Homemade Pasta with Pesto

Ingredients

• 200 g All-purpose flour (Sift to avoid lumps)
• 2 pcs Eggs (Large eggs; if small, use 3)
• 30 ml Water (Add gradually if the dough is too dry)
• 40 g Fresh basil (Approximately 250 ml of packed leaves)
• 25 g Pine nuts (Lightly toast before use)
• 7 cloves Garlic (Coarsely crush before grinding)
• 50 g Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) (Finely grate)
• 150 ml Extra virgin olive oil (Use a good quality oil for flavor)
• 20 g Salt (For the pasta cooking water)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pasta dough

   On the board, form a well with the flour, crack the eggs into the center, gently incorporate the flour into the eggs with your hands, add a few drops of water if the dough is too dry, then knead for 2 minutes until a homogeneous dough is obtained.

   Time: PT3M

2. Rest the dough

   Shape a ball, wrap it in cling film and place it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

   Time: PT20M

3. Prepare the pesto

   Crush 7 garlic cloves, grate the parmesan, measure 40 g of fresh basil, 25 g of pine nuts, then place everything in the mortar. Add 150 ml of olive oil, lightly salt and grind until a creamy consistency is achieved.

   Time: PT10M

4. Roll the dough

   Divide the rested dough into 4 balls, flatten them slightly, flour the surface and pass the dough through the machine (or rolling pin) gradually increasing the thickness to 3 mm.

   Time: PT10M

5. Cut the pasta

   Cut the pasta sheets into wide strips (like pappardelle) using a knife or a cutting machine.

   Time: PT5M

6. Cook the pasta

   Bring 2 L of water to a boil with 20 g of salt. Drop the pasta, cook for 1 min 30 s, stir, wait for the water to return to a boil, then cook another 1 min 30 s. Reserve 1 tablespoon of cooking water.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 100°C

7. Combine pasta and pesto

   Drain the pasta, return it to the hot pot, add the pesto, a drizzle of reserved cooking water and heat over low heat for 2 minutes while gently mixing.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: low

8. Plating

   Divide 200 g of pasta onto each plate, sprinkle with extra parmesan and serve immediately.

   Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

620

Protein

22 g

Carbohydrates

68 g

Fat

26 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour
• Instead of Eggs: Organic chicken eggs, Duck eggs
• Instead of Fresh basil: Fresh spinach, Arugula
• Instead of Pine nuts: Walnuts, Sliced almonds
• Instead of Garlic: Garlic powder (1 tsp)
• Instead of Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano): Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano
• Instead of Extra virgin olive oil: Sunflower oil, Walnut oil

Equipment Needed

• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Bowl or mixing bowl
• Fork or whisk
• Pasta machine or rolling pin
• Cling film
• Mortar and pestle
• Immersion blender or food processor
• Pot (2 L)
• Colander
• Frying pan
• Wooden spatula

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Achieve the right dough consistency (neither too dry nor too sticky).
• Pesto: reach a creamy texture without overheating the oil.
• Al dente cooking of the pasta (very short time).
• Use the cooking water to bind the pesto to the pasta.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a fruity extra virgin olive oil to enhance the pesto flavor.
• Lightly toast the pine nuts before incorporating for more aromatic depth.
• If you don't have a pasta machine, a well-floured rolling pin works very well.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: The pesto keeps for 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Freezer: The pesto freezes for up to 6 months, wrapped in cling film then in a freezer bag.

Room temperature: Do not store at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the pesto the day before and keep it in the refrigerator or freeze in portions.
• The dough can rest in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before rolling.
• Cook the pasta ahead, rinse under cold water, store in the refrigerator and reheat quickly with the pesto.