Ingredients:
For the pasta
150 gms flour (00 if you can get it, otherwise, all purpose)
1 whole egg & 1 yolk
a little water (about 10 mls!) if necessary
For the filling
125 gms cooked beetroot
75 gms cooked potato
S&p
A pinch of nutmeg
1 large tbsp grated Parmesan or Grana Padano
For the sauce
50 gms butter
2 tsps poppy seeds (I couldn't find them, so I used nigella seeds)
Method:
For the pasta
150 gms flour (00 if you can get it, otherwise, all purpose)
1 whole egg & 1 yolk
a little water (about 10 mls!) if necessary
For the filling
125 gms cooked beetroot
75 gms cooked potato
S&p
A pinch of nutmeg
1 large tbsp grated Parmesan or Grana Padano
For the sauce
50 gms butter
2 tsps poppy seeds (I couldn't find them, so I used nigella seeds)
Method:
- Put the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Put the eggs in the well and beat with a fork, gradually incorporating the flour from around the edges. When it seems you can't mix any more, add a little water , pull the dough together with your hands and start to knead it on the kitchen counter. Knead for about 5 minutes (or more) until you feel the dough is soft and smooth. Sprinkle with a little extra water if you feel the dough is dry. Set the dough aside, covered in plastic wrap, for 30 minutes or so.
- Mash the potato and the beetroot together with the nutmeg and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture seems too dry , add just a little olive oil. Set aside while you roll out the pasta.
- Set the pasta machine to "1" . Take a lump of the dough and flatten it into a square-ish shape. Put the rest of the dough under a damp cloth until you're ready to use it. Pass the square-ish piece of dough through the pasta machine twice.
- Change the setting to "2". Pass the pasta through the machine twice, change to "3", do the same and carry on until you finish the sheet of pasta on "5".
- Put the sheet on a floured surface and cut circles out with a biscuit (cookie) cutter.
- Place a tsp of the beetroot mixture on each circle, fold over into a half-moon shape, seal with the tines of a fork ( you can paint the edges of each circle with beaten egg if you want) and place on a floured tray.
- Repeat the process with all the dough and all the filling. You should have around 40-45 mezzaluna. Cook in boiling water for about 2 minutes, or until the pasta floats to the surface.
- For the sauce, melt the butter in a pan and add the poppy (or nigella) seeds when the butter is hot. Pour over the mezzaluna and serve with grated Parmesan.
