POTATO GNOCCHI

I have used the Gnocchi recipe from North Coast Journal by Simona Carini


Potato -- 1/4 kilo (floury type)
Plain flour -- 50 grams (about 1/4 cup)


Pressure cook the potatoes with out water. Peel them and grate them with a cheese grater to get a smooth mash.

Sift in the flour to the mashed potato and knead into a dough on a dusted board.

Keep a pot of water for boiling.

Take a small portion of the dough and roll it into a string of about 3/4 inch thickness. Chop them up into square pieces with a knife, and slighly press it into a grater or a fork to get small indentations on the surface.

Once the water is boiling cook the gnocchi in batches of 10-15. Gnocchi, once done surfaces the water. (in about 2 minutes) Remove it from water and repeat the process till all the gnocchi are cooked.

Serve it with any pasta sauce of your choice. I served it with my favorite Spicy carom sauce.

PASTA WITH DILL CREAM

Pasta, any shape (i have used tofe)-- 1 cup
Cream -- 1/2 cup
Dill -- 1/4 cup chopped
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Tomato paste(optional) -- 1/4 cup


Cook pasta till tender but firm. Add a teaspoon oil and keep it aside.

Heat cream over low flame.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add tomato paste for the tangy taste. Mix the pasta to this sauce.

Stir in the dill at the end and serve.

GREEN PEA- PEPPER PASTA

Pasta (farfalle) -- 1 cup

Olive oil -- 1 tablespoons
Garlic -- 2 (chopped)
Green bell pepper -- 1 (sliced)
Fresh/frozen peas -- 1/2 cup
Basil -- a handful (chopped)
Cream -- 2 tablespoons
Whole milk -- 2 tablespoons
Pepper powder -- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste


Boil water in a vessel and cook paste with salt and a little oil, till the pasta is cooked but firm. Drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add garlic. Once the garlic is cooked add the green peas and bell pepper and cook them till they are tender.

Now add milk, cream and simmer it for a minute. Now and basil and stir in the pasta. Add seasonings and mix them together. Turn off the heat.
Serve hot.

PASTA WITH SPICY CAROM - TOMATO SAUCE

Pasta (penne ) -- 1 bowl (boiled)
Olive oil - 2 tblsp.
Carom seeds -- 3/4 teaspoon
Garlic - 2-3 cloves
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Tomato - 2-3 (red and ripe)
Italian seasonings -- 1/4 teaspoon
Salt -- to taste
Chilli flakes -- 1/2 teaspoon
Tomato sauce --2 teaspoons

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add carom seeds, garlic and onion and fry till the onions become translucent.

Chop tomatoes and add it to the frying pan with salt and simmer over slow flame, until u get a red, thick sauce.

Now add chilli flakes. tomato sauce and Italian sesonings and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add cooked pasta and serve hot.

PASTA WITH BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

Tomato - 4-5 (red and ripe)

Garlic - 2-3 cloves

Onion - 1 (chopped)

Olive oil - 2 tblsp.

Basil - a handful

Heat olive oil in a pan. add garlic anf onion and fry till the onions become translucent. Peel and deseed tomatoes and chop them into chunks. Now add it to the frying pan with salt and simmer over slow flame, until u get a red, thick sauce.Now add a hanful of basil leaves and simmer for a couple of minutes. The sauce can be pureed to get a smoother version. Serve over freshly cooked pasta. Works well with penne or spaghetti.