Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES ABOUT 18 oz (560g)

1 bunch spinach, about 10 oz (315 g), stemmed

3 large eggs

2 ¹/2 cups (12 ¹/2 oz/390 g) unbleached all-purpose (plain) flour, plus more for dusting

In a large pot over medium heat, combine the spinach and ¹/4 cup (2 fI oz/60 ml) water, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain the spinach and let cool. Place in a kitchen towel and squeeze to extract the excess liquid. Finely chop the spinach. You should have about ¹/2 cup (3 ¹/2 oz/105 g).

In a food processor, combine the spinach and eggs and process until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Add 2 cups (10 oz/315 g) of the flour and process until the flour is evenly moistened and crumbly, about 10 seconds. If the dough is very sticky, add some of the remaining ¹/2 cup (2 ¹/2 oz/75 g) flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing until the flour is incorporated; you may not need all of it. After 30 seconds of processing, the dough should come together and form a loose ball on top of the blade, and feel moist but not sticky when pinched.

Dust a work surface with flour, and place the ball of dough on it. To knead the dough, use the heel of one hand to push it away from you. Lift it from the far side, fold it back toward you, and then rotate the dough a quarter turn. Again, push the dough away with the heel of one hand, pull it back, and rotate a quarter turn. Stop kneading the dough when it feels damp without being sticky and is an even green with no streaks of flour. This will take only a minute or two. You will continue kneading with the pasta machine.

Shape the dough into a ball, cover with a large overturned bowl, and let rest for 30 minutes. The dough is now ready to use.

Buon appetito !