FBS7: London mates + hash browns + pasta

My Sunday morning started with 9:30am text messages from a hash brown hunting Melody asking about brunch spots. As I fell in and out of sleep between text responses, I noted the sun in the sky, the fall crisp air through my windows, and the silence. There was no Sunday morning coffee bean grinding, no pre-game banter on the TV, and no tapping of laptop keys studying football stats. Mike had to go into work for new menu roll out and I was left to a Football Sunday morning free of football; enjoyable yet felt slightly incomplete.

Melody + Billy, our friends who are currently living in London, were in town for a quick 2-night visit en route to Winnipeg. Determined to get a North American brunch under her belt, one with hash browns and bacon, I spent the morning with the both of them and their cousins/our friends brunching + shopping + hanging out. To satiate the hash brown cravings we brunched at The White Brick Kitchen.

[colossal caesars garnished with crisp beef bacon]

[I’m a sucker for a benny]

[also a sucker for posing in front of brick walls]

[with carolina + melody]

After brunch, we continued down Bloor St. to shop and eventually made our way to the rooftop bar at the Park Hyatt to basque in the cool fall weather and enjoy the view over cocktails.

…meanwhile, FBS commenced early Sunday evening.

With Kial recovering from his post bday festivities + Mike gearing up to catch the remainder of the games, the guys whipped up a simple yet incredibly delicious pasta [inspired from an episode of The Mind of a Chef]. When I asked Mike for the pasta recipe, I was shocked by how simple it appeared to be and if you don’t believe me, scroll down and see for yourself.

H A N D K E R C H I E F P A S T A | serves 4

1.5C flour
1 egg
3 egg yolks

on a clean counter top, pour the flour in a pile and make a well in the centre
add the eggs into the well
in a circular motion, slowly combine the flour walls with the eggs until fully combined
once dough has formed, knead for 5mins and form into a ball
wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 1hr in room temp
once rested, with the KitchenAid pasta attachment, roll out dough into a pasta sheet
cut pasta into 3″ squares
cook in boiling water for about 2 mins

server with your choice of sauce

[handkerchief pasta with a soft poached egg, prosciutto, and roasted pine nuts in a garlic + tomato butter sauce topped with parm shavings]

I love the bite + texture of broad flat pastas and since this is the broadest pasta I’ve ever had, aside from lasagna, I’ve decided that I love it more than pappardelle. YUM!