Krispy's Gusto di Italia

First of all, it means Krispy's Taste of Italy, but I used a free online translator so if it's isn't spelled right or grammatically correct I'm sorry. And this is "Taste of Italy," if you'll recall for Valentine's Day I did the "Tour of Italy." Different recipes, different occasions. 
Next, down to business. Saturday I went to Brevard and after having lunch with Dr. Moore I had dinner with Helen and Jay. Now Jay has said a few times how he doesn't like that I'm always posting pictures of this food I make because he never gets to have any. Well, in an effort to calm this irritation, and so I wouldn't have to pay to eat out, I cooked for them. There was pasta di spinaci (spinach pasta) with salsa di alfredo (alfredo sauce) and pane di aglio di tirata-a parte (pull-apart garlic bread). Again, online translator so if it isn't right it isn't my fault. Like I know Italian. HA!
I have made the spinach pasta before but this is my first go round for the alfredo sauce and pull-apart garlic bread. All of today's recipes come from KitchenAid cookbooks.


Spinach Pasta
1 package (10 ounces) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed
1 tablespoon water
4 large eggs
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour


Place spinach in towel and wring out all water until spinach feels very dry. Place spinach in food processor and pule until coarsely ground. Discard unground spinach that remains in processor bowl.
Place ground spinach, water, and eggs in bowl of electric stand mixer. Turn to medium-low and mix 30 seconds. Add flour to bowl. Turn to low and mix 45 seconds. Attach dough hook to mixer. Turn to low and knead 1 minutes.
hand knead dough 30 seconds to 1 minute. Cover with dry towel and let rest 15 minutes before extruding through pasta maker. 




Alfredo Sauce (I actually took this from a Classic Fettuccine Alfredo recipe)
2/3 cup whipping cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
Generous dash white pepper
Generous dash ground nutmeg
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


Heat cream and butter in large heavy skillet over medium-low heat until butter melts and mixture bubbles, stirring frequently. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in cheese until well blended and smooth. Return to heat briefly to completely blend cheese, if necessary. (Do not let sauce bubble or cheese will become lumpy and tough.)
Pour sauce over pasta. Cook and stir over low heat 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce thickens and pasta is evenly coated. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.




Garlic Pull-Apart Bread
(Makes 2 Loaves)
6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons garlic salt, divided
2 packages active dry yeast
1.5 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, divided

Place 5 cups flour, sugar, 1 tablespoon garlic salt, and yeast in bowl of electric stand mixer. Attach dough hook to mixer. Turn to low and mix 15 seconds. Combine water, milk, and 1/4 cup butter in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are very warm (120 to 130 degrees F).
Turn mixer to low and gradually add warm liquids to flour mixture, about 30 seconds. Mix 1 minute longer. Continuing on low, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on low for 2 minutes longer.
Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
(Now the next part might get a little crazy so just hold on tight. Oh and you might need a ruler!)
Punch dough down and divide in half. (Still with me?) Roll 1 half into 12x8x1/4-inch rectangle. Melt remaining butter and mix with remaining garlic salt. Brush dough with mixture. (Not too bad just yet right?) Cut dough into 4 equal 8x3-inch strips. (Ok.) Stack strips and cut into 4 equal 3x2-inch strips. (Right.) Place pieces on edge in greased 8.5x4.5x2.5-inch loaf pan so strips for 1 row down length of pan. Repeat with remaining dough. (Whew. Made it.) Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes. Removed from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.


Now.... Bring on the pictures!!

Mixing up some spinach pasta.

If yours looks crummy like this after you mix it, DON'T WORRY!

After you knead it by hand and let it rest for 15 minutes it will come together.

Then just run it through the roller and the pasta cutter.

If you want, you can dry it for later use; just not too much later because of the egg and spinach.

Alfredo sauce Mise en place.

You did grate your nutmeg fresh right? Good!

Well, I failed at taking pictures of the sauce so here is what it looks on the pasta.

Now the garlic bread.

Combine water, milk, and 1/4 cup butter in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are very warm.

After adding the heated liquid to the dry goods.

After resting for 1 hour, roll 1 half  of the dough into 12x8x1/4-inch rectangle.

 Melt remaining butter and mix with remaining garlic salt. Brush dough with mixture.
Cut dough into 4 equal 8x3-inch strips.

Stack strips and cut into 4 equal 3x2-inch strips. 

 Place pieces on edge in greased 8.5x4.5x2.5-inch loaf pan so strips for 1 row down length of pan.
Except I placed them in the wrong direction. Should be four short rows of four, not one long row.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes. Removed from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Now to bring it all together here are a couple fun pictures.

Maybe have a nice menu and some fancy cloth napkins. =)

And I present Spinach Pasta with Alfredo Sauce and Pull-apart Garlic Bread, with Helen and Jay.

---Dare to Cook---