(Originally posted on Michael Salamone's Bachelor Pad Kitchen. 1/13/10)
Before I was a Chef and before I had any game, I had only one lure in my tackle box and it was the perfect net for late night. Pasta. Nothing says I'm reasonably drunk and momentarily "off my diet" than a nice bowl of creamy, cheesy and lighty peppery pasta between midnight and well past midnight.
While in culinary school, I was in survival mode and knew one thing for certain. Pasta is cheaper than cheap! Made from scratch not only made it cheaper, it was now a survival skill and hungry, reasonably drunk friends dig survival skills - especially the creamy, cheesy and lightly peppery kind.
Have this prepared ahead of time. Mix by hand or if you have a food processor, use the blade attachment and combine in the bowl:
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon oil - any
1 Teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups flour
Kneed into a stiff dough adding more flour if needed to obtain a good consistency.
Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate until use.
The sauce is:
Heavy Cream
Greuyere Cheese - grated
Fresh Ground Pepper
Now go party! When you return, put a pot of water on to boil.
Slice a piece of the dough and put it on you cleaned, lightly floured counter. If you have a rolling pin, use it. I didn't. I used a vermouth bottle. Roll the dough out as thinly as you prefer while maintaining a light flouring underneath and on top. Now roll up the dough sheet and slice into a skilled width. Don't try for angelhair here. Go for fettuccine. If you get Lasagna sheets, you're too drunk to cook or otherwise so pack it up and say goodnight.
Drop the strips of fresh pasta into boiling water.
Meanwhile in another pan, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and bring to a simmer. The pasta will cook quickly - perhaps 4 or 5 minutes.
Add the cooked, drained pasta and a bit of the pasta water to the cream and continue to reduce until a nice consistency is obtained. Add a nice handful of cheese, some cracked black pepper and your done.
Serve with (more) white wine and Grover Washington Jr.
Turn off the stove and clean up when they leave - tomorrow.
Here's the big batch...
