Make fresh pasta dough in the food processor: Bobby Flay’s method for making fresh pasta dough is a game-changer. By utilizing a food processor with the blade attachment, he streamlines the process, effortlessly blending together eggs, flour, and squid ink (for those who desire a unique flavor and color profile). The squid ink not only adds a hint of brininess but also serves a practical purpose by preventing the pasta from oxidizing, ensuring it retains its freshness. After the initial mix, Flay recommends a brief hand-kneading session before allowing the dough to rest. This resting period is crucial as it allows the gluten to relax, resulting in a more elastic and easier-to-work-with dough. Shaping the pasta into loose nests instead of drying it on a rack helps maintain its moisture, ensuring a tender texture when cooked.
Sauté with avocado oil: When it comes to sautéing aromatic ingredients like garlic and onion for the pasta sauce, Flay opts for avocado oil over traditional extra virgin olive oil. This choice is driven by avocado oil’s higher smoke point and milder flavor profile, which allows the delicate aromatics to shine without overpowering other components of the dish. By reserving extra virgin olive oil for drizzling over the finished pasta, Flay ensures a burst of rich, fruity flavor that adds depth to the dish.
Keep your tomato sauce chunky: Flay’s approach to tomato sauce emphasizes freshness and texture. Rather than simmering the sauce for an extended period, he prefers a shorter cooking time of around 30 minutes to preserve the vibrant flavor of the tomatoes. Adding a pinch of sugar may raise some eyebrows among purists, but Flay stands by this technique as it helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes and accentuates their natural sweetness. By crushing the tomatoes with a potato masher instead of passing the sauce through a food mill, Flay achieves a rustic texture that adds character and dimension to the final dish. Additionally, his recommendation to make shrimp stock from scratch using the shrimp shells adds a layer of complexity and depth to the sauce, elevating its flavor profile to new heights.
Butter and cheese help marry the pasta and sauce: Flay’s unconventional approach to incorporating cheese into seafood pasta dishes challenges traditional Italian culinary norms. Despite the purist perspective that shuns the combination of cheese with seafood, Flay boldly advocates for the addition of finely grated Parmesan to enhance flavor and promote sauce adherence to the pasta. By sprinkling Parmesan over the cooked pasta before incorporating it into the sauce, Flay ensures that each strand is enveloped in a blanket of cheesy goodness. Furthermore, a finishing touch of butter adds a luxurious richness to the sauce, enhancing its texture and helping it emulsify with the pasta for a truly indulgent dining experience.
By embracing Bobby Flay’s expert techniques and incorporating them into your pasta-making repertoire, you’ll be well on your way to creating restaurant-quality dishes that dazzle the palate and delight the senses. So, don your apron, sharpen your knives, and prepare to embark on a culinary adventure that celebrates the artistry and passion of Italian cuisine.
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