Best Pasta Dough 2 Spinach Recipes

PASTA DOUGH #2, SPINACH

Steps:

• Take your spinach and either chop it to almost nothing or put in a blender/processor and whirl to fine-squeeze again.
• In a large glass bowl add spinach, eggs, salt and oil.
• Mix well.
• Slowly fork in flour-mix well.
• Turn onto a floured board or counter and kneed to a smooth ball, around 10 minutes.
• Wrap in waxed paper and let rest for 30 minutes.
• At this point follow your pasta maker's instructions for rolling (manual machine) or flour your counter, cut dough to manageable pieces and roll to desired thickness and cut to desired shape.

SPINACH PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• If you're using frozen spinach, start thawing it a day before making the pasta. Take the frozen block out of the box, put it in a colander over a bowl, and let it thaw completely and drain for a day in the refrigerator, or overnight at room temperature. Squeeze the thawed spinach by handfuls to press out as much liquid as possible.
• If you're using fresh spinach, try to start a day ahead. Wash it thoroughly in several changes of cold water, remove the stems, and cook it for 5 minutes or more in a large volume of boiling water. Remove the spinach from the pot, and let it drain and cool in a colander; then squeeze out as much water as possible. If possible, let it drain and dry in the colander overnight. Squeeze the spinach again the next day.
• With either kind of spinach, when you think you've squeezed it enough, squeeze it again, by handfuls, using all your might. The drier the spinach, the better the pasta.
• Crumble the spinach into the food-processor bowl and purée it thoroughly, scraping it off the sides. With the spinach and the blade in place, add the flour and pulse to blend with the spinach, scraping as necessary.
• Whisk together the whole eggs, yolks, and oil in a bowl or measuring cup with a spout. With the food processor running, pour in the liquid ingredients on top of the green flour. Process for about 30 seconds, scrape down the work-bowl, and scrape in all the egg residue too. Process another 20 to 30 seconds, until the dough has started to come together in a ball on the blade.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly, until it's smooth. Wrap well in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling. Store for 2 days in the refrigerator, or for 3 months in the freezer.

SPINACH PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt and blanched spinach. Process to mix well. With the machine running, add the eggs, egg yolks, and olive oil through the feed tube, and process until it resembles wet cornmeal, about 2 minutes.
• Take a handful of dough at a time and form into a firm ball. Repeat with the remaining dough. Roll out each dough ball into desired shape in a pasta machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until just al dente, about 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and serve with desired sauce.

HOMEMADE SPINACH PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and fill a medium bowl with ice water. Add the spinach to the pot and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds; drain, then plunge into the ice water. Once chilled, remove the spinach to a kitchen towel and squeeze until dry.
• Combine the blanched spinach, whole eggs and egg yolk, olive oil and a big pinch of salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Mound the flour on a work surface. Make a well in the center, 4 to 5 inches in diameter with high walls. Add the spinach mixture to the well and, using a fork, gradually mix flour from the inner edge of the well into the wet ingredients. Continue incorporating the flour until a rough sticky dough forms. Use a spatula or bench scraper to gather up any loose bits of flour and dough, then use your hands to gather and knead the whole thing together. (If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Knead until a smooth and slightly tacky bright green dough forms, about 6 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
• Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces; press each into a rough rectangle. Cover 3 of the pieces and set aside. Lightly flour the remaining piece of dough and feed the dough through the widest setting on a pasta maker. Fold the strip in half and feed it through again. Move to the next setting and feed the dough through this setting twice without folding, lightly flouring as needed. Repeat until you are at the third-to-last setting. The dough will be thin but not transparent, about 1/8 inch thick. Lightly flour the pasta sheet, then transfer to a floured baking sheet; halve the sheet crosswise if it's hanging off the baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.
• Attach a long noodle cutter to the pasta maker. Feed each sheet of dough through the cutter, gathering the pasta on the other side. Lightly sprinkle with flour and shape into a loose nest. Return to the baking sheet.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, gently separating the strands with tongs. Cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain. Toss with your sauce, adding the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen.

SPINACH PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Place spinach and water in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cover and simmer, stirring once, until spinach is wilted, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool, about 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as possible, getting the spinach very dry. Chop spinach very finely.
• Place flour on a marble or wooden work surface. Make a well in the center and crack in the eggs; add the salt and finely chopped spinach. Gently beat eggs with a fork, incorporating the surrounding flour and spinach, until batter is runny. Bring remaining flour into the batter using a bench scraper until dough forms a ball. Mix in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough feels too stiff.
• Knead dough with your hands by flattening the ball, stretching it and folding the top towards the center. Turn 45 degrees and repeat until dough is soft and smooth, about 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into a ball. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Roll out the dough with pasta machine or with a rolling pin and turn into your favorite pasta shape.