Thursday, February 21, 2008

Homemade pasta with bechamel, collards, and cannelini (and who knows what else?)

This is experimental. I'm too lazy to go to the store so am forced (oh, sob!) to rely upon my overful pantry and fridge and freezer. What I have in mind is (exactly as alluded to by the title) a simple eggless pasta with a bechamel. However, I want to add some things. I'll write out my ideas, then go back later and amend. This is sort of cobbled-together from various sites, which I'll of course credit.

VEGAN HOMEMADE PASTA (CAN BE SOY-FREE)
Bryanna Clark Grogan's recipe, copied from http://www.vegsource.com/mcdrecipes/messages/14031.html
Makes slightly over 1 lb.

1 and 2/3 cups unbleached white flour
OR 1 c. unbleached white flour plus 2/3 c. wholewheat flour
1/2 cup chickpea flour OR full-fat soy flour
2/3 cup water
OPTIONAL: 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt

TO MAKE THE DOUGH IN A FOOD PROCESSOR, mix the flour, chickpea or soy flour and salt, if using, in a dry processor bowl, then add the water (or water and pureed vegetables, mixed together) through the top with the motor running. Process for about 30 seconds, or until a smooth ball forms. (The dough may seem a bit sticky, but you'll be flouring it as you work.) Place the dough in a plastic bag and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.

TO ROLL AND CUT WITH A HAND-CRANK PASTA MACHINE OR ELECTRIC PASTA-ROLLING MACHINE, divide the dough into eighths, keeping the portions you aren't working with in the plastic bag. Flour the dough well and run it through the first setting of the machine. Now, flour it lightly again, fold it into thirds, and run it through the first setting again. Do this until the dough looks smooth. Then flour the dough and run it through each successive setting twice, until it is the desired thickness.


BECHAMEL

This recipe is amended from here Post-dinner note: this is an excellent and super-easy sauce to make. Don't overdo the nutmeg. This would go well as a sauce over a baked potato, too,- or layered in a casserole dish and baked. I can imagine it'd work well over those famous chickpea cutlets, too.
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/4 c flour
2 c soy milk
1/8 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add flour and mix well for one or two minutes. Don’t let it burn. Then, slowly add soymilk, stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent lumps, until the desired consistency. You can add more soymilk if you find the sauce too thick. Then add the seasonings and let simmer on low heat.

THE VEGETABLE PART
1 med onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
2 c collard greens
1 15 oz can of cannelini, drained & rinsed
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T red pepper flakes
1 T dried parsley
1 t onion powder
1 L tomato, chopped

Carmelize onion in oil, then add garlic; throw in collards to saute with the onion, then along with the cannellini.
Thrown in spices and may (at the end) serve this with crushed red pepper flakes/nutritional yeast. Add tomato about 10 minutes before you eat, for color.

Assemble plate: pasta, then veggies, then sauce; top with nutritional yeast & red pepper flakes.

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