Make your own pasta infused with activated charcoal, boasting a deep black inky colour. Flavour-wise it has a subtle earthy flavour which pairs well with a wide range of sauces and ingredients. Home grown tomatoes together with minced fresh garlic made a rich sauce which was perfect in flavour and in contrast to the black pasta. A sprinkling of toasted pine nuts for added texture and crunch to the dish.
The pasta is made fresh with 3 simple basic ingredients (semolina, double zero flour and water). When cooked this pasta melts in your mouth. Freeze left over uncooked pasta for future meals.
If your not into making it fresh there are many varieties and options of ready made pasta available. Beside the traditional wheat pasta there are a variety of dietary preferences that provide different flavours and textures of pasta such as rice, corn, lentils, chickpeas, spelt, wholegrain, quinoa, buckwheat, sweet potato almond flour in the form of noodles, shapes, dried or fresh.
EQUIPMENT
food processor, portable pasta maker or pasta roller and fettuccine cutter attachments for stand mixer/kitchen aid , other alternative a rolling pin
INGREDIENTS FOR FRESH PASTA
250g or 1 1/2 cup semolina
250g or 1 2/3 cup Type 00 pasta flour
10g charcoal activated powder
300mls filtered water (warmed)
LETS MAKE THE DOUGH
* Warm the water until just warm.
* Place the two flours and turmeric into a food processor, process to combine the flours.
* With the motor running slowly pour the water into the food processor until the dough starts to come together and is sticky but not wet to touch. You may not need all the liquid.
TIME TO KNEAD THE DOUGH
* Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface using 00 flour.
* Knead the dough until it becomes silky smooth, about 10 minutes.
* Shape the dough into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
* Set aside to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.
STRETCH AND THIN THE DOUGH
* Set up the pasta machine with the roller attachment in place, put it on the widest setting ( usually beginning with 1)
* Take your dough and cut into four pieces . Flatten one piece of dough into a thick disk and feed it through the pasta roller. Repeat this once or twice.
* Fold this piece of dough into thirds, give it a press between your hands then feed the pasta through the rollers, crosswise. Do this at least a couple more times as this helps to strengthen the gluten in the flour, giving it a chewier texture when cooked.
* Next step is thin and cut the pasta. Each time you feed the dough through the rollers the dough will become thinner, at the same time change the setting until you reach 5 0r 6. If the pasta gets too long to be manageable lightly dust the bench top with semolina flour lay the stretched out dough down and cut it in half or thirds depending how long you want the noodle to be.
CONTINUE
* Continue with the other pieces until all the dough is stretched and ready to be cut into noodles.
* Remove the pasta roller and now attach the fettuccine cutter.
* Run the sheets of stretched pasta through the cutter.
* Toss the noodles with a dusting of semolina to keep them from sticking together place them on a floured baking tray and cover with a towel while you finish cutting the rest of the dough.
* If you choose not to cook all the pasta you can freeze it on the tray and once frozen store in zip lock bags in the freezer. When required take frozen pasta from the freezer and add strait into a pot of boiling salted water and cook 3 -4 minutes or until al dente.
RICH TOMATO PASTA SAUCE
2 tablespoon olive oil
145g or 1 medium size brown or yellow onion, finely diced
26g or 6 medium-large cloves garlic, minced
1 kg tomatoes fresh, frozen (thawed) or crushed canned tomatoes
Salt to taste
METHOD
*In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
*Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until it becomes translucent, 3-5 minutes.
*Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
*Add in the fresh tomatoes, and stir well. If adding thawed tomato drain the juice before adding.
*Add salt to taste, if the sauce is too acidic add a little sugar.
*Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch closely sauce doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan and burn.
*The longer it simmers, the more the flavour will develop.
*Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
*Once the sauce has thickened and cooked down and the flavour is just right, remove from heat and set aside.
* It is time to cook the pasta.
COOK PASTA AND ASSEMBLE
* Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
* Cook the pasta until al dente, 3-4 minutes. Strain the pasta and reserve some of the cooking water.
*For package pasta follow manufacturers instructions.
* Add the pasta to the tomato sauce and toss together gently until the noodles are well coated with the sauce.
* Add a little of the reserved cooking water as needed to thin sauce out if it has become too thick.
* Serve pasta in individual bowls, garnish with toasted pine nuts and vegan parmesan.
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