GNOCCHI
with BROWN BUTTER–SAGE SAUCE and TOMATOES
Gnocchi are delicious, plump dumplings that can be served with all kinds of pasta sauces. They’re often made with potatoes, which gives them a satisfying, gooey texture. To create the grooves that distinguish gnocchi from other shapes of pasta, you don’t need any special tools (although there is a tool that exists for just this purpose). You can simply roll the gnocchi across the tines of a regular fork.
serves 4
Kosher salt
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 large egg
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
- Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Using a ricer or a potato masher, mash the potatoes. Stir in the flour and egg. Transfer the potato mixture to a floured surface and knead into a smooth ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- Cut the ball of dough into 4 pieces. On a floured work surface, roll each piece into a log about ¾ inch thick. Cut crosswise into ¾- to 1-inch-long pieces. Press and roll each piece across the tines of a fork to create ridges on one side. Place the rolled gnocchi on a floured baking sheet as you go.
- Bring another pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they rise to the surface, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. Cook, stirring often, until the butter browns and tomatoes blister, 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked gnocchi to the pan. Toss to coat. Season with salt. Divide the gnocchi among four plates and serve immediately.
GNOCCHI AND SNAPPER
in TOMATO-SAFFRON BROTH
Even the garnishes on this dish are impressive: grilled slices of fennel bulb, salty preserved lemon rind, green olives, and more! Feel free to pick and choose the garnishes you’d like to use—they are all optional. The real heart of this dish is the amazing tomato-saffron broth, plus the gorgeous deeply colored gnocchi made with purple potatoes. Pan-seared snapper, known for its bright pinkish-red skin, adds another nice pop of color, but you could substitute any fresh fish. Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world and is known for its rich, earthy flavor, which makes this dish so special. If you don’t want to use the full amount of saffron called for in the recipe, you can use just a pinch or try flavoring the broth with another seasoning you like.
serves 4
1 pound purple potatoes
1 large egg
½ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup diced Spanish (cured) chorizo
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced shallot
5 sprigs fresh oregano
10 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cups white wine
2 teaspoons saffron
4 cups chicken stock
3 cups tomato sauce
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 skin-on snapper fillets, about 5 ounces each
Optional Garnishes
1 large fennel bulb, sliced and grilled
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ cup sliced green olives
1 tablespoon finely chopped preserved lemon rind
¼ cup fennel fronds
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Poke a few holes in the potatoes with a fork, wrap each in aluminum foil, and place them all on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil, let cool slightly, and peel off and discard the potato skins. Using a ricer or a potato masher, mash the potatoes. Stir in the egg and flour. Transfer the potato mixture to a floured surface and knead into a smooth ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- Cut the ball of dough into 2 pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece into a log about ½ inch thick. Cut crosswise into ¾-inch-long pieces. Press and roll each piece across a gnocchi board or the tines of a fork to create ridges on one side. Place the rolled gnocchi on a floured baking sheet as you go.
- Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the rolled gnocchi and cook until they rise to the surface, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked gnocchi directly to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
- In a large pot, heat ¼ cup of the oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, shallot, oregano, and thyme and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by about one-third, about 3 minutes. Add the saffron, stock, and tomato sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the broth thickens slightly, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Remove the broth from the heat, and stir in the butter until melted.
- In a large pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the snapper, skin-side down, and cook until browned on the first side, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until the snapper is just barely cooked through, about 2 minutes.
- To serve, spoon about 6 tablespoons of tomato-saffron broth into each of four serving bowls. Place grilled fennel, if using, in the center of each bowl and top with 1 fillet of snapper, skin-side up. Arrange 5 gnocchi in the broth around the fish. If using, scatter cherry tomatoes, green olives, preserved lemon, and fennel fronds over the snapper.
“Keep a flavor journal and experiment with layering flavors, and of course learn as much as you can about food. Trying everything is key to finding elusive flavors you might need later.” —Logan
PAPPARDELLE
with BACON CREAM SAUCE
If you are looking for a delicious and comforting pasta dish, this one hits all the right marks! It’s creamy and rich, with a thick sauce that clings to the fresh noodles. The sauce itself is worth making, even if you don’t prepare the noodles from scratch. Try serving the sauce over any of your favorite noodle shapes, from short farfalle to long, ribbonlike fettuccine.
serves 4
Fresh Pasta Dough (this page)
Semolina, plus more for dusting
½ cup chopped bacon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for tossing
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Roll the pasta dough through a pasta machine, gradually making the dough thinner and thinner, until it is as thin as possible. Cut the dough into ¾-inch-wide strips. Place the pasta strips on a semolina-floured baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel until you are ready to cook the pasta.
- In a medium sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and let cool.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the semolina and cook, whisking, until smooth, 1 minute. Whisk in the cream and simmer until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pepper and cooked bacon.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and toss with olive oil. Toss the cooked pasta with the bacon cream sauce. To serve, divide the pappardelle among four plates and sprinkle some Parmesan over each.
PAPPARDELLE
with “VODKA/NO VODKA” SAUSAGE SAUCE
Jimmy created this sauce to taste like a traditional vodka sauce, but there’s no vodka in it. Instead, he just used a bit more cheese and cream. Judge Gordon Ramsay called this dish “absolutely delicious,” praising both the richness of the sauce and the texture of the fresh pasta. You can certainly add a splash of vodka, if you want, to give the sauce something extra.
serves 4
Fresh Pasta Dough (this page)
Semolina, for dusting
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus whole basil leaves for serving
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 hot Italian sausages, casing removed
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Roll the pasta dough through a pasta machine, gradually making the dough thinner and thinner, until it is as thin as possible. Cut the dough into ¾-inch-wide strips. Place the pasta strips on a semolina-floured baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel until you are ready to cook the pasta.
- In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, basil, parsley, and oregano. Use a wooden spoon to crush and break up the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
- In a separate pan, brown the sausage over medium heat, stirring to break up the meat into small pieces, 7 to 10 minutes. Tramsfer the sausage to the pan with the tomato sauce. Add the cream and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan of “vodka/no vodka” sauce and stir well to coat. Serve each plate of pasta topped with grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
“One of my favorite memories from the show was when I had the advantage of not having to cook in a challenge. Not only was it relaxing, but I had an opportunity to watch the other contestants cook, which helped me learn new skills since I didn’t have to focus on cooking.” —Nathan
PAPPARDELLE
with TOMATO BASIL MUSHROOM SAUCE
Judge Graham Elliot was incredibly impressed by the technique Ryan Kate used to cut the fresh basil leaves for this pasta. He told her that mastering a chiffonade—tightly rolling whole herb leaves and then thinly slicing them into ribbons—was a skill most cooks don’t learn until culinary school. But Ryan Kate (at the young age of eleven!) had already practiced this skill numerous times and had the technique down.
serves 4
Fresh Pasta Dough (this page)
Semolina, for dusting
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
6 tomatoes, quartered
10 button mushrooms, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
9 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, plus 4 whole leaves for garnish
- Roll the pasta dough through a pasta machine, gradually making the dough thinner and thinner, until it is as thin as possible. Cut the dough into ¾-inch-wide strips. Place the pasta strips on a semolina-floured baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel until you are ready to cook the pasta.
- In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and release their juices, 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, season the sauce with salt and pepper, and fold in the sliced basil.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Transfer the cooked noodles to the pan of tomato basil mushroom sauce and stir well to coat. Serve each plate of pasta garnished with a fresh basil leaf.
BEEF TORTELLINI
with SAGE-BUTTER SAUCE
The first tortellini Gavin ever tasted was from a deli near his San Francisco home, and it was love at first bite. He wanted to see if he could cook them in his own kitchen, so he started experimenting. When Judge Joe Bastianich took a bite of the beef-filled version Gavin made, he was so impressed that he said, “Are you sure you didn’t learn to make tortellini in Italy?” Try your hand with these, and see if your guests can guess where you learned them!
serves 4 to 6
Fresh Pasta Dough (this page)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
½ pound ground beef
2 large eggs
½ cup grated pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
12 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- Roll the pasta dough through a pasta roller, gradually making the dough thinner and thinner until it is your desired thickness. Cut into 1-inch-wide strips. Place the pasta strips on a floured baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel until you are ready to fill the tortellini.
- In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until browned through, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add the eggs and ½ cup of the grated pecorino, and process to combine. Season with pepper. Let cool to room temperature.
- On a floured work surface, uncover the pasta strips and spread them out flat. Cut the dough into 1-inch squares. Place about 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each square. Brush the edges with water, and then fold into a triangle, pressing firmly to seal. Pinch the two farthest points of the triangle together to form a tortellini shape. Cover the filled pasta while you make the remaining tortellini.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the sage and cook until crisp, 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked tortellini to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sage-butter sauce. Serve topped with grated cheese.
FETTUCCINE
with SHELLFISH in WHITE WINE SAUCE
You can cut sheets of fresh pasta dough into noodles of any width, from broad ribbons of pappardelle to thin strands of spaghetti. Troy called his version pappardelle, but cut the noodles slightly thinner than this traditional wide noodle to make fettuccine. If you’re buying fresh noodles, either would work. If you’re making them yourself, feel free to cut the pasta dough as wide as you’d like. You’re the cook in charge, so the decision is entirely up to you, and that’s what makes it fun!
serves 4
Fresh Pasta Dough (this page)
Semolina, for dusting
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
8 jumbo scallops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1 cup mixed red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup white wine (nonalcoholic wine is fine to use)
1 pound baby spinach, chopped
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Roll the pasta dough through a pasta machine, gradually making the dough thinner and thinner, until it is as thin as possible. Cut the dough into ¼-inch-wide strips. Place the pasta strips on a semolina-floured baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel until you are ready to cook the pasta.
- In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over high heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper on both sides and put them into the hot pan. Sear each side for 90 seconds. Transfer the scallops to a plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add the shrimp and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the scallops.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pan. Add the garlic and asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and white wine. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the spinach, and stir until the butter melts and the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper. Return the shellfish to the sauce.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Add the cooked pasta to the pan of white wine sauce and stir well to coat. Serve topped with Parmesan.
BEEF CHEEK AGNOLOTTI
Andrew made this fresh pasta with “00” flour instead of the more common all-purpose flour. Throughout Italy and in other parts of Europe, many cooks will often use “00” (or doppio zero) flour, which is very finely ground, when making fresh pasta because it gives the noodles a distinct texture. Using all-purpose flour instead will work fine, but it is definitely worth making fresh pasta with double-zero flour at least once to see if you like it. You can get it at specialty grocery stores or online.
serves 4
2 cups “00” flour
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
5 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Semolina, for dusting
1 pound beef cheeks, cleaned
Freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups beef stock
¼ cup grated Grana Padano cheese, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Micro basil, for garnish
- Pile the flour on a clean, dry surface and make a well in the center, like a volcano. Put the eggs and egg yolks into the well. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Using a fork, slowly stir the eggs to break up the yolks, scraping gently along the sides and pulling flour into the well. Continue stirring until most of the flour has been incorporated, and then use your hands to knead the mixture into a smooth dough. If the dough is dry and flaky and you can’t mix in all of the flour, add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough feels elastic. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.
- Roll the pasta dough through a pasta machine, gradually making the dough thinner and thinner, until it is as thin as possible. Cut the dough into 3-inch-wide strips. Place the pasta strips on a semolina-floured baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel.
- Season the beef cheeks with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan set over medium-high heat. Add the beef cheeks and cook until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a pressure cooker set to the medium-low setting. Add the onion, garlic, anchovy paste, red pepper flakes, and stock. Cover and cook for 45 minutes. Turn the pressure cooker off and let cool with the lid on for about 5 minutes to reduce steam pressure.
- Using tongs, remove the cheeks from the cooking liquid and transfer them to a food processor. Add ¼ cup of the cooking liquid, reserving the remaining liquid. Pulse until the meat is finely chopped but not completely smooth. Transfer the meat to a medium bowl and stir in the Grana Padano.
- In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. While whisking continuously, slowly pour in 2 cups of the beef cooking liquid. Cook, whisking often, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Keep warm.
- To shape the agnolotti, spread the pasta sheets out on a surface dusted with semolina. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the filling 1 to 2 inches apart from one another down the center of each pasta sheet. Brush the edges and spaces in between the filling with the remaining egg wash. Fold the bottom third of the dough up toward the center of the filling and fold down the top third of the dough, overlapping the dough slightly. Using your fingers, gently press out the air between the filling and the pasta. Use a fluted pasta cutter or a small knife to cut between the portions of filling, creating individual agnolotti.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the agnolotti and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked agnolotti directly to the pan of sauce and toss to coat.
- To serve, place 5 agnolotti in the center of each of four plates. Spoon extra pan sauce over them and garnish with micro basil and grated Grana Padano.
PUMPKIN RAVIOLI
with CREAMY ALFREDO SAUCE
When judge Joe Bastianich tasted this pasta dish, he told Tommy he was mostly looking for the correct ratio of pasta to filling: two-thirds pasta to one-third filling. After taking a bite, he paused for a moment that probably felt like an eternity to Tommy, and then said, “Wow!” Tommy had achieved not only the ideal ratio but also a perfectly seasoned, flavorful pumpkin filling. These ravioli are really delicious served with creamy alfredo sauce, although they would also be fantastic with Sage-Butter Sauce (this page).
serves 4
Pumpkin Ravioli
Fresh Pasta Dough (this page)
All-purpose flour, for rolling
Semolina, for dusting
1 cup canned pure pumpkin purée
1 cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Sauce
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Make the pumpkin ravioli: Using a pasta roller or a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/32-inch thick, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. Use a round cookie cutter or small glass to punch out 2- to 3-inch circles. Place them on a baking sheet dusted with semolina flour and cover with a clean kitchen towel while you prepare the filling.
- In a bowl, combine the pumpkin, ricotta, Parmesan, 1 of the eggs, the nutmeg, pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Make an egg wash by cracking the remaining egg into a small bowl and beating with a fork.
- Spoon about 1 teaspoon of pumpkin filling into the center of each dough circle, brush the edges with egg wash, and place another dough circle on top. Firmly press the dough circles together, pinching to form a tight seal. Cover the filled ravioli while you assemble the rest of the ravioli.
- Make the sauce: In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until the shallot is translucent, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute more. Add the cream and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ravioli until al dente, 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them directly to the pan of sauce. Toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately, with grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.
