Chef Michael Salmon - Join me in my Kitchen
Tortellini is a fun pasta shape to master. Like any stuffed pasta, once you learn the technique, you will find yourself turning them out in no time. In this recipe, I fill the tortellini with a three-cheese mixture and serve them with a simple and flavorful chicken and pesto sauce.
Agnolotti is a stuffed pasta that comes from the Piedmont region of Italy. Agnolotti are similar to ravioli, but they have a unique shape with two large dimples that assist in “trapping” sauce. I find them much easier and faster to make than ravioli, once you have mastered the technique. The filling in this recipe is a spinach-ricotta mixture, but they can be filled with everything from roasted vegetables and cheese, to braised meats and seafood.
Adding puréed spinach to pasta dough transforms it into a brilliant green color. Use the Spinach Dough to make any shape of pasta from Fettuccini and Pappardelle to Tortellini and Ravioli. When you use a colored (beet or spinach) dough for a stuffed pasta like ravioli, use a contrasting colored filling (like goat cheese) for a dramatic effect.
Pasta Dough is fun and easy to make. In this post, Pasta 101, I will discuss the basic steps to follow in making your own pasta at home. The recipe I have included in this post is for basic egg dough and is great for all shapes and types of pasta. Spinach, beets, tomato paste, herbs and spices are some common additions that can turn this plain dough into something special. I will include those recipes in my blog also.
Join me in my kitchen as I prepare recipes from my two cookbooks, European foodie trips and explore new inspirations.
