Produce Drawer Spaghetti!

Folks, the last year has been a journey.

I get "Photo Capsule" emails of my Flickr photostream via Photojojo. In the last email there were photos from an event at Regional Tasting Lounge that I went to with M last year. In an instant, our visit to r.tl last year seems like a long time ago, and at the same time it seems like it was only days / weeks ago. And a lot has changed.

Two weddings ago (Rs, and the Ms). One engagement ago (my cousins). A 10-10-10-10-10 baby (born at 10:10pm, on October 10th, 2010) ago. Three funerals ago. A job ago...

A mixture of emotions (good, bad, and ugly) have come and gone; a couple seasons have past...I've made a lot of new friends and there have been a hobby or two that I've picked up along the way. :)

I'm going to try to ease into this blogging thing again - tonight, it was produce drawer spaghetti. I believe that my new career (as in, career, something that I love versus a job where I just show up to work...) has changed some of my eating habits. As you may have remembered, I embarked on a self-imposed meat ban late last spring . . . it seems that that simple fact transitioned me into the company where I am now.

I am not vegan, nor even vegetarian at this point - but I am definitely living a more conscious, awakened lifestyle (or so I like to believe). I have even gone jogging a couple times this month already. Lets see where this everchanging journey takes me.

Tonight, it was produce drawer spaghetti. This is not vegan - I used butter and topped it with finely grated piave mezzano, a cows milk cheese that is aged within a range of 60-180 days. The taste is slightly sweet, with slight bitter "barnyard" flavours that are associated with a baby parmiggiano, but without the same intensity.

There are no real rules to this "recipe". Slice up some onion. Melt some butter over medium heat with a couple swigs of olive oil. Saute. Add sliced veggies (I used mushrooms, green beans, and leftover cauliflower - yes, I still love my cauliflower). Sprinkle with some salt, chili flakes, oregano, and fresh ground black pepper. Add some more oil or butter if you have to. Splash with something alcoholic (sake used here). Splash with leftover stock or leftover tomato puree from the fridge. Add cooked pasta, mix in sliced olives. Twirl around your tongs to transport to a shallow pasta dish; grate with piave and love yourself for going easy on a Monday evening.

<3 Jessica

Zawa (The Drive, Vancouver, BC)

Patios what good summers are stitched with!

Prior to this week of rainy weather, me and M headed out to The Drive on a sun-shiney weekday evening to take in some cocktails and grub. The intense heat of the office and the lack of motivation to cook brought us out to the patios of Commercial Drive...

While the popular spots like Havana, Memphis Blues, Fets, and The Reef were quite full, we went to the end of the Drive for some sunshine and serenity (as well as available free parking! :)



We decided on Zawa since it was close to where we were parked and the menu looked goof-proof: pizzas, burgers, sandwiches and pasta.

To start off, we ordered a bellini and fuzzy navel. The drinks were quite affordable, although we ordered bellinis the rest of the night - the fuzzy naval was extremely plain!



There were two waitresses on staff that night, plus the owner. The patio was quite busy, and the turn around was quick, considering people were lounging, chatting in groups, and enjoying the sun.

We did, however seem to get the one waitress that was completely disinterested in her job. She was unhelpful with suggestions and slightly aloof. One could say that she didn't like her job, or that she lacked the personality for the job. Or, it just wasn't her day.

It took a while to flag her down to take our orders, and it was probably about five to ten minutes after I placed my order that I noticed that she didn't ask me what type of bun I wanted my sandwich on, nor did she ask me what type of side I wanted.



I ordered the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich and I wound up with a chicken sandwich on a wheat Kaiser roll (I wanted ciabatta) with caesar salad (I had wanted fries - possibly yam fries, if they had them). The chicken sandwich was a touch dry, but it had the right toppings - cheddar, bacon and guacamole. The caesar salad was good - you could taste the salty parmesan and anchovy, but the Kaiser roll was not the right fit for the sandwich. When we got our food I was just starving so I just ate.



M ordered the seafood fettucine, which came with shrimp, prawns, and clams in a cream sauce. I could detect some MSG in the sauce but overall, it was quite good for the price - there was a lot of seafood in his dish!

With reasonable value and options like "build your own burger / sandwich", I'm sure I'd eat at Zawa again. However, the service was quite lacking. Hopefully next time I can luck out and get the right waitress!

Zawa

920 Commercial Drive [map]

Vancouver, BC

Phone: 604-255-0470

Recipe: Zucchini and Carrot Pappardelle with Parsley Sauce

Sunny days call for sunny recipes! . . .too bad this is being posted a day late. Vancouver had a sunny weekend that extended two days into the work week. Unfortunately, this morning it gradually clouded over.

Although, while it was sunny, I had the chance to whip out the pasta machine again and made a batch of pappardelle, a thin, wide ribbon pasta accompanied by equally wide ribbons of tender zucchini and carrots that were sliced thin on my handy mandoline.



I brought the veggies and fresh pasta together with a fresh (and raw!)parsley sauce blended together in my handy magic bullet (this entry should be a kitchen gadget entry!).

Ingredients

2 small zucchinis, trimmed and sliced with a mandoline to 1/8" (~0.3cm) thick
2 small carrots, peeled, trimmed and sliced with a mandoline to 1/8" (~0.3cm) thick
1 pasta dough recipe

1 bunch parsley
1/4 cup piave vecchio, parmesan, romano, or other hard cheese
Juice of half a lemon
5 cloves of roasted garlic
3 T olive oil
2-3 T hazelnuts or pepitas
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup water

Method

Divide the pasta dough recipe into three portions. Roll each portion out with the pasta machine. Start with the lowest setting, run the dough through once, fold the dough into thirds, run through the machine again, and repeat.

Increase the thickness setting and run the dough through the machine; dust lightly with flour if necessary, and run through twice more. Repeat this step with all the thickness settings until you get to setting 6. Dust the pasta strip with more flour, fold or roll loosely into a bundle, and cut into approximately 3/4" (~2cm) strips. Dust with more flour, and hang on suspended wooden spoon handles to dry slightly while you roll out the rest of the dough.

For the sauce, blend together the last 7 ingredients together in a blender, food processor, or magic bullet. Taste for seasoning; add more cheese, salt or pepper to taste. Set sauce aside.

Slice the vegetables with a mandoline to about 1/8" (~0.3cm) thick. Slice the strips lengthwise in half if necessary.

Bring a large stockpot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Quickly blanch the vegetable strips for 30-60 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon to an ice bath. Drain and reserve in a large bowl for later.

In the same large stock pot, bring the water back to a rolling boil. Drop in the dried pappardelle and stir to loosen and separate the strands. Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until desired doneness. Remove with tongs or a pasta fork to bowl of blanched vegetable strips.

Add parsley sauce to pasta and veggies, toss lightly, and serve!

Be sure to enjoy in the sun. :) It makes all the difference in the world!

Review: La Piazza Dario Ristorante (Vancouver, BC)

I had a work event that brought me to the Italian Cultural Center one weekday afternoon. Little did I know that the "Dario" restaurant that I had passed so many times in my childhood / commutes / trips downtown was a classy stop for lunch or dinner!

It was also my birthday, and my boss (one of the best!) treated me to a lunch at La Piazza Dario Ristorante. I was surprised that the place was so busy - there were several large parties in the establishment, and we were serviced by waitresses, maitre'ds, and busboys galore.

There were a number of business people in their various attire, as well as some older couples dining during my stay.

The prices were quite reasonable and Dario's focuses on quality more than quantity. I thoroughly enjoyed my penne with meat sauce, and later, a cannoli.

Does anyone know where they source their desserts from?? I haven't had such good cannoli since I got back from Victoria! It was fresh, light, crisp and nicely sweetened.



I'm looking forward to visiting La Piazza Dario Ristorante with the boy (you know. When I can talk him into it. :p)

La Piazza Dario Ristorante

3075 Slocan Street [map]

Vancouver BC

Phone: 604-430-2195

Kitchen Gadgets: Ravioli Form

Ms mom has lots and lots of gadgets. The last time I was over there, she showed me her madeleine forms (cast iron AND tin!), her cast iron alphabet cookie form, her cake pans, and something near and dear to my heart, a ravioli form!!!

I've always wanted a ravioli form. There were times when I picked up a single ravioli stamp and showed M, and he responded with, "what is that?! Do you need it?"

Of course, the answer was always, "No. No, I don't need it." ...but I want it!

I was glad that Mrs. Y lent me hers - it is a beautiful two piece mould that comes with one piece that has holes and lattice edging on one side, and another piece with recesses to shape malleable pasta dough for filling. I *love* it.

The ravioli I made the first time were a simple beef and spinach filling. I precooked it because I did not know how the pasta dough and the filling were going to cook up; next time I want to do a butternut squash or pumpkin filling and serve it with butter, parsley, and walnuts.



The pasta dough recipe I used was something from culinary school. Of course, the first batch didn't quite work out because I worked it too much! But second times the charm.

Ingredients
Scant 2 3/4 c all purpose flour
3 eggs
pinch of kosher salt

Sift the flour onto a smooth surface and make a well in the middle.

Using a fork, beat together the eggs and the salt until the egg is well mixed and the salt combined.

Pour the eggs into the well. Gently and gradually using the fork, incorporate small amounts of flour from the sides of the well. Make sure that the egg doesn't seep out of the well!

When most of the flour has been incorporated, knead the dough with floured hands until the dough is smooth and elastic. Allow to rest, covered in a bowl for about an hour. If the dough becomes tough and overworked, you may have to start over. It will be very hard to work it through the pasta machine if it has become tough.

Cut the dough into four parts. Lightly flour the dough on both sides by sliding through a couple tablespoons of flour sprinkled on a cutting board.

Gently work through the pasta machine set on the lowest setting. You may have to fold the dough over on it self a couple times before it goes through cleanly. Work the dough through the pasta machine about three to five times before going to a thinner setting. Slide the sheet of pasta through the flour as required.

For the ravioli, I worked the pasta to the #6 setting. It was beautiful!!! :p The sheets were nearly see through and the pasta was still slightly moist.

I placed a sheet of pasta onto the ravioli form, used the other piece to stretch the dough to allow room for the filling. I placed about two to three teaspoons of filling into the hollow, moistened all the edges with a touch of water, then put another sheet of pasta dough on top. Finally I ran a rolling pin over the form to cut the dough, and generously floured the ravioli before putting them on a surface to dry.

The ravioli were refrigerated in single layers until ready to cook.



Sorry there's so few photos! I believe it was a weekday and I was just getting a little overwhelmed. I'll post more when I make pumpking ravioli.

Saturday Night at Ms Moms house

M has four siblings. One of his brothers has a daughter and a son; M's sister has one daughter and two sons. Ms mom also has a homestay, and his sister has two homestays. To say the least, when their family gets together, she creates a mountain of food! Behold, a mountain of pasta!



My camera died before I could take other photos, but there was also soy, ginger, and garlic-marinated chicken thighs, garlic toast, and sticky ribs (mmmmm!).

I think I want spaghetti again for dinner tonight. It was so good!