Pina's Specialties - Pina's Perfect Pasta Page

Gnocchi
Tortellini with Ham and Peas
Pasta Carbonara
Tony's Carbonara Speciale

Gnocchi

3 medium potatoes
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups of flour
Pina's perfect tomato sauce
parmesan or romano cheese

Boil peeled cut-up potatoes for about 20 minutes.
Drain and mash the potatoes. Let them cool off.
In a mixing bowl or on a counter top, add eggs and flour.
Mix together well. Singing opera helps the time pass quickly.
Roll the mixture into a rope. Add flour if necessary.
Cut the gnocchi into 1/2 inch pieces.
Cook in boiling salted water for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Toss cooked gnocchi with Pina's tomato sauce.
Serve with cheese.

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Tortellini with Ham and Peas

1 pkg tortellini
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 (125g) pkg ham (diced)
3 cups peas
spices(oregano, parsley, Italian herb seasoning)
parmesan or romano cheese

Cook the tortellini in boiling water as directed.
Heat the oil and onions in a large frying pan until the onions are transparent.
Add the ham, peas and spices and cook until heated through.
Drain the cooked tortellini and add to the frying pan.
Toss everything together over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Top with cheese if desired.

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Pasta Carbonara (original Pasta Page Recipe!)

2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp oil
4 oz bacon, chopped
1 lb spaghetti, cooked and drained (NO SALT)
a pinch of pepper
2 eggs
2 oz white wine
2 oz parmesan cheese, grated
2 oz romano cheese, grated
a pinch of nutmeg
1 tbsp peppercorns, crushed
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 bunch chopped fresh parsley
1 bunch chopped fresh green onions
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

Heat the butter and oil in a large pot and cook the bacon for 5 minutes.
Add chopped bell pepper, parsley, onions and mushrooms.
In another pot, cook the pasta in UNSALTED water.
Pour the drained pasta into the bacon pot. Season with pepper.
In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the wine, cheeses and nutmeg.
Reduce the pasta mix to low heat, and pour in the egg mixture.
Toss for a few minutes.
Place on heated platter, top with crushed peppercorns and serve immediately.

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Tony's Carbonara Speciale

1 small zucchini sliced
1 red (or yellow or orange) bell pepper chopped
4 large green onions chopped
1 cup or 1 small bunch of asparagus (blanched and chopped)
2 cups or 12 sliced mushrooms
12 slices or ½ a pack of lean turkey bacon, chopped
1/3 cup of olive oil
2/3 cup of grated parmesan or romano cheese
4 to 5 eggs (or 1 cup)
1 cup of white wine
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
500 grams of cooked spaghetti
A generous sprinkling of coarsely crushed peppercorns. You’ll need about a half hour to chop and prepare the ingredients.
Cooking time is about 25 minutes.
The easiest way to prepare this dish is to separate the chopped ingredients
into different containers or plates and store them in the fridge until you need them.
There isn’t a lot of time during the cooking to cut and chop,
so I recommend doing this ahead of time.
Once everything is chopped up, you’re ready to begin cooking.
(TIP: A little opera singing in the kitchen helps relieve stress!)
Boil water in a large pasta pot.
In a large frying pan (mine is great! - 12” around by 3”deep), add the olive oil and bacon.
Cook on medium heat, covered until the bacon begins to get crispy. Stir occasionally.
While you wait for the water to boil and the bacon to cook, mix the egg sauce.
In a large glass bowl, combine the eggs, cheese, white wine and nutmeg.
Beat thoroughly with a fork until the mixture takes on the consistency of an omelette base.
Store the mixture in the refrigerator.
When the water is boiling, add the pasta.
(I don’t add any salt here… I think there is more than enough in the other ingredients.)
Stir occasionally. The pasta should take about 12 to 15 minutes, or until “al dente.”
Now add the onions to the frying pan with the bacon.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir and cover.
After about five minutes, add the chopped zucchini and red bell pepper.
Stir and Cover.
After about five more minutes, add the chopped Mushrooms and asparagus.
Be careful not to cook these too quickly!
I try to time it so the vegetables are ready when the pasta is done.
Here’s where you may need some help (I know I always do!!).
Drain the cooked pasta. Add the pasta to the fry pan. Reduce the heat to low. Toss the pasta with the bacon and vegetables.
Make sure that the pasta is evenly coated with the mixture. Now pour the egg mixture (from the refrigerator) over the pasta.
Toss and stir thoroughly for about 5 minutes.
The heat from the pasta will gently cook the egg mixture,
creating a thick sauce that will stick to the pasta. Now pour the pasta into a warm serving dish, sprinkle with the coarsely crushed peppercorns and serve. Thatsa Nicea!!

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tony@pastayoyo.com