Ciao Chow Linda

Saffron Fazzoletti with Sausage and Mushrooms

Author: Ciao Chow Linda

Ingredients

• FOR THE PASTA:

• 2 cups flour

• 4 eggs

• 2 packages (glassine envelopes) of saffron

• 1 tablespoon hot water

• FOR THE SAUCE

• 1 1/2 links of sweet Italian sausage (about 1/2 pound)

• 8-10 small portobello (or cremimi) mushrooms

• 1 shallot, minced

• 1 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 olive oil

• fresh sage leaves

• fresh thyme leaves

• salt, pepper

• minced parsley

• a little pasta water

• parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Dissolve the saffron in the hot water.

2. Place the flour (keep 1/2 cup of the flour aside) and eggs and the watered down saffron into a food processor (or mix by hand if you have the strength).

3. If the dough is too sticky, add the rest of the flour, a little at a time.

4. When the mixture has turned into a ball, remove to a wooden board.

5. Knead a bit more (keeping flour on the board) until the dough is smooth.

6. Shape it into a ball (or two balls) and wrap in plastic wrap, or keep covered under a bowl.

7. Let the dough rest for a half hour.

8. When ready to shape the dough, roll it by hand to a thin consistency, or using a pasta machine, roll it to the smallest number on the setting.

9. For the fazzoletti, cut into 4 inch squares.

10. This recipe makes a lot of fazzoletti, but you can shape some of it into fettuccine, or pappardelle or other shapes and reserve for other meals.

11. I used 12 fazzoletti for two people and it was plenty for a meal.

12. If you’re making it as a first course, you will want fewer fazzoletti for two people.

13. Boil the fazzoletti in ample salted water and add to the sauce.

14. FOR THE SAUCE;

15. Add half the olive oil to a large saucepan.

16. Heat to a medium heat, and add the sausage, crumbling it into pieces, and removing the casing.

17. Wash the mushrooms and cut into quarters.

18. Add the mushrooms to the sausage and when almost cooked, add the minced shallot and garlic.

19. Add the fresh sage leaves and thyme leaves and let everything cook for about 10 minutes.

20. Start cooking the fazzoletti in the boiling water.

21. They should take only a few minutes to cook.

22. Meanwhile, if the sauce looks too dry, add some of the pasta water.

23. Drain the fazzoletti and add to the sauce.

24. Don’t worry if some of the water comes along with it.

25. Gently stir the pasta into the sauce, letting it absorb the flavors, and reducing the water.

26. Season with salt and pepper.

27. When the water is nearly all gone, add the rest of the olive oil.

28. Toss gently into a serving bowl, and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and minced parsley,