Basil Pasta
Brilliant Color and Flavor!
Amazing homemade BASIL PASTA! A homemade pasta that adds beautiful color and flavor to any Italian pasta recipe. Smell the aroma of Italy with every bite! I grow my own basil and here in Florida basil plants grow like weeds so when I made this fresh pasta recipe my neighbors could see me trimming the leaves off my plants and to them that only means one thing.
Something fresh and delicious is about to happen.
Something that happens a lot and I love it! I gives me an excuse to invite them over for dinner. I love to entertain and I love to see people enjoying good food and wine.
Making basil pasta was an idea I had when I was trying to think of a new and creative homemade pasta recipe. Some Italian pasta sauce recipes are simple like, Alio Olio which is a Garlic and Olive Oil sauce. Add a little parmigiano and you've got dinner. Imagine that with a Basil Pasta? PERFECT!
BASIL PASTA INGREDIENTS:
- 1½ cups of all purpose flour
- ¼ cup of semolina flour (You can increase the all purpose flour if you don't have semolina flour)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 2oz fresh basil leaves
BASIL PASTA PREPARATION:
I like to put the basil in the food processor and chop it up like I would if I were making a pesto recipe. Then add the eggs and olive oil to the processor and pulse it slightly. You don't want it frothy, just blended.Sift the flour, both of them together or just the all purpose, with the salt and place it in a pile in the middle of your cutting board.
Make a well or cup in the center of the pile and pour the basil mixture in the well. Take a fork and slowly stir in the flour and the mixture together. When it becomes paste-like start kneading. And kneading. And kneading. You should do this for about 10 minutes. Dust with flour as needed if pasta dough is too moist and sticky.
Your dough, especially if you use the semolina, will be almost leather-like and you should be able to handle it without the dough sticking to your hands.
I remember the first time I made homemade pasta. It was a disaster. In fact you can read about it here in my spinach pasta recipe page. The ingredients were off and I ended up with enough pasta to feed the Roman Army.
That's one of the reasons I like to make all the recipes I post here first. The other is because I get to eat them! It also allows me to show how it's supposed to look or gives you serving ideas.
On my first attempt I didn't have a pasta making machine either. Yippeee to the day I bought mine! Not that I have anything against store bought pasta. There are some really great brands out there. But if you're making fresh pasta, a pasta machine is a MUST HAVE!
Especially as your passion for pasta grows!
You can roll it out into pieces to fit your pasta maker machine and start with the higher level roller. Mine starts with level 7. I usually run it through 2 times and then lower the level or making it thinner.
The more you roll it the better. It's like kneading but easier.
I don't usually go below a level 2 or the second to last level for say a fettucini pasta shape. Your pasta machine should have a fettucini cutting attachment. Whatever pasta shape you make you will love this flavored pasta enough to try all of them listed on this site!
Vivere, Amare, Ridere e Mangiare Bene
Live, Love, Laugh and Eat Well!
Kira Volpi
HOW TO MAKE PASTA
HOME PAGE
Join my monthly newsletter where you'll get all the latest pasta news, events, recipes and products. It's an all pasta foodie community.
