I don’t know about y’all but we often get into a date night rut. Dinner and a movie, take out and a red box, taking the dogs for ice cream.. we tend to cycle through the same ole, same ole. Trust me, I love any time spent with Hubby but sometimes you’re itching for something new!
While we were in Italy on our honeymoon last November, we learned how to make homemade pasta in Tuscany! It was one of our favorite parts of the trip because I love to cook and hubs loves to eat. š Since returning from Italy our life has been non-stop, with holidays, a new job, friends baby announcements, friend’s weddings and traveling, I rarely feel like we get a free weekend! When one popped up on the calendar, I wanted to take full advantage of it.
I was a little hesitant about teaching my friends about making homemade pasta, I was unsure if it would be a good group activity but it turned out to be some of the most fun (and best meal) we’ve had in a while! An extra bonus.. it was so cheap!
First, I wrote out the exact ingredients and directions on our chalk board. I was worried I would get nervous or drink a tad too much wine and forget the exact measurements. It also makes for a cute lil’ backdrop.
We had five of our besties over and I asked a couple of them to grab something to bring —garlic bread, an arugula salad, some fresh herbs. Besides that I only had to purchase two packages of ground turkey, two cans of diced tomatoes, two cans of tomato puree and a can of tomato sauce. I already had garlic, eggs, flour and olive oil!
Before everyone came over, I pulled out all the ingredients and started the ground turkey sauce (recipe below).
Once everyone arrived, we paired off. This pasta recipe makes a lot of noodles. We could have really gotten into groups of three, but it was more fun this way, not to mention the pounds of leftovers everyone enjoyed for days!
I cleaned my kitchen table very well and we used that as our surface. First you create a small well with you flour, crack your eggs, oil, water and salt into the middle and whisk everything around with a fork. Finally would mix it all together [the best + messiest part], and continue to knead it with your hands for three to four minutes.
Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
A few glasses of wine later, it was time to roll and cut our dough! We received this pasta making Kitchen Aid attachment as a wedding gift, but you can buy a table top roller and cutter here for only $26!
To prep your dough for the roller, cut your dough into four sections and sprinkle both sides with flour. Roll each section through your roller about 5 or 6 times until it is very long and thin. Next, take one long and lean section and roll it through the cutter. Lay out your noodles on a floured table or pasta drying rack for about 5-10 minutes.
^^The boys loved this part!
So, we all were so excited to dive into our creations that we forgot to snap a photo of our finished pasta! This is a photo from our homemade pasta in Tuscany instead *insert laughing emoji*.
All in all it was one of the best nights we’ve had together in a while. It was so nice to be able to hang out together, doing something fun without spend tons of money or being in a crowded bar! They were all surprised how easy it is to make pasta. We decided that once a month we’re going to get together and cook something new each time. I’m excited for our new little tradition.
Fresh Pasta
Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 Large Eggs
2 1/2 Cups of Flour
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Water (+ more as needed)
1 Tsp Salt
Directions:
1. On a solid surface, make a pile of flour
2. Create a well in the middle and crack three eggs into it
3. Add olive oil, water and salt, whisk together with a fork
4. Fold your egg mixture into your flour, continue to mix and knead for 3-4 minutes
5. If your dough is too sticky add more flour, if it’s too dry add more water
6. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes – 2 hours
7. Cut your dough into fourths, slightly flour and roll your pasta through the press 5 or 6 times until it is thin and long
8. Next, roll it through the pasta cutter and let dry for 5 – 10 minutes
9. Boil for 3-4 minutes, and then toss in your sauce in the pan for an additional minute
Ground Turkey Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 Pack of Ground Turkey
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
1 Can of Tomato Puree
1 Can of Tomato Sauce
1 Cup of Water
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
Oregano, Salt, Pepper, Fresh Basil, Thyme – all to taste! I also add a little bit of lemon and lemon pepper for a little kick.
Directions
1. Cook your ground turkey in a deep pot
2. Add in the rest of your ingredients and simmer for 25 minutes
**As it simmers, you may want to add a little bit more water.
Do you have any exciting date night plans this weekend?! Thanks for stopping by! Don’t forget to follow along on Instagram for more #OhYesPlz posts (@YesPleaseDaily).
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