CHOCOLATE PASTA RECIPES: NATIONAL PASTA DAY

Today is National Pasta Day, and I hope you're out there having some great pasta dishes at your favorite restaurant or cooking up a storm in the kitchen. I used to make my own pasta a lot, but not so much anymore. There are so many fresh pasta vendors in my neighborhood. However, since it is National Pasta Day, I thought I'd post a few recipes for Chocolate Pasta.
 
Chocolate Pasta

Ingredients
1 3/4 cup Flour
1/4 cup Cocoa powder
2 Egg
4 Tbsp Water

Directions
Mix flour and cocoa well. Mound on work surface or in large bowl. Make deep well in center of mound and break the eggs into it. Beat eggs in twith fork, adding about 2 Tbsp water. Using circular motion, draw flour and cocoa into center. Toss in another Tbsp of Water. Stir with fork until all flour is moistened. Add more water as needed. Finish mixing by hand. Pat dough into ball. Clean off work surface, and flour it. Knead dough for about 10 minutes, or until dough becomes silky and elastic. Cover dough and let rest for half hour. Roll out 1/4 of dough at time. A machine makes this easy. Allow pasta to dry a little before cooking. Makes 4 to 5 cups of cooked pasta---plenty for dessert.

You can always buy some great dark chocolate pasta. There are many brands. My market sells fresh chocolate pasta!

Here are two recipes from Pappardelle (they make great Dark Chocolate Pasta)

Dark Chocolate Pasta with Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients
1 pound Pappardelle’s Dark Chocolate Pasta
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Cook pasta in pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain and rinse with cool water.
Melt chocolate chips and butter together in small saucepan. Add powdered sugar and milk. Stir constantly and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low simmer. Cook for 8 minutes, continuing to stir constantly. Add vanilla.
In serving dishes, add pasta, top with chocolate sauce. Garnish with favorite topping.

Chocolate Noodle Kugel

Ingredients
1 pound Pappardelle’s Dark Chocolate Noodles (these really are quite good)
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
1 cup whole milk
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 pound container of sour cream
1 pound container of small curd cottage cheese

Topping:
2 cups cornflakes, coarsely crushed
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish (lasagna style pan).
Meanwhile, cook pasta in 6-8 quarts of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain, then return to cooking pot and add butter. Toss until noodles are well coated and butter is completely melted.
Whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until combined, then whisk in sour cream. Stir in cottage cheese and add to noodles. Spoon gently into baking dish.
For topping, stir together cornflakes, sugar, and cinnamon and sprinkle over noodles. Dot with butter and bake kugel until edges are golden brown, about 40-50 minutes. Let stand before serving.

Have some chocolate pasta recipes? Love to see them.