Day73- French Fries and the Pasta Machine

Not together, of course.

Perfect Fries (this time)-

• about 1lb Pealed potato (or scrubbed really well)
• 2T veggie oil
• 1/2 tsp (estimate) cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp +/- kosher salt

Most important step: turn oven to 450*F

cut the potatoes into sticks about 1cm x 1cm x however long the potato is. Thicker cooks slower, thinner burns. Mix with oil, salt, spice. Place evenly spaced on foil covered cookie sheet (for ease of cleanup alone). Pop in oven on middle rack for 12-15 minutes.

Pull them out and flip the fries- the bottom should be nice and brown, give another side a chance. Turn the oven down to about 400 and cook for another 15 minutes or until they're done.

main reason this works- the higher temp, I think, keeps the potato from sticking, and lets the bottom brown and pull away. The flip in the middle keeps them from burning.

other possible reason it worked- Used russet potatoes, which I think are a waxy type. It's possible this had something to do with it.

In other News-

I finally finished the forking split peas. I don't intend to buy them again for at least 6 months.

I should have taken a new $20 bill on Sunday, but I spended it on gas. I have plenty of veggies for now, and a dollar or two left over from the last one for onions or garlic, or whatever. I intend to get some form of tomato paste or sauce this month.

Pasta Machine-

roommate #1's BF helped me attach it to the kitchen table sometime around 11pm. It's all my fault. I was watching Amazing Race again, and they made Chinese hand-pulled Noodles.

video by Kouyou99

So I told rm #1's BF about it, made him look it up. He was likewise totally amazed. I think I have a new cooking goal, but not this week...

Instead, I pulled out the machine and made pasta. I was just going to hand roll it out but as usual my measurements were a bit off, and the dough was too dry to roll by hand. So out came the machine. RM #1's BF's eyes were, by this time, HUGE. Pasta? from water and flour? srsly??!!11one!

So I let him play with the pasta maker a bit (hand crank), and let him cut some noodles, and we made fresh pasta at, oh, about 1am. He had *no* idea how much time passed. Kinda funny, actually.

Rolled through to "5" on the machine, cut by hand.

"Sauce"-

• 1/2 zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and diced
• 1tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp (est) italian seasoning
• 3T olive oil
• Juice of 1/8 lemon
• drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Just sauté the veggies together in the oil and salt- add the garlic a little later. When they're browning or softening, or however you like them, add the seasoning, lemon juice, and vinegar, Mix, toss with pasta, NOM!

You can put just about any veggies in this- I like it with halved grape tomatoes, sliced olives, and spinach. I'd assume it'd be good with cubes or strips of leftover steak or chicken. Fish might require some extra thinking.

What's with the Amazing Race and food challenges, anyway? This is not going to be one of those easy things, I know it. But wow, does that look forking cool!