Homemade Pasta with Fresh Greens
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
5 mins
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resting
1 hr
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Servings
6 (1 lb of pasta)
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Calories
182 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Homemade Pasta with Fresh Greens
Description
Homemade Pasta with Fresh Greens starts by briefly wilting fresh greens in boiling water, then draining and pureeing them into a thick paste. This puree is mixed with eggs and incorporated into all-purpose flour to form a sticky dough. Kneading softens the dough and distributes ingredients evenly, creating a smooth, pliable texture that can be rolled out and shaped.
The fresh greens lend mild vegetal flavor and a hint of color to the pasta, making it distinct from plain dough. Since the greens are lightly cooked and pureed, the texture remains tender rather than fibrous. This pasta serves as a versatile base that pairs well with a range of sauces, especially those that complement fresh vegetable notes.
This preparation invites home cooks to experiment with different greens for nuanced flavor variations. The dough’s stickiness requires careful kneading and flour adjustment to achieve the right consistency for rolling and cutting. The pasta can be cooked fresh to maintain its delicate texture.
Ingredients
- 9 ounces greens like pea shoots, spinach, etc. You want to end up with about 1/2 cup of puree, fresh
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 egg
Instructions
- First, make your greens puree. Bring about 1/2 inch of water to a boil in a large pot. Add your greens and cook for just a couple of minutes until the greens are just barely wilted.
- Drain you greens well and press out the excess water through a colander or strainer, or gently squeeze in a clean towel.
- Puree the drained greens in a food processor or with an immersion blender until smooth. You want to have about 1/2 packed cup of a thick puree.
- Place the flour in a large mixing bowl or on your work surface.
- Make a well in the center of the pile of flour, and add the eggs and the puree.
- Using a fork or your hands, begin to mix the eggs and the puree into the flour, continuing to add flour from the sides of your pile of flour as you go.
- Continue to mix until a sticky dough forms. Knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes. You want it to be smooth and not sticky. You can add a little more flour to your dough or your kneading surface as you go if you need to keep it from sticking.
- Place the dough in a bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and allow it to rest at room temperature for an hour.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces, and on a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece at a time into a large rectangle somewhere around 6 x 18 inches. You can continue to lightly flour as you go if needed. You want your dough to be very thin and translucent, but not so thin that it's super delicate and prone to tearing when you try to move it.
- When you are done with each sheet, place it somewhere like a clean dish rack, or a baking sheet to dry out for a few minutes as you finish the rest of the sheets. This will make cutting the noodles easier.
- When you're done rolling out all of the sheets, start cutting the noodles, starting with the first sheet you rolled out (this gives the other sheets time to dry out as you cut the noodles.)
- For long, flat noodles like fettucine, lightly flour and then fold your rectangle gently in thirds. With a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut narrow strips, and unfold the noodles as you go and lay them to the side. If they are sticking too much, add more flour to your sheet of dough.
- As you finish each batch of noodles, gently twist them into little nests or piles to keep them from tangling, and place them on a lightly floured baking sheet. You can cook your noodles right away, or leave them covered in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.
- To cook fresh pasta, place them in boiling water for about 2 minutes, drain, and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is adapted slightly from Saveur for home preparation.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6(1 lb of pasta)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 182 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 | |
| Calories | 182kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 33g | 11% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 55mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 55mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 302mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 0.3g | 1% |
| Vitamin A | 4067IU | 81% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 57mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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