Pasta and Noodles

Like many good recipes, this one started with my mom. I was over at her house the other day, and she made me these amazing stir-fried mushrooms with shishito peppers. They were so delicious and simple, I had to try making them myself the next day. But of course, I also needed to add noodles to them, because you know, carbs. After successfully adding regular old wheat noodles, I wanted to try adding a bunch of bright veggies, to make the dish extra nutritious. Cue: kale, broccoli, and cabbage–my three favorite vegetables.

Although the recipe was looking insanely yummy and healthy, it didn’t seem entirely balanced as a one pan meal. There was hardly any protein in it. I went searching through my fridge for a box of tofu I could fry up–on the side–when I happened upon a packet of “Tofu Rolls” that I’d picked up the last time I was the Korean grocery store. I’d never used them before, but they looked interesting to me, and I’m always open to trying new tofu products (walk through the tofu section of an Asian grocery store and you will be AMAZED at the variety of textures), ever since I went to Korea and nearly sent back a bowl of noodles because I thought it had chunks of steak in it (it was actually tofu).

Since I was making a noodle dish, I thought it best to cut the tofu rolls into ribbons, so that they would be easy to slurp up with the noodles. I was quite surprised at how sturdy they were–they didn’t rip or tear as I cut into them and pulled them apart. And after unrolling them, I had what looked like a pile of beautiful fresh pasta. In fact, I was so impressed with their texture, I decided to ditch the wheat noodles I’d planned on boiling for the recipe and rely exclusively on my beautiful tofu “fettuccini.”

The sauce for these noodles was very simple–a classic TKV sauce, if you will: soy sauce, mirin, gochugaru, and a little maple syrup for some sweetness. The trick my mom taught me, though, was that you want to cook the mushrooms in the sauce, instead of sauteeing them in the beginning with the onions and garlic. You do have to cook down the sauce quite a bit so that the mushrooms fully absorb the flavors and while not becoming slimy. You’ll know it’s time to add the rest of the ingredients when the mushrooms start to turn dark brown.

So, how do the noodles taste, you ask? Like tofu noodles!! They are chewier and heavier than regular pasta, of course, since they tofu rolls weren’t necessarily designed to be eaten like noodles. But they slurp just like regular noodles do, and like every other kind of tofu you’ve ever eaten, they absorb the flavors around them. Overall, this was a highly nutritious, super healthy “pasta” recipe (that can be made gluten free if you use tamari sauce!) that I would go back to often as a quick and easy post- or pre-workout meal!

Anyhow, here are some things to remember as you make this dish:

• Make sure to sautee the onions and garlic before adding the soy sauce and mirin.
• Keep an eye on the gochugaru–it tends to burn easily, so don’t cook for longer than about 30 seconds. If it turns dark brown, you’ve burned it and the dish will taste bitter. 🙁
• Cook the mushrooms in the soy sauce until they become very dark brown, to ensure they’ve absorbed all the flavors.

Stir Fried Tofu Noodles

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Ingredients

  

• 8 tofu rolls
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red onion, julienned
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp gochugaru use less if too spicy
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup julienned carrot
• 1/2 cup julienned cabbage
• 1/2 cup julienned kale
• 5 shishito peppers
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

 

• Slice each of the tofu rolls lengthwise into three (3) 1/3-inch rolls. Unroll them so they look like fettuccini.
  
• Add olive oil to a large pan over medium high heat. Next, add onions and garlic and cook until the onions become translucent, about 3 minutes.
  
• Add gochugaru and stir for about 30 seconds, and then add soy sauce and mirin and cook for an additional 1 minute. Then add mushrooms.
• Cook mushrooms in soy sauce for approximately 3 minutes, until they start to turn brown. Then, add broccoli, carrots, cabbage, kale, and 1/2 cup water. Cook the vegetables in the broth for about 3 minutes, until cabbage and kale become soft.
  
• Add the tofu "fettuccini" and incorporate the noodles into the vegetables and sauce. Add maple syrup and cook until the sauce reduces down completely, about 4 minutes, mixing the noodles so they are evenly covered in sauce.
  
• Drizzle sesame oil over the noodles just before serving.
  

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Once more, this dish was inspired by yet another pasta dish featured in Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy. Specifically, the Milan episode, where he decides to treat his crew to Pizzoccheri, a pasta made primarily out of buckwheat flour, which is then dressed with cabbage, potatoes, garlic, cheese, and lots and lots of butter.

It’s meant to be eaten during the coldest months of winter, when you want some of the extra fat to keep you warm. The cabbage and potatoes are definitely “stick to your rib” types of ingredients, while the garlic infuses this dish with intense flavor. However, we are in spring here, in Chicago, and while I enjoy making my own pasta on occasion, I wanted to try making a dish that was a little bit easier to make, especially when we don’t have a lot of time on our hands. So, in lieu of the buckwheat pasta that Stanley so painstakingly rolled out for his guests, I decided to use penne, which, to me, mimicked the length and shape of the Pizzoccheri, and would also give the butter and cheese adequate purchase.

Pizzoccheri calls for cabbage that’s endemic to the region (savoy or “Milan” or “Lombardy” cabbage). Unfortunately, I could not find savoy cabbage in any of my local grocery stores, so I went with regular old cabbage. I also used yukon potatoes, as the waxier spud will ensure that the dish doesn’t get too mushy.

I also used about one quarter of the butter that’s typically used in the traditional recipe, to keep this pasta a lighter affair for a spring menu (though I look forward to December during which I will absolutely increase the butter content!). The key is cooking the butter at a very low temperature while the potatoes and pasta are cooking, so that your garlic is perfectly toasted when it’s time to sauce the pasta.

I made this for the first time for Easter Dinner and it was an absolute hit. I was so nervous that it wouldn’t go over well, but my casserole dish was spotless by the time dinner was over. The butteriness and the crunchy garlic, the creamy cheese, and silky cabbage all came together so beautifully, we couldn’t stop going back for more.

Cabbage and Potato Pasta

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4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup cheese grated
• 2 yellow potatoes cut into small cubes
• 4 cups cabbage torn into 2 to 3-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp salt
• 13 oz penne
• 4 tbsp butter
• 5 cloves garlic chopped

Instructions

 

• Grate your cheese, chop your potatoes, and tear up your cabbage.
  
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt, potatoes, and cabbage.
  
• Your potatoes will need about 14 minutes to be fully cooked. Refer to the package instructions on your penne and add the penne to the same pot so that the potatoes and pasta will be finished cooking at the same time. (For example, if the box provides for a 12-minute cooking time, add your pasta to the pot 2 minutes after adding the potatoes and cabbage).
  
• While the pasta and vegetables are cooking, add the butter and garlic to a small pan over medium-low heat. Once the butter has completely melted, reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. The garlic will eventually turn a toasted golden color.
  
• When the pasta is cooked, drain the excess liquid completely. Add half the pasta, cabbage, potatoes to a casserole dish and then sprinkle with half the cheese.
  
• Add the remaining half of the pasta, cabbage, and potatoes to the casserole dish. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
  
• Pour the butter and garlic over the top of the cheese.
  

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Keyword cabbage, pasta, potato

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Whenever someone asks me to describe what the “tteok” (ricecake) in “tteokbokki” tastes like, I reference gnocchi. Both are pastas, in a way, one made out of rice and the other made out of potatoes and flour. However, while tteok has a chewy texture, gnocchi–at least good gnocchi–is supposed to be light and fluffy. Still, both were similar enough for me to continue drawing the comparison and soon, inevitably, I figured I should try marrying them more literally.

Once you’ve mastered the art of gnocchi making, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to sauces. Why not use a more Korean flavored sauce for gnocchi over cream and butter? Why not use gochugaru and gochujang to make it spicy instead of cheese and herbs to keep it conventional? These are the deep philosophical questions I didn’t ponder when I came up with this delicious mouthwatering recipe that you’re going to want to try ASAP.

Here are some helpful do’s and don’t’s to help you on your way:

• Read my earlier blog post on how to make gnocchi from scratch (if you intend to do so). Otherwise, you can use your favorite store-bought brand.
• Sure, you can substitute chili powder or paprika for gochugaru or Sriracha for gochujang, but it will no longer be Gnocch-bokki. It will be some other dish with no Korean flavors in it. It may still be delicious though!
• Don’t go overboard with adding too many vegetables. I stuck with just the basics–garlic, onions, and peas. If you add too much, you will overpower the gnocchi and its unique potato-y flavor.
• Feel free to add more or less of either the gochugaru or the gochujang, depending on your spice tolerance.

Gnocch-bokki

A marriage of two foods.

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4 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Sauce

• 2 tbsp gochugaru
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp potato starch
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp gochujang

Gnocchi

• 4 servings gnocchi
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garilc, minced
• 1/4 cup red onion, small diced
• 1/3 cup green peas

Instructions

 

• For the sauce, mix all the ingredients together and set aside.
  
• Cook the gnocchi by boiling them for 90 seconds (until they begin to float).
• In the meantime, add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large non-stick pan over medium heat. When the gnocchi is cooked, transfer them directly to the pan (after shaking off excess water). Cook them for about 1 minute on each side, until they are golden brown. Remove them from heat.
  
• In a separate pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. When it is hot (about 1 minute), add the garlic and the red onion. Cook for about 2 minutes. Then, add the gnocchi and the peas, and cook for another 30 seconds.
  
• Add the sauce, stirring to make sure the pasta is evenly coated.
  

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Dear Gordon Ramsey,

Many years ago, I picked up a book called “humble pie.” It was about a young man who went through some things, and then, was about to become a super star football player, when he got injured and decided to cook instead. Lots of harrowing things happened in yachts and kitchens and restaurants all over the world, but this man fought off all the things that tried to crush his spirit with a whisk or a perfect plate of risotto. I then saw this man become a super star—not on the football field—but on TV, where his foul mouthed temper ALMOST dissembled the humility I’d grown to admire. But it was there, intact, just covered up under makeup and hot studio lights.  The other day, I saw a video of this man showing homecooks how to make gnocchi. I’m vegan, he’s not, but it looked so easy and scrummy, I had to try. I’d like to thank that man, the man who dished up such a delectable slice of Humble Pie, that one day, it would lead to me making the most delicious plate of gnocchi I’ve ever eaten.

I’d never made gnocchi before, but I’d heard enough about its challenges to do my homework. I read a ton of blogs and articles, and watched dozens of videos. Out of all of them, I was most inspired by this very short one by Gordon Ramsay. It looked simple enough to veganize and provided clear steps on how to achieve the “not-too-thick, but not-too-fall-apart-y” pasta.

I soon discovered that the key to good gnocchi is that there is no ONE key to good gnocchi. There are a lot of things you can and SHOULD do in order to set yourself up for gnocchi success. My first batch turned out horrible–they dissolved into mashed potatoes (delicious mashed potatoes) that I happily ate right out of the pan. I was so obsessed with using as little flour as possible (the oft repeated warning for gnocchi noobs), I didn’t use enough and the potatoes rightfully turned into mush. Determined not to be defeated by the gnocchi, I tried again, and added twice the amount of flour. It turned out great!

So, here, I’ve distilled for you my own “do’s and don’t’s” for your perfect gnocchi. I know these will work, because I tried it again the next day and they turned out better than the day before!!

Tips on making your own perfect scratch gnocchi:

• Use russet potatoes. They are starchier and will therefore facilitate an easier dough.
• Use BAKED potatoes, not boiled. Baked potatoes will eliminate excess water, while boiled potatoes will ADD water.
• Make sure to RICE your potatoes. If you don’t have a ricer, you can use a sieve (though, you will waste a lot of potato that way…). Using a fork is the last resort. You want to aerate your potatoes, to eliminate excess moisture and keep them “fluffy,” and the best way to achieve that is to rice the potatoes.
• In terms of the amount of flour, I use the 1 in 4 rule: divide the total weight of your potatoes (baked and peeled) by 4. That’s how much flour I like to use.
• Sift your flour over your potatoes, to avoid clumping.
• Avoid kneading your dough–pulling at the dough will create gluten, which you want to avoid. Simply fold the flour into the potato and press down, in order to facilitate binding.
• Cook your gnocchi until they float to the surface of your pot–do not cook for any longer than necessary, as they will start to melt away if you do….!
• Transfer your boiled dough directly to a pan of hot oil, to finish them off!

Scratch Gnocchi

Veganized version of Gordon Ramsay's gnocchi.

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2 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 russet potatoes, baked and peeled
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp vegan sour cream
• 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup petite peas
• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

 

• Rice the potatoes while they are still warm (otherwise, it will be much harder to rice them). If you do not have a ricer, you can also push them through a sieve. Otherwise, mash them up with a fork while also trying to "fluff" them.
• Sift flour over the potatoes. Add sour cream and 1 tbsp of olive oil.
  
• Using a bench scraper, fold a section of the potatoes over the top and inwards. Continue with this motion until a loose dough starts to form. Then, start using your hands to continue the folding motion, while gently pressing the dough into itself. Repeat this motion for approximately 1 minute.
  
• Roll the dough into a thick (2 inches in circumference) log. Divide the log in half. Begin rolling one piece into a long rope, approximate 12-16 inches. If the dough becomes too sticky, dust it with flour.
  
• Dust your knife with flour. Cut the rope into 1/2 inch thick pieces. Create dimples in each piece using the end of your spoon.
  
• Add your fresh pasta to a pot of salted boiling water. Cook until the pasta floats to the surface (approximately 90 seconds). In the meantime, place a non-stick pan over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil.
  
• When the pasta is cooked, transfer the gnocchi directly from the pot to the pan, which should be nice and hot by now. Cook until golden and flip (about 1 minute). Cook for an additional minute and add thyme, garlic, peas, butter, and salt. Spoon the butter over the pasta a few times.
  

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