medtran49
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Pasta
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 eggs
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 pound fresh spinach, blanched, cooled slightly, squeezed very dry and finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, very finely chopped, preferably microplane grated
1/2 tsp Salt
water if needed
Sauce
3 medium leeks
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt
1/4 pound sliced guanciale (pancetta can be substituted), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 grated Parmesan cheese, divided
You can make the pasta the traditional way by making a well of about 1 cup flour on a board, placing the eggs in the center with the olive oil, spinach, garlic, and salt, then mixing and adding in flour as needed.
Or, and I prefer this method as you get a smoother dough, you can place about a cup of floor and salt into a food processor, pulse to mix, then add spinach and garlic, pulsing several times to chop up spinach and garlic even finer, add remaining ingredients, pulsing until it starts to form a ball. You may need to add a bit of water depending on how dry your spinach was. Then, scrape dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth, silky, and just slightly sticky, adding flour as needed.
Form dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and let rest for 15-20 minutes at minimum. I usually make it earlier in the day and refrigerate, taking it out an hour or so before we are ready to start dinner so it will warm up.
Divide dough into quarters or thirds depending on your pasta machine and roll dough to desired thickness, flouring as needed. We usually take it to #5 out of #6 settings on our machine. Cut into 1/2 inch or so widths and flour well. Set aside and make sauce.
To make sauce, cut off dark green parts of leeks. I learned what I think is the best way from Jacques Pepin https://www.foodandwine.com/video/jacques-pépin-cutting-washing-and-julienning-leek . Julienne the leeks. Melt 1-1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet. Add leeks, pepper, parsley, nutmeg, and salt. Saute over medium heat until the leeks are golden. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon. Add the guanciale and cook until it is nearly crisp. Return the leeks to the pan. Add the remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and turn off heat. Blend in the cream and around half the cheese.
To cook the pasta, shake off excess flour and drop into a large pan of boiling salted water. Cook for 2-4 minutes until tender. Drain.
Gently toss the pasta into the pan with the leek/guanciale mixture and cook gently for 2 minutes more over very low heat. Serve with the rest of the cheese and freshly ground black pepper on the side.
The pasta dough freezes well, just form it into a disk, wrap it well in plastic, place in a plastic bag and freeze. Don't try to shape and then freeze. It becomes very brittle and breaks.
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 eggs
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 pound fresh spinach, blanched, cooled slightly, squeezed very dry and finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, very finely chopped, preferably microplane grated
1/2 tsp Salt
water if needed
Sauce
3 medium leeks
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt
1/4 pound sliced guanciale (pancetta can be substituted), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 grated Parmesan cheese, divided
You can make the pasta the traditional way by making a well of about 1 cup flour on a board, placing the eggs in the center with the olive oil, spinach, garlic, and salt, then mixing and adding in flour as needed.
Or, and I prefer this method as you get a smoother dough, you can place about a cup of floor and salt into a food processor, pulse to mix, then add spinach and garlic, pulsing several times to chop up spinach and garlic even finer, add remaining ingredients, pulsing until it starts to form a ball. You may need to add a bit of water depending on how dry your spinach was. Then, scrape dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth, silky, and just slightly sticky, adding flour as needed.
Form dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and let rest for 15-20 minutes at minimum. I usually make it earlier in the day and refrigerate, taking it out an hour or so before we are ready to start dinner so it will warm up.
Divide dough into quarters or thirds depending on your pasta machine and roll dough to desired thickness, flouring as needed. We usually take it to #5 out of #6 settings on our machine. Cut into 1/2 inch or so widths and flour well. Set aside and make sauce.
To make sauce, cut off dark green parts of leeks. I learned what I think is the best way from Jacques Pepin https://www.foodandwine.com/video/jacques-pépin-cutting-washing-and-julienning-leek . Julienne the leeks. Melt 1-1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet. Add leeks, pepper, parsley, nutmeg, and salt. Saute over medium heat until the leeks are golden. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon. Add the guanciale and cook until it is nearly crisp. Return the leeks to the pan. Add the remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and turn off heat. Blend in the cream and around half the cheese.
To cook the pasta, shake off excess flour and drop into a large pan of boiling salted water. Cook for 2-4 minutes until tender. Drain.
Gently toss the pasta into the pan with the leek/guanciale mixture and cook gently for 2 minutes more over very low heat. Serve with the rest of the cheese and freshly ground black pepper on the side.
The pasta dough freezes well, just form it into a disk, wrap it well in plastic, place in a plastic bag and freeze. Don't try to shape and then freeze. It becomes very brittle and breaks.
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