HAND MADE EGG FETTUCCINE WITH ITALIAN PORCINI SAUCE

Entree - Vegetarian

For the dough:
200 grams Italian 00 flour
200 grams Italian semolina, milled twice
4 extra large eggs

For the sauce:
2 oz Italian dried porcini
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup cream
Italian extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley


Soak porcini in lukewarm water for about 20 minutes (a little longer if you live in a very dry climate).

To minimize cleaning arrange flour in a bowl, create a “well” in the middle and place eggs in it.

Working with a fork, mix flour and eggs enough to be able to transfer “crumbles” on a lightly floured surface without messing your kitchen too much.

Knead, until you obtain a smooth dough, at least 10 minutes: the time depends also on the quantity of pasta you're preparing.

Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Flour gets “stressed” when you knead it and if you don't allow it to rest, it will compromise the results.

While your dough rests, prepare the sauce.

Remove porcini from water, squeeze them and cut the bigger pieces. Carefully pass water through a very fine sieve (or one lined with paper towel), to remove all impurities, and set it aside.

On medium-high heat, warm olive oil in a non-stick skillet and sautee onions for about 2 minutes, then add mushrooms. When sauteed, deglaze pan with brandy and, once alcohol evaporates, add the reserved soaking water.

Cook until it thickens then stir in cream and simmer for 5 more minutes. Stir in parsley and set aside.

Cover your working surface (usually I work on my table) with an old but clean tablecloth, one of those you won't use anymore.

Cut a slice from the dough and flatten it so that it will fit through the rollers of a hand-cranked pasta machine. Set rollers at widest setting, then feed pasta through rollers 3 or 4 times, folding and turning pasta until it's smooth.

Arrange the pasta sheet on the cloth and keep going until you set all pasta trhough the widest setting.

 

Roll pasta sheets through the machine, decreasing the setting, one notch at a time (do not fold or turn pasta), passing all sheets through the same notch before decreasing it, until you reach your desired thickness.

Let pasta dry for about 10 minutes, flipping it once.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Now feed your dough through the fettuccine attachment and spread them on the cloth, to allow a little more drying time.

When water boils, add salt then your handmade fettuccine and stir immediately.

Pasta will cook in about 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness. Pull it out of the cooking water and transfer it directly into the skillet with sauce, toss to coat on medium heat, adding a few tbsp of cooking water, if needed.

Serve immediately.


- As a rule of thumb, when preparing fresh pasta, you should consider 1 egg per person.
- Please, don't use parmigiano with this dish.
- You can use dried Italian egg fettuccine or pappardelle, adjusting cooking time!
- Remember that fresh pasta needs a thiner sauce, because it absorbs a lot.
- You can find the video on how to make the pasta here (it was presented with a different sauce).