Fresh Beet Pasta Dough Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss beets with oil and a large pinch of salt. Wrap tightly in a parchment-lined piece of foil, and place on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool. Rub beets with paper towels to remove skins. Puree in a food processor (you should have 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 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 pieces. 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.
• For farfalle, lasagna squares, or ravioli: Place rolled sheet on a lightly floured surface, and cut into desired shape, using a dry brush to dust flour off if needed. Cook according to corresponding recipe. For ribbon pastas: Place dough on a drying rack until slightly tacky, 10 to 15 minutes, and then cut into strands using a pasta machine, cutting attachment, or by hand. Drape over rack until strands are semidry and don't stick together, about 20 minutes. Cook immediately, or lay in a single layer on a baking sheet dusted with semolina, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Steps:

• Beat together the eggs, yolk and olive oil with a fork in a large spouted measuring cup.
• Combine the flour and a large pinch of kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine. With the food processor motor running, gradually pour the egg mixture through the feed tube and let it run until the dough forms a ball around the blade. (If the dough is too sticky to form a ball, add a tablespoon or so of flour and process again. If it is too crumbly to form a ball, add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process again.) Once the dough forms a ball, process until smooth and springy, 20 to 30 seconds.
• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead several times, until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. (The dough can be made 1 day ahead, wrapped and refrigerated. Let it come to room temperature before rolling.)
• Anchor a pasta machine to your countertop or secure the pasta attachment to a stand mixer. Set the machine to the widest setting. Unwrap the dough and cut it into 4 equal pieces. Wrap 3 of the pieces while you work with the fourth.
• Flatten the dough into a rectangle and lightly dust with flour. Roll it through the pasta machine at the widest setting. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter and feed it through the pasta machine. Repeat the folding and feeding of the dough through the machine 2 more times. (Rolling and folding in this manner will help strengthen and smooth the dough.)
• Set the pasta machine to the next setting (one setting thinner than the widest). Flour the dough as necessary and feed it through the machine. Repeat, feeding it through one more time.
• Adjust the machine to the next thinnest setting and feed the dough through 2 times as above. Continue changing the setting and feeding the dough through 2 times for each setting until you have fed the dough through the second-to-last setting. The dough should be thin enough so that you can see your hand through it.
• If you are cutting your pasta into noodles: Stop rolling the dough through after you have gone through the second-to-last setting.
• If you are making filled pasta, like ravioli: Change the machine to the final setting and feed the dough through.
• Cut the dough in half crosswise and cover it with plastic wrap. Repeat the folding, rolling and cutting process with the 3 remaining pieces of dough. Cover each piece of dough as you finish. You should have 8 pieces of dough total.
• If you are cutting your pasta into noodles: Affix the cutting attachment to the pasta machine. Choose the desired setting and feed the dough through. Lightly toss the noodles with a little flour on a baking sheet to prevent sticking and cover with a dry kitchen towel while you process the rest of the dough. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes.
• If you are making filled pasta: Proceed according to your recipe's instructions.

Steps:

• Mound the flour on a clean work surface. Hollow out the center making a well in the middle of the flour with steep sides.
• Break the eggs into the well. Add the salt, and olive oil to the hollow center and gently mix together with a fork. Gradually start incorporating the flour by pulling in the flour from the sides of the well. As you incorporate more of the flour, the dough will start to take shape.
• With your hands or a bench scraper continue working the dough until it comes together. If the dough is too dry, add a little water; if too wet or sticky, add a little flour.
• Begin kneading the dough and keep kneading until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. At this point, set the dough aside, cover it with plastic, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but allow it to return to room temperature before rolling it out.
• Divide the pasta dough into 4 even sections. Keep each section covered with plastic wrap or a clean towel while you work with each one. Flour the dough, the rollers of a pasta roller (or your rolling pin), your hands, and the work surface.
• If using a pasta machine: Flatten 1 of the of the dough pieces between your hands or with a floured rolling pin until it forms a thick oval disk. Dust the disk, the roller, and your hands with additional flour. Flour a baking sheet to hold the rolled out finished pasta.
• With the roller on the widest setting, pass the pasta through the machine's rollers a few times until it is smooth. Fold the dough over into 1/3, and continue to pass through a few more times until the pasta is smooth again. Begin adjusting the pasta machine settings to become thinner, passing the dough through a few times at each setting.
• If rolling the pasta by hand: Flatten a dough piece into a thick oval disk with your hands. Flour a baking sheet for the rolled out finished pasta. Place the oval dough disk on a floured work surface, and sprinkle with additional flour. Begin rolling out the dough with a floured rolling pin working from the center of the dough outwards, constantly moving the dough and lifting it to make sure it's not sticking.
• Flavor and color variations:
• Cook's Note: All color additions should be added to eggs before incorporating into the flour. Keep in mind that you will need to add a little bit of flour to your basic pasta recipe to compensate for the additional liquid added
• Spinach Pasta Dough (green hue): Blanch 8 ounces (about 3 cups) spinach leaves. Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Press the spinach puree through a small strainer or chinois, removing the liquid before mixing with the eggs. Add 3 tablespoons spinach puree to the eggs before mixing. If the dough feels too sticky, add additional flour until a soft, silky dough is achieved.
• Tomato Pasta Dough (orange hue): Add 2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste to the eggs before incorporating into the flour.
• Beet Pasta Dough (pinkish-red hue): Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roast 1 large beet in aluminum foil, about 45 minutes, or until tender. Peel the beet and puree in a food processor. Add the beet puree (about 4 tablespoons) to eggs before incorporating into the flour.
• Herb Pasta Dough (speckled): Mince 1/2 cup fresh herbs and add to eggs before incorporating into the flour.
• Squid Ink Pasta Dough (black hue): Add 1 tablespoon squid ink to the eggs before incorporating into the flour.

Steps:

• Add 2-inches of water to a medium saucepan, and fit with a steamer insert. Bring to a simmer. Add carrots; cover and steam until softened, about 10 minutes. Purée carrots in a food processor (you should have about 1/2 cup purée).
• Add eggs and yolk to purée in food processor, and process until combined. Add flour and 1 heaping teaspoons salt, and process until dough just comes together about 20 seconds.
• Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic 5-10 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 1-2 hours.
• Cut dough into 8 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time (keep the remaining piece covered with the inverted bowl), flatten dough into an oblong shape slightly thinner than the pasta machine's #1 setting. 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 the next narrower setting. Pass dough gently twice, gently supporting it with your palm. Continue to press dough, even finer settings, two passes on each setting, until sheet is almost translucent and very thin but still intact (#5of 8 on a kitchen Aid 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.
• FOR FARFALLE, LASAGNE, SQUARES, OR RAVIOLI:.
• Place rolled sheets on lightly floured surface and cut out as directed in corresponding recipe, using a dry brush to dust flour off if needed.
• FOR RIBBON PASTA:.
• Place dough on a drying rack until slightly tacky, 10-15 minutes, and then use a pasta machine or cutting attachment to cut into strands. Drape over rack until strands are semi-dry and won't stick together, about 20 minutes. Cook immediately, or lay flat on an baking sheet dusted with semolina, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight,.
• FRESH SPINACH DOUGH VARIATION:.
• Add 2-inches of water to a medium saucepan, and fit with a steamer insert. Bring to a simmer. Add 6oz. 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. Purée spinach in a food processor (you should have about 1/2 cup of purée). Proceed with instructions for fresh carrot pasta dough starting with step 2.
• FRESH RED PEPPER PASTA DOUGH VARIATION:.
• Preheat oven to 450°F Rub 1 large red bell pepper with 1/2 tsp olive oil, and place on a baking sheet. Cook, flipping after 10 minutes, cooking until skin begins to bubble and is lightly brown in spots, about 25 minutes. Transfer to bowl, and immediately cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to steam for 15 minutes. Remove skin, stem, seeds and ribs, and discard. Purée pepper in a food processor (you should have about 1/2 cup purée). Proceed with instructions for fresh carrot pasta dough starting with step 2.
• FRESH BEET PASTA DOUGH:.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Toss 2 medium beets, without greens, with 2 teaspoons oil and a large pinch of salt. Wrap tightly in a parchment-lined piece of foil, and place on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool. Rub with paper towels to remove skins. Purée in food processor (you should have 1/2 cup purée). Proceed with instructions for fresh carrot pasta dough starting with step 2.

Steps:

• Beat flour, eggs, olive oil, and salt together in a bowl. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to flour mixture until a smooth and very thick dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes. Let dough rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Divide dough into 8 balls and use a pasta machine to roll and cut dough into desired pasta shape.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss beets with oil and salt to coat.
• Place on lined baking sheet and place in 400 degree oven for 1 hour.
• Remove and allow to cool (about 20 minutes).
• Peel beets under running water and cut into 1/4 inch dice.
• Then puree in food processor.
• To make pasta: Make a mound of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs, beet puree and any other flavorings you choose.
• Using a fork, beat together the eggs, oil and flavorings and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well.
• As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape.
• Do not worry that this initial phase looks messy.
• The dough will come together when 1/2 of the flour is incorporated.
• Start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands primarily.
• Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up any left over crusty bits.
• Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 3 more minutes.
• The dough should be elastic and a little sticky.
• Continue to knead for another 3 minutes, remembering to dust your board when necessary.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Note: do not skip the kneading or resting portion of this recipe, they are essential for a light pasta.
• Roll out to four 7 inch by 16 inch sheets and cut in whatever shape you wish.