Giangi's Kitchen

Home made spaghetti.

We really enjoyed our long week-end of leisure, fun times with friends and eating. Having more time in the kitchen allowed me to make homemade spaghetti with tomatoes sauce and a peach pie.  My mom just sent us from her garden fresh tomatoes and peaches, and therefore could not pass up the opportunity to use them right the way.

There is nothing nicer than biting into a just picked ripe peach from a tree.  The flavor is just indescribable.

I never made peach pie before so I started looking in all my cook books and to my surprise, I did not find a recipe that I liked.  Actually almost all the recipes for peaches were either marinated or cooked with some spirit. It is then that I decided to take matter in my own hands and I came up with this pie recipe. I took my apple pie recipe and added the almond, something new for me.  We all loved the result.

If my mom will send me more peaches, hint.. hint mom… next time I will try making a tart…

Instead of making two posts today, I am combing all the meals we had under one heading.
Enjoy this short week.
Bon Appetit!

Giangi

We enjoyed:
Melon with Prosciutto di Parma
Homemade spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce
Peach Pie

Slices of thinly sliced Prosciutto wrapped around slices of melon.

Ready to be boiled…

… and ready to be enjoyed.

PASTA

3 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

Salt

Warm water or white wine

Place the eggs, flour and salt into the bowl of your mixer fitted with the bread blade. Mix slowly and add water as needed to the dough. Once the dough is well blended, not flaky or too wet (add more flour if this is the case) remove, place on cutting board and cover with a bowl. Let rest for 10 minutes or until ready to use.

Using the pasta machine, follow manufacturer directions to prepare long strips of pasta. I use Kitchen Aid and the last turn of pasta is with number 4.

Cut the sheets of pasta to desired length and pass them thru the spaghetti cutter.

TOMATOES SAUCE

Large tomatoes cut, seeds removed and diced

olive oil

basil leaves

In a large skillet sauté the tomatoes with the olive oil, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the basil.

PEACH PIE

4 large brown eggs

3 ounces almond paste, crumbled

2 cups heavy cream

4 tablespoons brown sugar

3 cups cut up peaches, large chunks

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pastry crust

Preheat the oven at 375º. Place the pastry dough on a 9 inch round pie plate. Poke lightly the pastry and prebake for 8 minutes in the hot oven. Remove and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the eggs, almond paste, heavy cream, brown sugar and vanilla extract.

Add the cut up peaches to the pastry shell, cover with the eggs mixture.

Bake at 350º for 45 minutes, or until the middle is solid firm.