Squid Ink Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes & Vongole

Squid ink pasta has been on my to do list for years. I never got around to it as I just couldn't find the squid ink in my area. The local seafood shop only sells cleaned squid and when I asked for squid ink, the guy looked at me funny! The Italian deli just didn't stock it. But yesterday, a friend of mine got a few packets and so it was time to spring into action!

Tamarillo & Tomato Salad over pasta & Stilton Blue

I first saw the tamarillo (whose name was chosen to promote the fruit) aka tree tomato on tv, where it was described as fruity tomato. My interest was immediately piqued, as it always is when I see foods I haven't tried. So when these fruit started appearing in the local supermarket I had to give em a go. 

Ricotta Tortellini with Seared Scallops and Salsa

This dish puts together a scallop starter and a pasta main into one mind blowing dinner. Trust me, it's good. The creamy, almost meaty tortellini are lifted by tender, juicy scallops and topped with a piquant tomato salsa.

Marea's Red Wine Braised Bone Marrow & Octopus Fusilli

Marea is a fine dining Italian restaurant in Central Park South, New York, where one dish especially has made a bit of a name for itself. The bone marrow and octopus fusilli.

This $32 pasta dish is an Italian styled homage to the American tradition of surf and turf comprising of handmade durum fusilli in a luscious tomato based sauce with red wine braised octopus and bone marrow cubes.

Brined and Braised Apple Pork Belly

This French inspired dish uses the ingredients and style typical of the Alsace region which borders Germany. Large generous servings and the use of pork and sauerkraut are characteristic. The pork belly is braised until soft and tender, and melts in your mouth.

Avanti Pasta Machine

The Avanti Pasta Wiz is the machine I use to make my own homemade pasta. It was bought on ebay for $5 AUD, which is the only reason why I can say that it is an OK machine. It does the basics fine. It rolls the pasta and I can choose the thickness of the pasta. With the attachment, I can cut the pasta into various widths. With this machine, I will get pasta.

However, that being said;

Mushroom, Maasdam & Stilton Blue Ravioli

Chopped up mushrooms, a block of Maasdam cheese and a generous wedge of Stilton blue make up the filling in this home made Ravioli. No meat is used, but the cheese and mushroom impart such a richness and meatiness to this dish.

The steps are; make the pasta, make the filling, assemble the ravioli and cook them. Cook the tomato sauce and serve.

Please see this post for instructions on making your own pasta.

For the filling:

• chop up 250g of mushrooms
• shred a one inch cube of Maasdam cheese
• chop up about the same amount of Stilton blue. (adjust for your own taste here) Just about any other cheese you fancy will do if you don't like blue cheese.
• mix together and lay on the pasta sheets.

Assemble the Ravioli by brushing the pasta with water and folding the pasta sheets into half lengthwise. Push out as much air as possible. Cut in between each packet of filling to make squares.

Homemade Pasta

To make a good homemade pasta, you need good flour, fresh eggs, and a little time. It's so simple and yet yields the most delicious and basic of cooking ingredients. 

• flour (Tipo '00', fine semolina or just plain flour if you're out of anything else)
• eggs (1 egg to 100g of flour)

Mix into an almost non sticky ball of dough and knead till smooth. Rest for at least 15 minutes. (make your pasta sauce while waiting). Flatten the dough into a rectangle. Run it through the pasta machine at it's widest setting, around 4 or 5 times until silky and shiny. Continue to run the pasta dough through the machine at progressively smaller settings until you get the thickness you want. I usually like setting no. 6 on my Avanti pasta machine.