Fresh Spinach Lasagna Noodles
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Look.
This is the recipe that convinced me to buy a Kitchenaid Mixer with pasta roller attachment. Rolling pasta by hand, as gratifying as it is… I mean, let’s just say my right shoulder is still sore. 3 weeks later. I pulled something. I also broke my rolling pin. If your upper body strength is up for it, you can definitely do this recipe with ZERO equipment. But a food processor and a stand mixer sure does make it quicker and less painful.
And really, you can use this recipe for spaghetti or fettuccine or pappardelle or whatever kind of pasta your beautiful heart desires, just cut the dough according to pasta type.
This particular batch of lasagna noodles was made especially for Lasagna Verde, which is what you should use your fresh pasta for as well. It’s amazeballs.
Pasta really is simple as all get out – fresh spinach, flour, salt, eggs.
You could use fresh or frozen spinach for this – just make sure you squeeze as much water out of the spinach as you can. I tried to use paper towels. That didn’t work out so well, so I just used my hands.
Puree the spinach in a food processor. Add in eggs, flour, and salt.
Pulse until it all comes together – about 20 seconds.
Turn her out onto a lightly floured surface and get’ta kneading. It took me a good 10 minutes of hand kneading to get this ball of dough to…
…this lovely smooth ball of spinachy glutany realness. Let the dough rest under a bowl for an hour or two.
After the dough rests, cut into 8 equal parts.
So. At this point in the process it was still fun. 4 mini dough balls later, I was this guy. Shoulders sore, sweatin’, and almost over it. But I committed, so I kept going. I also googled “pasta rollers”. -____-
Look how thin I got the dough though… with nothin’ but perseverance and elbow grease!
Cut off the straggle edges and cut into 2 1/2″ strips. Bam! Fresh lasagnanoodletimes!
Fresh Spinach Lasagna Noodles
adapted from martha
6 ounces spinach
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Coarse salt
Directions
Add 2 inches of water to a medium saucepan, and fit with a steamer insert. Bring to a simmer. Add 6 ounces spinach, cover, and steam until bright green and softened, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly. Squeeze out liquid using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Puree spinach in a food processor (you should have about 1/2 cup puree).
Add eggs and yolk to puree in food processor, and process until combined. Add flour and 1 heaping teaspoon salt, and process until dough just comes together, about 20 seconds.
Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes, adding up to 2 tablespoons flour if dough is too sticky. Place on a piece of parchment, and cover with an inverted bowl, or wrap tightly in plastic; let rest for 1 to 2 hours.
Cut dough into 8 equal pieces.
… if you have a pasta roller machine
Working with 1 piece at a time (keep the remaining pieces covered with the inverted bowl), flatten dough into an oblong shape slightly thinner than the pasta machine’s widest setting (number 1). Dust dough very lightly with flour, and feed through machine. Fold lengthwise into thirds and rotate 90 degrees. Repeat twice on same setting to smooth dough and increase its elasticity.
Turn the dial to next narrower setting. Pass dough through twice, gently supporting it with your palm. Continue to press dough, passing it through ever-finer settings, two passes on each setting, until sheet is almost translucent and very thin but still intact (number 5 of 8 on a KitchenAid pasta roller). The dough will stretch to about 16 inches long. If dough bubbles or tears, pass it through again, and dust with flour if the dough is sticking.
…if you only have hands and a rolling pin (like me!)
Roll it. Roll it until it’s thin. Roll it until it’s as thin as you can get it without breaking your rolling pin or cursing the dough to death or you’re not breaking down in tears.
cut the pasta
Place rolled sheet on a lightly floured surface, and cut into 2 1/2″ wide ribbons for lasagna. Drape over rack until sheets are semi-dry and won’t stick together, about 20 minutes. Cook immediately, or lay flat on a baking sheet dusted with semolina, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
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