Pasta la Vista, Baby

February 26, 2021
Beef Cheek Agnolotti
Pg. 149
Andrew, Season 3
71 down…28 to go!

I have officially completed the pasta section of the MasterChef Junior Cookbook! So that’s 2 down, 4 to go. It was the smallest section of the book but it was definitely labor intensive. Creating pasta from scratch is not for the faint of heart. I mean, don’t get me wrong, if I can do it anyone can, but it is a process.

The MCJ way stays true to the old Italian way, on the countertop in a flour well. Once the dough is perfect, it has to rest for 20 minutes to an hour. Then you have to roll it over and over again to thin it out. You form it into your desired shape, then add the filling (if called for). That process can take a long time. I’m sure sweet Italian grandmas are experts and super fast, but ya girl is not. Maybe one day, but it will take time.

This recipe was for agnolotti pasta, a variety I had never heard of or tried (and am pretty sure I’m pronouncing it wrong), but that happens a lot with these MCJ dishes and their ingredients. This dish had plenty of unfamiliar ingredients like beef cheeks, “00” flour, and anchovy paste. While I might not use those ingredients much in the future…especially the anchovy paste… it’s really fun to try new things and explore unique ingredients/flavors. That has truly been one of the biggest gifts this journey has brought me.

I probably would have never tried to make pasta from scratch if it weren’t for this cookbook cook-through. This challenge of mine has pushed me in so many great ways! The final 30 recipes coming up are sure to do the same, as they are all the the ones I’ve been putting off for various reasons (uncommon ingredients, difficult techniques, or too labor intensive).