This is Cooking with Julie’s recipe that I acquired from the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival.
Sauce:
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
3 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 TB flat leaf parsley, chopped
4 oz. pancetta, finely chopped
2 oz. olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup canned plum tomatoes, pureed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
4 TB. raisins
2 TB semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 TB granulated sugar
Pasta:
3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
4 extra large eggs
2 tsps. extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt
4 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
Heat the olive oil in a heavy enamal pan. When the oil is hot add the chopped vegetables and pancetta. Saute slowly for about 15 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon every few minutes.
Add ground beef and break into small pieces using the wooden spoon. Cook until the meat through so it is no longer red, add the wine and cook until it is completely evaporated (about 5 minutes), and then add tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. And simmer on low heat for about 25 minutes.
Prepare dolce-forte: place wine vinegar, raisins, pignolis, chocolate chips and sugar in a small bowl and let marinate for about 20 mintues. When mean sauce is ready, add dolce-forte to sauce pan with meat sauce. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients and let simmer 5 more minutes.
Heat water in a pasta pot while you make the chocolate pasta.
1. Place the flour on the counter make a well. Add the eggs, oil, salt and cocoa powder to the well. Using a fork mix all the ingredients in the well together well. Then slowly begin to incorporate the flour. When you can no longer use a fork begin to knead by hand. Until the dough is slightly sticky. Then knead the dough for about 5 minutes. The remaining flour that remains unabsorbed should be passed through a sifter and kept serarately to coat dough when kneading in the machine.
2. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and place under an inverted bowl or cotton towel.
3. Securely fasten the machine to your table with the clamp. Then make sure the pasta machine is on the widest setting.
4. Remove one piece of the pasta dough and flatten to about 1/2 inch thick and by 3-4 inches wide. Begin turning the crank and insert the flattened dough. After passing the dough through the machine fold into thirds, do not flour the interior before folding. Then press down evenly to flatten. If it is sticky, sprinkle with a little flour. Place the open end in the machine and roll again. Repeat this process until the dough is very elastic. Then roll one time through each setting until you reached the thinnest setting.
5. Allow the noodle to dry a few minutes then cut into fettuccini noodles and dry on a rack.
6. Add about 2 tablespoons salt to the boiling water. Have a warm bowl for the pasta near by. Drop the noodles into the pot, when the noodles rise to the top then are done.
NB: Always reserve a cup of the pasta water for the sauce in case it is too dry. Serve with a pinot noir or tempranillo. If you use a lean grould beef you will have a light sauce. You can remove some of the fat from the meat by cooking in advance and then allowing it to cool before serving.
