Fresh Pappardelle Pasta with Pesto
Pesto can be made from all manner of ingredients besides the commonly used basil—from roasted bell peppers and sun-dried tomatoes to a medley of fresh herbs and greens, which we use here. Basil, spinach and baby kale all work well, but this recipe is totally flexible, so choose whatever you find at your farmers’ market or in your fridge. We pair the pesto with homemade pappardelle that’s a snap to prepare in the Philips pasta maker. The wide noodles are tinted a beautiful shade of green thanks to the addition of spinach water.
Ingredients:
For the pesto:
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2/3 cup (3 1/4 oz./100 g) nuts, such as pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios or almonds or a combination, toasted and cooled
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz./185 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 cups (about 6 oz./185 g) mixed lightly packed fresh herbs and greens, such as basil, parsley, spinach, baby kale and/or chard
- 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For the spinach water:
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup packed spinach (about 1 1/4 oz./35 g)
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) water
For the pasta:
- 2 eggs
- 1 lb. (500 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for tossing with pasta
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
- Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish
Directions:
To make the pesto, with a food processor running, drop the garlic cloves through the feed tube to mince them. Stop the processor and add the nuts, Parmesan, mixed herbs and greens and lemon juice. Process until the greens are finely chopped, about 30 seconds. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, processing until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
To make the spinach water, bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Add the spinach to the boiling water and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain the spinach, then plunge into the ice water. Drain the spinach again and squeeze dry. In a blender, combine the spinach and the 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) water and blend until the spinach has dissolved. Strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve or a piece of cheesecloth into a small bowl. You should have about 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) spinach water.
To make the pasta, crack the eggs into the measuring cup that comes with the pasta machine; set aside.
Turn the pasta machine on. Add the flour in the designated location and shut the lid. The machine will measure the flour and indicate how much spinach water to add to the measuring cup with the eggs in it. This should be around the 190 ml mark; top off with plain water, if needed. Then beat together the eggs and spinach water.
Press “play” and add the egg mixture into the well. The pasta will be mixed in 3 minutes and begin extruding; the pasta may seem dry and that’s okay. Cut into the desired length. If not cooking the pasta immediately, toss with flour to prevent sticking, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. You can also toss the pasta with flour, then hang it on a pasta rack and let stand in a dry place for up to 1 hour.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the cooking water, and return the pasta to the pot. Place over low heat, add the pesto and reserved cooking water and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with fresh basil leaves and lots of shaved Parmesan alongside. Serves 4 to 6.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen
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