Green Pasta
There is nothing quite like a farm fresh meal, am I right? Whether its something simple like a garden salad made with the freshest possible ingredients, a gooey omelet made from eggs collected that very morning, or a pan full of roasted seasonal vegetables, nothing tastes quite as good as fresh, local food. I love it all, but among our favorites is homemade pasta.
I know what you’re thinking: Pasta? Homemade? How? Why? And I get it! Pasta is one of the cheapest premade items you can purchase at the grocery story, so why bother going through the trouble of making it yourself? Believe me when I tell you it’s worth it for a bite of the delicate texture and rich flavor of homemade pasta, made with fresh ingredients and a little love. Plus, making pasta isn’t nearly as hard as you think. In fact, all you need is a few eggs, some quality flour, and a little bit of elbow grease.
Since today is St. Patrick’s Day Patrick’s Day, and everyone will be wearing, drinking, and eating green, I thought I’d share my favorite green pasta recipe with you. This recipe takes the basic pasta dough and adds a bit of color in the form of processed greens (think basil, spinach, kale, or even leftover radish greens.)
Enjoy!
Green Pasta Dough
Serves roughly 4 people.
INGREDIENTS
2 ½ cups of flour (for the best results, try ‘00’ pasta flour, but all-purpose flour will work too), plus more for rolling
4 large eggs + 2 egg yolks
1 ¼ cup fresh greens (basil, spinach, kale, etc)
INSTRUCTIONS
In a food processor or blender, process greens until finely chopped and smooth. Pour into a small mixing bowl.
Add eggs and egg yolk to the mixing bowl, and beat gently with a fork until well combined.
On a clean, flat surface such as a table or large wooden cutting board, pile the flour. Using your fist, make a well at the center. If you see the surface, that is okay.
Add the green egg mixture to the center of the well.
Slowly in a circular motion, use fork to start incorporating egg and flour together until a paste begins to form.
Once paste gets too thick to mix with the fork, bring the remainder of the flour together with your hands. It will be a little messy, and that is okay!
Once you have the ingredients mostly combined, use your hands to knead the pasta dough until it all comes together, roughly 5-10 minutes. If the dough seems to dry, you can add a spoonful of water.
Once the dough is smooth and springy to the touch, roll into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. (The rest time is important! This helps with the pasta’s smooth and tender texture, so don’t skip it.)
After letting the pasta dough rest, quarter the dough so you are working with ¼ at a time, while keeping the rest wrapped and protected from drying out. It’s now time to shape your pasta!
For this recipe, I made garganelli, a ridged, hollow tube-shaped pasta great for holding hearty sauces. To make this, roll your pasta out to about 1/8 in thick. It needs to be thin enough to roll up neatly, but not so thin it tears when you shape it.
Once rolled, cut the sheet into 2 inch squares. Work quickly — if the dough dries out too much, it won't seal properly when rolled.
Place a square diagonally on a ridged surface, like back of a gnocchi board or a comb, put a thin dowel or straw at the corner closest to you, and roll it away from you while pressing gently to create the ridges. Seal the final point by pressing firmly.
Keep finished garganelli on a lightly floured tray and cook within an hour, or dry them completely for storage.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt. Cook pasta for 5-8 minutes, until tender and cooked through. Enjoy with your favorite sauce!
