Homemade, Handrolled Garganelli #MoviesandMunchies

This month I asked the Movies & Munchies group to watch Nonnas. You can read my invitation here.

On the Screen

Despite twitching that the movie was called Nonnas instead of the correct plural for Italian grandmothers: Nonne, I was pleasantly surprised by our June Movies & Munchies movie selection!

This was a very sweet story that I was tickled to discover was based on a true story. And it didn't hurt that it was essentially two hours dedicated to the themes that cooking is an expression of love and sharing a meal is what community is all about. Those are definitely two things I fully embrace.

Joe, played by Vince Vaughn, has recently lost his mother and his best friends encourage him to use the insurance money to make a change in his life. While they are thinking more along the lines of paying off his debt, he uses the money to purchase a run-down restaurant on Staten Island. This is a fictionalized take on how Jody Scaravella opened Enoteca Maria, a real-life Staten Island restaurant that is run by Italian grandmothers instead of chefs.

After renovating the space, he places an ad on Craigslist and brings together a lovely crew of Nonnas: Roberta, played by Lorraine Bracco, his mother’s grumpy best friend who hails from Sicily; Teresa, a former nun, played by Talia Shire; Antonella, a brash Bolognese, played by Brenda Vaccaro; and Gia, a hairdresser who loves to bake, played by Susan Sarandon.

This food-centric flick features countless shots of sauces, soups, pastas, and meats. So many that it made my mouth water and my mind spin with what to make. However the food itself wasn't really there to educate the viewer about the food's history or even its preparation. The food was a way to explore the relationships and bonds between the characters.

On the Plate

I always joke that if you look at what comes out of my kitchen, you'd think I was a little ol' Nonna. There was so much food in this movie that I have already posted about!

I always make Tiramisù for Jake's birthday and recently made a Rose Matcha version.

My Oft-Requested Lasagna, Lasagna Bianca, 'Just Ground Turkey!' Seven Cheese Lasagna, and Lasagne alla Valdostana. "Who took all the corner pieces?!?" was heard in the opening scene at Joe's Nonna's house.

Strangolapreti was mentioned when Roberta, Antonella, and Teresa as talking about the dishes that they know how to make.

And I have plenty of things on my list to make, though I will have to do much more research on how to source a sheep head if I want to make Capuzzelle. Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm joked that she would leave that recipe for me. Maybe...some day.

But, for today, I am going to share Homemade, Handrolled Garganelli. I decided that I wanted to make homemade pasta when the boys were both home. Here's how the conversation went...

C: This is a skill you should have, boysies.

D: Seriously, Mom. We can buy a bag of pasta at Trader Joe's for a dollar.

C: Well, you should make it at least once.

R: Exactly once.

They were still good sports, rolled up their sleeves, and washed their hands. A quick note: I initially called this 'penne' but my friend who is from Italy and owns a local Italian restaurant saw my photos and said it was 'garganelli.'

I pulled our my encyclopaedia of pasta and learned the differences between penne and garganelli. While both are tube-shaped with diagonal ends, penne is extruded and garganelli is rolled; that difference results in no seam for the former and a seam for the latter. Also the ridges on penne run parallel to the length and the ridges on garganelli are perpendicular.

Though homemade pasta takes a little bit of technique, it requires very few ingredients.

Ingredients

makes 4 to 6 servings

• 2 cups pasta flour plus more for dusting

• 3 eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

• Also needed: plastic wrap, rolling pin, gnocchi board and dowel, baking sheet

Procedure

Place flour in a heap on a clean workspace. Use a measuring cup or just create a hollow in the flour.

Break eggs into the hollow. Sprinkle in the salt. Use a fork to incorporate the eggs into the flour. Add in the olive oil. Knead into a smooth dough, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

After the dough has rested, cut the disc into quarters. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough as thin as you can by hand, approximately 1/16". Slice the dough into rectangles.

Place the rectangle on the gnocchi board. Use the dowel to roll the rectangle into tube. Press firmly to seal the seam of the tube. Place rolled garganelli on a baking sheets. Dust them with more flour so they don't stick.

To cook, drop the fresh garganelli into boiling water. Boil until they float to the surface - just a minute or two. Drain and toss into your favorite sauce.

We tossed this into a pink (tomato and cream) sauce and topped it with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

That's all there is to homemade garganelli. It's doubtful that they will make this again, but I will!

And that's a wrap for my Nonnas offering. I will be rounding up everyone's posts later today. Stay tuned. One last thought: I love that this is not just about a restaurant, it's about family. And one of the quotes that stuck with me: Food fills your stomach and lifts your soul.

The group will be back next month with other movie to inspire delicious Italian food. Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm is hosting as we watch Toscana.