Chopped Top Iron Chef - Oakridge, Season 1, Episode 5 - Eric vs. Warren - PASTA PALOOZA

OMG! What fun!  Ron as the "shopper" stepped up the competition and declared this episode as a HOMEMADE PASTA CHALLENGE.  The Cheftestants must make a dish featuring fresh pasta, a difficult task as the Chefs have never made homemade pasta before - let the games begin!

The other secret ingredients were:

Capers

Potatoes

Spinach

Lemons

Limes

Mushroom

Cheddar cheese

Smoked Gouda

Butter lettuce

Four kinds of tomato sauce

Eggs

Flour

Oil

Pesto

Green onions

Pillsbury gladly rolls

Butter

Flax bread

Spicy hot peppers

Shrimp

Ground beef

Spolumbo spicy Italian sausage

Bacon

Baby calms

Craft singles

Milk

Cream
Sour Cream

The Cheftestants will be using a KitchenAid Mixer and are provided with 2 different pasta recipes.  

After some initial prep Eric begins the pasta making process with some assistance from Ron.  The first recipe proves to be less than ideal, but the second recipe (with some tweaking) works fine.  We learn that making pasta is FUN!  Eric and Warren discuss their plans so not to duplicate dishes.

Warren decides on Spaghetti and Meat Balls.  Here is Warren in action:

Eric is going with a baked lasagna with both white and spinach pasta with a light sausage bechamel sauce.  

Here is Eric presenting his spinach pasta with Warren and James looking on.  Here is a hint for anyone ever making fresh pasta - FLOUR!  After you have your raw pasta made, keep it well floured or it will stick together as Eric learned the hard way, he had to redo his pasta at the last minute, but it still came out pretty good.  We also learned that fresh pasta is very forgiving!

James, a judge this week, decides he will use some of the ingredients to create a dessert.  He comes up with an innovative recipe for Key Lime Tarts using potatoes. (Potatoes?!?!)  More on that later....

The time flies by and things really heat up in preparation for plating...

bubble, bubble, toil and trouble....

service with a smile....

The Judges, Richard and James, awaiting the final product in the dining room.

The final dishes are presented.  Chef Warren presents homemade spaghetti and meatballs in a zesty tomato sauce with a light colorful salad and cheesy garlic bread.

Chef Eric serves his bi-colored lasagna with a sausage bechamel sauce accompanied by a crostini with caper-pesto tapenade and garlic shrimp.

Tasting begins and everyone is happy with how the main ingredient, PASTA, turned out.  Both dishes are successful and tasty.  The judges will have their work cut out for them.  The overall favorite dish of the night is Eric's lasagna, but now the formal results:

Creativity:  Eric

Presentation:  Warren

Taste: Warren

So Warren takes the win.  CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Here are the current standings:

                        Wins            Losses

Ron                   1                     2

Warren              2                     0

James               1                     1

Richard             0                     1

Eric                   1                     1 

Now back to James' dessert...

The Key Lime Tarts with meringue look fabulous, but unfortunately they did not deliver in taste.  The texture of the filling was not ideal and lime flavor a bit over powering.  But we do appreciate the effort, desserts are difficult and we may have to do a desserts only episode in the future.  Until you cook again James, you are back on "Redemption Kitchen Island".

Favorite dish recipe - Bi-color Lasagna:

Ingredients:

PASTA -

4 cups flour

4 eggs

1 cup water

1 cup spinach (pureed and drained)

BECHEMEL SAUCE -

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup milk

nutmeg

pepper

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

SAUSAGE FILLING -

4 hot sausage links

6 slices bacon

olive oil

garlic

onion

pepper

Tablespoon dry oregano

6 sun dried tomatoes

OTHER -

1 cup spinach

4 scallions

1/2 cup canola oil

2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions:


Prepare the pasta in two batches.  In one add half the flour and two eggs to a KitchenAid Mixer with the paddle attachment.  Beat at medium speed adding water as needed for dough to become a ball.  For the second batch add the puree of spinach and water until dough becomes a ball.  Roll out the pasta into long lasagna sheets following KitchenAid directions.  Set pasta aside and flour liberally to keep it from sticking together.


For the bechamel sauce melt the butter and add the flour to make a roux and cook for a few minutes.  Add the milk and cream and whisk till smooth.  Add the pepper, nutmeg and parmesan cheese and set aside.


For the filling remove the sausage from its casing and saute with the bacon, garlic and onions.    Add the pepper and oregano. As you brown the mixture crumble the sausage into little pieces.  When the sausage is completely cooked (20 - 30 minutes on medium/high heat) put in a bowl, add chopped sun dried tomatoes and set aside.


bechamel sauce evenly on each layer.  Also make one layer with just bechamel sauce and fresh spinach.  When all the layering is complete top with remaining bechamel sauce and the parmesan cheese.  Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 30 - 45 minutes or until the top layer is lightly browned.  Let the lasagna cool for 15 minutes and slice into desired serving sizes.


For the garnish, thinly slice the scallions and fry in oil until crispy.  Drain and then place on top of lasagna and sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese.  


Serve and enjoy. 

Next episode to be announced.