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Pasta Max Cafe's Black Pepper Pasta Dough (Pappardelle)
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Cuisine: Pasta Vegetarian
From the Menu of ... Pasta Max Cafe
50 Griffin St., McDonough, 770-320-9311
The cafe serves this pasta with Mushroom and Leek Cream Sauce and Marinated Grilled Chicken (see separate recipe listings for those), but this rich winter pasta can be served with or without the chicken. Although fresh pasta is what makes this dish a standout for special occasions, if you’re short on time, you can substitute fresh fettuccine or linguine from the grocery store or a dried pappardelle.
Q: We have a wonderful family-owned restaurant just off the town square here in McDonough called Pasta Max. I love their Black Pepper Pappardelle and was wondering if you might be able to get them to share the recipe. It has chicken, leeks and mushrooms in a cream sauce.
Shannon Byrd, McDonough
A: This French-inspired sauce with rustic pasta has been on the Pasta Max menu since the restaurant opened in Stockbridge 12 years ago, says chef/owner Douglas Zitz. When Pasta Max moved to McDonough a year and a half ago, the recipe came, too — because customers love it so much. “It’s probably the rich cream sauce,” says Zitz, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.
The pasta takes a little time to make from scratch, but it’s worth the effort. And you don’t need a pasta machine to make it, either. Just roll the dough (work with one-fourth of it at a time) between two sheets of parchment paper, or directly on a very lightly floured surface, and then cut it into strips with a knife or pastry cutter. You can find semolina and durum flours (or sometimes a combination of the two, such as Hodgson Mill Pasta Flour) in the grocery store. If it’s not on the shelf with the other flours, look in the health food section.
-- Deborah Geering
Hands on time: 25 minutes Total time: 1 hour and 10 minutes Serves: 8
Ingredients:
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1 cup durum flour
1 cup semolina flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine durum, semolina and all-purpose flours, salt and pepper. Make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well, then add the olive oil. Using a wooden spoon, beat the eggs, slowly incorporating the flour in from the sides. When all the flour is incorporated, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, adding a little extra flour if the dough is sticky, until it is very smooth. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes. (Or wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bring the dough out to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before continuing.)
Cut the dough into quarters (keep the rest of it wrapped in plastic). Use a pasta machine to roll into strips, or roll the dough out between sheets of parchment paper until very thin. Cut it into 1-inch-wide strips with a knife. Cover until ready to use.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pappardelle a few strips at a time, making sure they do not stick together. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, until al dente.
Cut the dough into quarters (keep the rest of it wrapped in plastic). Use a pasta machine to roll into strips, or roll the dough out between sheets of parchment paper until very thin. Cut it into 1-inch-wide strips with a knife. Cover until ready to use.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pappardelle a few strips at a time, making sure they do not stick together. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, until al dente.
Nutrition:
Per serving: 266 calories (percent of calories from fat, 24), 10 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 7 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 133 milligrams cholesterol, 62 milligrams sodium.
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