Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour, plus more for kneading 3 extra large eggs Directions: Mixing and preparing the pasta: With your hands, squeeze as much water out of the thawed spinach as possible, placing in a cloth towel to wring out any remaining moisture—this will yield about 2 tablespoons of spinach. Finely chop the spinach. [NOTE: It is important to get as much water out as possible to ensure the right dough consistency. Too much moisture will make the dough very sticky.] Place the spinach, flour, and eggs into the mixer bowl. Attach the bowl and the flat beater. Turn on to speed 2 and mix for 30 to 45 seconds, until the dough clumps together forming small round clumps ranging in size from 1/4 to 1/2 balls. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead into the shape of a loaf of bread, (should only take around 30 seconds). The dough should not stick to your fingers, but hold its form without crumbling, and roll into a loaf shape. The dough should spring back when you finger is lightly pressed into the surface and does not stick to your hands. Split the loaf into two pieces. Wrap the piece that will not be rolled immediately in plastic wrap to avoid excess drying. Attach the Pasta Sheet Roller attachment to the mixer. Rolling out the pasta dough into fettuccine noodles: Shape first piece of dough into a rectangle about 3/8-inch-thick. Lightly dust both sides with flour. Set the pasta sheet roller knob to 1, turn the speed to 2 and feed the flattened piece of dough into the rollers to knead. Lightly flour the piece of dough if it feels sticky to the touch, fold in half lengthwise and pass through the rollers again to knead. Repeat the flour, folding and kneading process an additional two more times, for a total of four times. Sprinkle flour only as needed to get dough to a soft leather-like feel. Adjust the pasta sheet roller knob to 2 and feed the dough through the rollers. Repeat this step one more time for a total of two times. Lightly dust the dough with flour if it becomes sticky. Adjust the knob to 3 and pass the dough through the rollers one time. Adjust the knob to 4 and pass the dough through one time. If thinner pasta is desired, repeat once with knob at 5 or 6, if very thin pasta is desired. [NOTE: Thinner dough will reduce cooking time.] Exchange the roller attachment for the fettuccine cutter attachment. Cut the pasta sheets into smaller 12-inch-long sheets. Turn the speed to 2 and pass the smaller pasta sheets through the cutter attachment turning them into fettuccine noodles. Place in boiling water for 2 – 3 minutes or until you have achieved your desired “to the tooth” consistency
Nonna’s Simple Sauce
Ingredients:
Sugo di Nonna
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 small to medium onion, finely minced 1/4 cup water 2 large cloves garlic, finely minced 1/2 cup wine (Nonna used either red or white, whatever was left from the previous night’s dinner) 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled Italian tomatoes (preferably San Marzano tomatoes), placed in a bowl and crushed by hand, reserving all of the liquid 1 cup strained tomatoes (tomato puree may be substituted) 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté for a minute, stirring constantly. Add the water and cook until the water has almost evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the wine and cook until the wine has reduced by half, stirring occasionally, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes with all their juices, strained tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
Makes 4 cups sauce.
