Herbed Pasta Perfection Recipes

HOMEMADE HERBED PASTA WITH FETA, LEMON AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• For the pasta: Sift the flours into a pile on a clean work surface. Create a 6-inch well in the middle. Add the parsley, olive oil, eggs and yolks, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper to the well. Whisk gently with a fork. When the center is combined, begin to incorporate the flours into the eggs a little at a time. Once you can no longer use your fork, use your hands to knead the dough. When the dough is shaggy, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into 2. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Roll out the dough, using semolina flour as needed. The pasta should be about 2 centimeters thick. Fold the pasta in half lengthwise, then in half again. Slice into 3/4-inch wide ribbons, or desired width. Shake out the noodles and hold in nests.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it ferociously. Cook the pasta to al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta water.
• For the feta, lemon and pine nut sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when flicked across the surface. Add the pine nuts and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the preserved lemon and 1 cup mint and cook, stirring, for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Allow it to cook down and reduce for another minute. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, reduce the heat to low and toss the pasta to coat it evenly in the mixture. Add more pasta water if it needs a bit more sauce. Add about 20 turns of black pepper and top with the feta, a few pinches of crushed red pepper and the remaining 1 cup mint. Serve immediately and enjoy.

HERBED BAKED PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of the tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the ricotta, basil and parsley and season with salt and pepper.
• While the sauce simmers, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp tender, about 4 minutes. Add the carrots and peas and cook, stirring, just until the carrots start to wilt, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Cook the rigatoni in the salted boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

HERBED PAPPARDELLE WITH PARSLEY AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Set a large pot filled with 5 quarts of water over high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Add 6 tablespoons fine sea salt or 1/2 cup kosher salt. Set a colander in the sink.
• Lightly dust a sheet of pasta with semolina flour, then loosely roll into thirds lengthwise, like folding a letter. Using a sharp knife, cut noodles in 3/4-inch increments. Shake off the excess semolina, and repeat with remaining pasta sheets. Form pasta into small nests (about 3 ounces per portion) on baking sheets lined with parchment paper and dusted with semolina.
• Add 4 nests of pasta to the water and stir. (Freeze the rest of the pasta for later use.)
• Set a large frying pan over medium heat and add the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the garlic threatens to turn golden, about 1 minute.
• Just before the garlic begins to brown, add 1 cup pasta cooking water and increase heat to medium-high. Let the sauce simmer until it reduces by about a third.
• Cook pasta until al dente, about 3 minutes, and drain, reserving another cup of pasta water.
• Add drained pasta to the pan and toss. Add parsley, and continue cooking over medium heat for 1 minute, tossing continuously with tongs. If pasta looks dry, add a little pasta water. It should be slightly wetter than you are comfortable with, because the pasta will continue to absorb sauce even after you pull it from the heat. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Remove from heat, and serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan.

HERBED ANGEL HAIR PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook garlic in oil and butter over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. , Drain pasta; add to skillet. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, basil, parsley, salt and pepper; toss to coat. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.

HERB PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• In a food processor combine the flour, salt, eggs, oil and 1/4 cup water; process until dough begins to form a ball. Add more water, only if needed, 1 teaspoon at a time. Process 30 seconds more to knead. Remove dough from processor and rest, covered with inverted bowl, at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces. Set rollers of pasta machine at widest setting. Flatten 1 piece of dough into a rectangle (cover other pieces with inverted bowl). Lightly dust rectangle with flour and feed through rollers. Fold rectangle in half and feed through rollers 6 to 8 more times, folding in half each time and dusting lightly with flour to keep it from sticking to machine. Turn dial down one notch and feed the dough to last setting. Repeat with other 3 pieces.
• Cut sheets of dough into equal lengths. Cover surface of one sheet with fresh herb leaves (stems removed). Top with second dough sheet. With lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough sheets to seal. With pastry wheel or knife, cut dough into large shapes and dust very lightly with flour. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheet and dry slightly.

HERBED PASTA PERFECTION

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano and thyme; cook until garlic is light golden brown, about 1 minute. Using a whisk, mix cornstarch with 1/2 cup water until dissolved. Add cornstarch mixture, wine, chicken bouillon and sugar to skillet. Bring wine mixture to a boil and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, 2 - 5 minutes. Stir beans into sauce and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more.
• Add cooked, hot pasta to skillet; stir to coat completely with sauce. Divide pasta evenly among serving bowls. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

PASTA WITH CREAMY HERB SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream, sage, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium and cook until the cream has thickened slightly and is reduced to about 1 cup, 12 to 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat until the pasta's ready.
• When the cream is at the halfway point, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until a minute or 2 shy of al dente. About 3 minutes before draining the pasta, add the greens to the water. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and greens with a colander and return to the pot.
• Place the just-used colander over the pot of pasta, then strain the infused cream through the colander into the noodles. (Discard or compost the herbs and cinnamon stick.) Add the 1/2 cup pasta water to the pasta, set over medium-high heat, and cook, tossing, until the sauce glosses the noodles, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

HERBED PASTA PERFECTION

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano and thyme; cook until garlic is light golden brown, about 1 minute. Using a whisk, mix cornstarch with 1/2 cup water until dissolved. Add cornstarch mixture, wine, chicken bouillon and sugar to skillet. Bring wine mixture to a boil and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, 2 - 5 minutes. Stir beans into sauce and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more.
• Add cooked, hot pasta to skillet; stir to coat completely with sauce. Divide pasta evenly among serving bowls. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.