Spinach, Whole-Wheat and Semolina Pasta

nata_vkusidey/ iStock / Getty Images Plus
nata_vkusidey/ iStock / Getty Images Plus

After you’ve gotten the hang of making your own whole-wheat and semolina pasta, try this variation made with spinach for a nutrition boost.


In a few steps, you can make pasta at home.


Ingredients

  • 3 packed cups (3 ounces) baby spinach, blanched
  • 1¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons, whole-wheat flour, divided
  • ½ cup semolina flour
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature

Directions

  1. Place blanched spinach and 1 cup whole-wheat flour in food processor. Pulse until well combined, scraping down the sides occasionally. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and add the remaining whole-wheat flour, semolina flour and eggs. Mix with both hands until dough forms a ball.
  2. Knead dough until smooth, adding extra flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. Kneading is complete when the dough feels smooth and is no longer sticky. Shape dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Remove dough from plastic wrap and divide into quarters. Remove one piece for rolling and cover remaining quarters with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
  3. Using both hands, shape dough into a square. On a lightly floured countertop, begin rolling dough into a rectangular shape,* turning and flipping regularly, and dusting lightly with additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Roll dough to approximately 1/16-inch thickness. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or dusted with flour and let dry slightly, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. To cut, place sheets of pasta on a cutting board or other hard, clean surface that is lightly dusted with semolina flour and cut into strips using a pizza wheel. Repeat with remaining dough.
  5. Let cut pasta dry for at least 15 minutes if cooking immediately, or 1 to 2 hours before refrigerating or freezing. Fresh pasta can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for 2 to 4 weeks.
  6. To refrigerate, lay pasta in an even layer on a large piece of parchment paper, roll up the pasta-lined parchment, place in a re-sealable plastic bag, remove any air and seal the bag. Follow the same process for the freezer, using a freezer-safe plastic bag.
  7. If cooking immediately, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in fresh pasta, stir and cook for about 3 minutes or until al dente. Drain and serve.

Cooking Notes

  • Rolling dough in a rectangular shape makes it easier to cut into strips. Make pasta as long or as short as desired, but keeping it between 8 and 11 inches makes cutting easier.
  • No need to thaw frozen pasta before cooking. Simply place it in boiling water as you would fresh pasta and cook for a few minutes longer.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 2 ounces

Calories: 137; Total fat: 2g; Saturated fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 70mg; Sodium: 36mg; Carbohydrates: 23g; Fibers: 3g; Sugars 0g; Protein: 7g; Potassium: 179mg; Phosphorus: 130mg

Sara Haas on FacebookSara Haas on Twitter
Sara Haas
Sara Haas, RDN, LDN, is a Chicago-based dietitian and co-author of the Fertility Foods Cookbook. Read her blog, The Cooking RD, and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.