Spicy Red Pepper Sauce

I had almost forgotten about this sauce.  When we lived in New Orleans, this sauce was one of the things that kept us coming back to a great little pizza joint not far from home.   I know New Orleans has finer cuisine than this---- believe me, we've had our share--- but when we went back to New Orleans (for the first time in 10 years), this was on the list.  Besides the fact that we ate there a lot in our early days of courting, they have fantastic salads, awesome pizza, and this killer focaccia bread sauce.   It's got quite a bit of heat and a great roasted red pepper flavor.  I had to recreate it once we came back home!

I'm happy to say, this sauce was pronounced "spot on" by both of us, and it got eaten disproportionately from the tomato sauce I had next to it at a lunch time party.  I can't wait to make it again!


Spicy Red Pepper Sauce
inspired by Reginelli's, but made up by me

15 oz roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (50 grinds)
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup tomato sauce (I used tomato sauce with onion and butter)

Saute garlic in olive oil until lightly golden.  Add crushed red pepper and saute about 2 minutes until pepper infuses oil.  Add drained roasted red peppers, salt, oregano, pepper, tomato sauce.  Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until flavors marry.  Blend at some point with immersion blender or prior to adding until sauce is fairly smooth.

Serve with pasta, or bread sticks, or on pizza.  If with pizza consider goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and carmelized onions- Sun Pie style.....

Homemade Wheat Pasta

So literally 10 years ago, if not longer, I got this pasta maker from my best friend from high school.  I loved it.  I loved it so much, it has sat in a cabinet in several different states move by move completely unused.   But I kept it, because I definitely wanted one, and would use it.  Someday.  After making Pioneer Woman's homemade pasta, I was annoyed at the uneven thicknesses and widths I got when I cut it myself.  I saw this recipe and decided I was time to try it.

I can't believe I waited this long!! It was super easy.  I always imagined running the same sheet of dough through the machine over and over again trying to get to the right thickness.  I kept my machine on the thickest setting, and it only took one run through before I could let it go through the cutting blades.  The hand crank was fine, no big deal.

The pasta was delicious.  I wanted to make a wheat version so it would be modestly more healthy.  The dry vermouth was not noticeable to me at all- next time I might try all wine and no water.  Nor was the salt.  The first batch I made I didn't salt the water, and the second I did, with a noticeable positive difference.  The batch that sat for 5 minutes was also noticeably more al dente, in a good way.  You have to make sure to flour the dough (the small section) to help keep the cut pasta separated.  I then floured it on the plate to help keep it separate.  My daughter was watching be and kept jubilantly saying "PASTA!!!" (she's 18 months.  Pasta made it into her vocabulary early.)

The pasta maker is definitely not gathering dust anymore!

Homemade Wheat Pasta
Adapted from Confessions of a Foodie Bride who adapted from Michael Chiarello
Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 egg yolks
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp dry white wine (or dry vermouth)
3 Tbsp water, plus more if necessary

Add dry ingredients to a food processor fitted with the dough blade. Pulse to mix. Add egg yolks, oil, and wine. Process and add water 1 tablespoon at a time just until dough forms a ball. Knead a few times, form a ball, and flatten to one inch thick. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll pasta to 1/16-inch thickness and cut as desired. (I used a pasta roller so I divided the dough in half and each half into three equal pieces before sending it through the roller a few times.)

Let the cut pasta sit for 5 minutes. Place in salted, boiling water 5 minutes to cook.