Ciao Chow Linda

Pasta Roses (Rosette Modenese)

Ingredients:

Fresh Homemade Pasta

2 cups 00 flour (you may need more)

4 eggs (start with 3 eggs)

pinch of salt

For the Stuffing:

1/2 pound prosciutto cotto, thinly sliced

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus another 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top.

1 1/2 cups shredded Italian fontina cheese plus another 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top.

Béchamel sauce:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

3 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

a generous grating of nutmeg

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1/2 cup of homemade tomato sauce (meatless) 

Directions

Make the béchamel sauce

Make the béchamel by melting the butter, then add the flour and stir with a whisk over low heat until flour absorbs the butter. Let it cook for a minute or two, then slowly add the milk, whisking all the while. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir over low to medium heat until it becomes the consistency of pudding. Set aside to cool.

Make the tomato sauce

I used 1/2 stick diced celery, 1/2 diced carrot, 1/4 cup diced onion and sautéed them in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then added 2 cups chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and 1/8 teaspoon dried basil. Simmer for 1/2 hour, then use a stick blender to make it smooth. Set aside to cool.

Make the pasta

Meanwhile make the pasta. I use a food processor and start with two cups of 00 flour and three eggs. Whir everything together until it forms a ball. If it's too dry, add a fourth egg, then whir again. It may come together now but it may also be too sticky, so add more flour, a little at a time, to get to the right consistency - smooth but not too dry and not sticky. Knead for a few minutes until very smooth, then let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes. I made mine the day before, wrapped it in plastic and kept it in the refrigerator overnight. This makes more dough than the recipe calls for, so I froze the rest of the dough.

Roll the dough to the thinnest setting on your pasta machine. Try to make it as wide as the machine will allow. Boil the pasta strips for just a minute, then plunge into cold water to stop the cooking and make it easier to handle. Place on a dish towel and pat dry.

Assembly

When you're finished boiling the pasta, it's time to assemble. Start by spreading a thin layer of béchamel over the pasta, then sprinkle some parmesan next, followed by a layer of the prosciutto cotto, and finally the fontina. Starting at one end, roll tightly until you reach the end. If your pasta sheets are too short, just continue rolling a completed roll onto a second sheet of filled pasta. I had long pieces of pasta but inadvertently cut them in half originally, thinking they were too long. Cutting them in half also makes them less likely to be unwieldy when boiling. After the first roll of the filled pasta, I realized I wanted a thicker roll, so I just continued by adjoining the already rolled piece to a second piece that was filled by flattened. I hope this isn't too confusing, but refer to the photo in the post to clarify.

When you're finished rolling, cut each roll into six pieces -- each piece will be about an inch and a half wide. The pieces next to the end won't be as full as the center pieces, but that's ok.

Next, spread a layer of the béchamel sauce into the bottom of a large casserole, then place a few dollops of tomato sauce over that and spread it thinly over the béchamel. Place the rosettes over the sauce, then spread a little béchamel on top, a dab of tomato sauce and more fontina and parmesan. 

Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes, or until everything is melted.