creamy, and tender drops of deliciousness. A thin egg-white veil encapsulates a flavor explosion in this low-carb delight.

Measurements were "eyeballed" and definitely not exact! Also, cheeses can be varied depending on what you have...but definitely try to include a strong-flavored feta or goat!

Basic Ingredients (these are approximate...so change it up if you like certain ingredients more or less):

*1/2 Tbs. Olive Oil

*2 cloves garlic crushed

*3 cups chopped spinach

*About 1/2 cup crumbled feta

*About 1/4 cup cottage cheese

*About 1/4 cup mozzarella or white cheddar cheese grated

*About 3 Tbs. flour

*Salt and Pepper to taste

*Pinch of nutmeg (about 1/8 tsp.)

*About 3 egg whites (can use egg beaters egg whites)

-Makes about 20 gnudi (serves about 5 peeps).

Instructions:

**Boil a large pot of water and add a bit of salt.

1. In a skillet, heat olive oil (or could use cooking spray).

2. Add chopped garlic and chopped spinach.

3. Wilt the spinach only...do not fully cook. This happens very quickly - about 20 seconds and turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.

4. Spinach tends to have a lot of moisture, so you want to give it a quick drain. This is simple if you just take a dry paper towel and press it on top of the wilted spinach about 4 to 5 times.

5. Next, add the feta, mozzarella or cheddar, and cottage cheese. Stir into spinach.

6. Add flour until the mixture becomes thick and begins to stick together...about 2-3 tablespoons of flour should do the trick.

7. Now...set up an assembly line with your spinach-cheese mixture, plate of flour seasoned with salt and pepper (maybe a bit of garlic powder), and another dish of egg-whites.

8. Pick up a heaping tablespoon of the spinach-cheese mixture and roll into a ball (it will be crumbly). Roll in flour and then dip in egg-whites to coat.

9. Quickly add each gnudi to your large pot of boiling water gently with a spoon. Cook until gnudi float to the top (about 3-4 minutes). Remove each gnudi with a slotted spoon to a tray lined with paper towels (helps gnudi drain a bit).

To Serve:

The best way to serve this is to is to heat up either a homemade or jarred tomato sauce and place about 1/2 cup in the bottom of shallow pasta bowls (or plates). Place four gnudi on top of the sauce and sprinkle with a bit of parmesan cheese. Buon Appetito!

Difficulty?

Kelly's Kut Rating: Minor injuries

Tasty?

Mmmm-gasms: Renee says 9,500

Looks?

The contrast of the red tomato sauce and green Gnudi gives this dish a nice level of Hotty Hot Hotness.