Florida Sunshine Captured in Pasta - Tagliatelli Arancia

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor would you be mine.... Could you be mine.

This has got to have been the most awesome day in about 4 months. The weather has been positively gorgeous. It's 82 degrees, the sky is blue instead of a moist gray, the slight breeze is warm and inviting; almost intoxicating in it's "Green" fragrance. Though I must admit, when the strange glowing orb showed up in the sky this morning I was a little panic stricken that aliens were attacking or something. I guess I had forgotten what the Sun looked like. There has been an inordinate amount of "Liquid Sunshine" this Spring. Which really shouldn't surprise me, considering past events.

I moved to San Diego back in 1997 just in time for el Niño to hit and flood Mission Valley as well as washing bits of the city into the Pacific. In 2004, I moved to Palm Springs and half the Coachella Valley washed into the Salton Sea (Wettest winter in 35 years). Now I move back to Oregon and it's one of the wettest springs EVER!

I AM THE BRINGER OF RAIN! Which would make sense if I was an Aquarius, being the water bearer of the zodiac (Even though it's an air sign). But I am a Capricorn, so it makes absolutely NO sense what-so-ever. Never trust astrology.

I digress. Today, the Sun is shining bright in all it's golden glory, bringing me out of my soggy slump. Because of this, I have decided to wring the moisture out of some of my recipe cards and prepare a pasta dish to celebrate the return of the sun. Bright, light and refreshing citrus pasta, tossed with fresh spinach and a Lemon/Marsala braised mushroom cream sauce. YUM!

I had better get to crackin though, cause we gotta make the Orange Pasta. (yeah, this is gonna be kind of long)

Tagliatelli Arancia

297g (10.5 oz) AP Flour
170g (6 oz) Semolina
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
3 Large Eggs
1 1/2 TB Olive oil
2 TB Orange Zest
4 TB Orange Juice (you may need up to 1 TB more)

In a bowl, combine AP Flour, Semolina and Salt; whisking to combine.

Create a well in the center.

Mix the Eggs, Olive oil, Orange Zest and Juice.

Pour the mixture into the well.

Begin stirring with your fingers, slowly incorporating more and more of the flour mixture into the liquid.

Continue until you have a dough ball in the center; if it seems a little dry, add up to 1 more TB of Orange juice.

Turn the whole mess out onto the counter and begin kneading until the pasta becomes smooth and elastic.

Wrap in plastic and let it relax for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Cut the pasta dough into 4 pieces.

Work with 1 piece at a time and keep the others wrapped in plastic.

Roll through a pasta roller to about level 6.

Cut the resulting pasta sheet into 12 inch sections.

Flour each one and stack them up, then fold them in half.

Sprinkle with more flour and fold in half again. (Don't forget to flour the dough between the folds to prevent sticking.)

Slice noodles with a sharp knife to just under 1/4 inch thick.

Unfold and loosen all the noodles into a pile.

Lay out on a large pan and allow to air dry; tossing with a little more flour to prevent sticking.

Continue with the remaining dough until it has all been cut up.

Weight out 12 oz (340g) of pasta in a bowl (that is about 1/2 of this batch) and set aside for tonight's dinner.

So what do you do with the left over pasta.....?

Using a teacup, fill with 2 oz (57g) of pasta.

Turn out onto a baking sheet to create nests........

Set these aside to dry for 5 hours... Then place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. (if your worried about salmonella from the eggs, the citric acid from the orange juice will kill salmonella; just like in mayonnaise)

Marsala Braised Mushroom Sauce

170g (6 oz) (4 cups) Fresh Spinach
227g (8 oz) Mushrooms, sliced
Juice of 1 Lemon
Zest of 1/2 Lemon
4 TB Butter
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 TB Dry Marsala Wine (not Sweet)
1 cup Heavy Cream
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
340g (12 oz) Tagliatelli Arancia
Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for Serving

Set a large pot of water over hi heat and bring to a boil.

Wash the Spinach and spin it dry.

Then tear it up into smaller pieces (you can also chop it with a knife)

Melt butter in a skillet over medium flame....

Place sliced mushrooms in a bowl and toss with the Lemon Juice.

When the butter is foamy, add Garlic and Marsala; cooking for about 3 minutes.

Add the lemon soaked mushrooms and braise for about 4 minutes.

Drop the pasta and cook for 3 minutes. (Fresh pasta cooks in an instant)

Add the Heavy Cream to the Mushrooms sauce

and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and finish it with Lemon Zest, Salt and Pepper.

Drain the Pasta and return to the pot.

Pour the Lemon Mushroom sauce over the top and toss.

Add the spinach and toss again, until it just begins to wilt.

Spoon into a serving dish.

Sprinkle with a little Parmigiano-Reggiano if you like....

Or place a grater and the Parmigiano-Reggiano on the table and allow the diners to control their cheese intake.

Sunshine in a bowl!

Mangia!!
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