Naturally Colored Fettuccine
By Ashley Cuoco
Naturally Colored Fettuccine
By Ashley Cuoco
Yield/Serves:
Serves 4-6 (1 pound) per variety
- Beet Pasta:
- 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
- 4 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium cooked beet, peeled
- Tomato Pasta:
- 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
- 4 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- Saffron Pasta:
- 2 teaspoons saffron threads
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
- 4 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Spinach Pasta:
- 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
- 4 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
To make the beet pasta: Puree beet in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Pour flours directly onto a large work surface. Use your fingers to combine them and make a well in the center. Add whole egg, egg yoks, salt and beet puree. Use your hands or a fork to beat the center well, gradually incorporating flour until the dough begins to hold together in a mass. If dough feels too dry, add water by the teaspoon until it comes together.
Sprinkle a handful of semolina onto your work surface. Knead the dough, flouring as necessary until dough feels firm and elastic, about 3 minutes. If dough feels too wet, continue to add flour and knead until no longer sticky to the touch.
Press dough into a disc and wrap in plastic—let rest at room temperature 30 minutes.
Generously flour work surface with semolina. Use a bench scraper to divide disc into 4 equal portions. Remove one quarter and wrap the others in plastic.
Set pasta rolling machine or attachment to widest setting (setting 1). Use a rolling pin to flatten the first quarter of dough into a rough rectangular shape, about ¼" thick. Dust in semolina and pass once dough through the roller. Fold dough like a letter and rotate 90 degrees. Flatten again with a rolling pin and pass once more through the widest setting. Dust with semolina and pass through the next narrowest setting (setting 2). Continue to dust and pass through the next narrowest setting until you reach setting 4 or 5, ideal thickness for fettuccine. When the sheet of dough becomes too long for your work surface, divide it in two for more manageable sizes.
Switch to a fettuccine roller. Dust sheets well with semolina and pass through on low speed. Catch strands in the center as they exit the roller; swirl well in semolina to keep from sticking. Using a circular motion, gently twist the strands together to form a loose nest. Continue this rolling and cutting process with the remaining quarters of dough.
At this stage, nests are ready to be cooked in boiling, salted water (2-3 minutes). Alternatively, nests can be frozen on a sheet pan until firm and transferred to an air-tight bag for storage. When cooking from frozen, add an additional minute or so of cook time.
To make the tomato pasta: Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding tomato paste (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.
To make the saffron pasta: In a small bowl, add saffron threads and 3 tablespoons warm water. Stir and let soak about 5 minutes.
Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding saffron threads and water (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.
To make the spinach pasta: Puree spinach in a food processor or blender until smooth. Using a paper towel or cheese cloth, gently squeeze out a bit of the excess water (not all of it).
Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding spinach puree (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.
Pour flours directly onto a large work surface. Use your fingers to combine them and make a well in the center. Add whole egg, egg yoks, salt and beet puree. Use your hands or a fork to beat the center well, gradually incorporating flour until the dough begins to hold together in a mass. If dough feels too dry, add water by the teaspoon until it comes together.
Sprinkle a handful of semolina onto your work surface. Knead the dough, flouring as necessary until dough feels firm and elastic, about 3 minutes. If dough feels too wet, continue to add flour and knead until no longer sticky to the touch.
Press dough into a disc and wrap in plastic—let rest at room temperature 30 minutes.
Generously flour work surface with semolina. Use a bench scraper to divide disc into 4 equal portions. Remove one quarter and wrap the others in plastic.
Set pasta rolling machine or attachment to widest setting (setting 1). Use a rolling pin to flatten the first quarter of dough into a rough rectangular shape, about ¼" thick. Dust in semolina and pass once dough through the roller. Fold dough like a letter and rotate 90 degrees. Flatten again with a rolling pin and pass once more through the widest setting. Dust with semolina and pass through the next narrowest setting (setting 2). Continue to dust and pass through the next narrowest setting until you reach setting 4 or 5, ideal thickness for fettuccine. When the sheet of dough becomes too long for your work surface, divide it in two for more manageable sizes.
Switch to a fettuccine roller. Dust sheets well with semolina and pass through on low speed. Catch strands in the center as they exit the roller; swirl well in semolina to keep from sticking. Using a circular motion, gently twist the strands together to form a loose nest. Continue this rolling and cutting process with the remaining quarters of dough.
At this stage, nests are ready to be cooked in boiling, salted water (2-3 minutes). Alternatively, nests can be frozen on a sheet pan until firm and transferred to an air-tight bag for storage. When cooking from frozen, add an additional minute or so of cook time.
To make the tomato pasta: Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding tomato paste (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.
To make the saffron pasta: In a small bowl, add saffron threads and 3 tablespoons warm water. Stir and let soak about 5 minutes.
Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding saffron threads and water (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.
To make the spinach pasta: Puree spinach in a food processor or blender until smooth. Using a paper towel or cheese cloth, gently squeeze out a bit of the excess water (not all of it).
Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding spinach puree (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.