Thursday, May 31, 2007

Parpadelle with homemade ragu sauce - Pasta 3Bs - Beef, Booze, Bolognese

One day, I decided to reach out for that pack of dried pasta parpadelle (pronounced pa-par-DAY-lay) on the shelves of Trader Joes. Compared to the usual pasta (rotini, penne, linguine, spaghetti) that I usually buy and use, this egg parpadelle looks visually different. The flat ribbon pasta is so wide...about 0.8-1 inch width. My right brain(random) took over the left(logical, rational), and "psycho" me for something different. My taste buds need to get exposed to other food and ingredients besides the routine, common and usual; so that they learn, the brain learn, and I learn.

Now the pack of dried parpadelle is sitting in my pantry cabinet, what sauce shall I make ? Parpadelle is normally served with hearty sauces. I decided to make my own ragu sauce with a special ingredient: BEER. Beef and beer is like the "bull" boosted by the booze.

Beer Beef Bolognese Parpadelle (serves 4)
Ingredients:
-1pack parpadelle(8oz for 2 servings, 16oz for 4 servings)
-1tbsp olive oil
-1 large onion, chopped
-1tbsp pancetta, cubed
-1lb ground beef
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
-14oz of whole tomatoes from a 28oz can (keep the rest in the fridge in air tight container)
- few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- some dried oregano
- some red chili powder
- black pepper, to taste
-3/4 bottle of dark lager/ale, adjust accordingly to your alcohol threshold (Note: remaining lager/beer, drink it up. Just don't get drunk in the kitchen and make cooking blunders. There is no "If you Drink, don't Drive Cook" sign in the kitchen but that does not mean you can abuse the right,ya?)

Method:
1. Heat pan with some olive oil and fry the pancetta, then adding the onion, saute until the onion becomes transparent
2. Add ground minced beef, garlic, and worcestershire sauce, then fry until beef is lightly browned, and then add the lager and cooked until reduced by about half
3. Then add rest of the ingredients, mash the tomatoes in the pan, and allow sauce/gravy to simmer on low heat for 45mins


4. While gravy is simmering, start boiling water and cook the pasta according to instructions.
5. When pasta is cooked, add into the ragu sauce and mix well. Serve immediately.

This is my entry for Presto Pasta Night.

The egg parpadelle pasta has a chewy texture, more chewy than linguine, spaghetti

Am drunk now with so much booze in the gravy *burp*

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