Linguine with Mushrooms & Herbs (pasta)
NOTE: This recipe requires a pasta maker…
Ingredients (for dough):
• 2 cups Hockley Valley Light Spelt Flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 large eggs (free range, farm fresh, or omega 3 are ideal for colour)
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 – 4 tbsp cold water
Instructions:
• Add the flour and sea salt to a bowl and mix together.
• Make a well in the center and pour in 3 tbsp of water, and the eggs and olive oil.
• Begin to mix, bringing in flour from the well until it comes together into a ball of dough. If it’s sticky, dust with some more flour. If it’s too dry, add a slight bit more water until it reaches the right texture.
• Knead the ball of dough for about a minute and a half to two minutes. It should be smooth, soft but not sticky, and yellow.
• Dust the ball with a light coating of spelt flour, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour to allow it to rest.
• Set up the pasta machine on your counter. You will need a large, clear counter or table space.
• Lay down a large sheet of parchment paper and dust it with spelt flour.
• Cut the chilled ball of dough into 4 pieces. Roll the first piece into a sausage shape, then flatten it down. Keep the other 3 sections wrapped up in the fridge until you are ready for them, to prevent them from drying out.
• Pass the first section through the pasta machine on the widest setting (usually 2), twice. Then move the button to 4, run the sheet through twice, move to 6 and run through twice, and finally, to 8 and run it through twice.
By this point the sheets will be quite long. If they are too long to handle then cut them in half.
• Dust with spelt flour and set aside. Repeat with the remaining 3 sections of dough.
• Affix the linguine attachment to the pasta maker. Run each sheet through the cutter to create beautiful long strands of spelt flour linguine. Pull apart any strands stuck together.
• Dust them all with more spelt, and lay flat on the parchment or clean countertop.
They are now ready to cook, or, you can form into nests and keep in the fridge until you are ready.
For batch cooking, form into nests and place into a box or container lined with parchment paper, and store in the freezer.
Cook at a rolling boil for 2 minutes in salty water, stirring often
Linguine with Mushrooms & Herbs
Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 – 4 cipollini (small onions), sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 3 cups of very roughly chopped mushrooms (I used shitake and oyster mushrooms)
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• salt and pepper to taste
• Full batch of spelt linguine (from the recipe above)
Instructions:
• Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic and onion. Cook on low heat until softened, then add the mushrooms and turn to medium heat.
• Saute until the mushrooms are cooked through and browned, about 8 – 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• While the mushrooms are browning, cook the pasta. It takes 2 minutes at a rolling boil in salted water.
• Transfer the cooked linguine to the pan with the mushrooms. Pour in about 1/3 – 1/2 cup of pasta water.
• Add the herbs and toss well, ensuring everything is well coated.
• Let simmer for a couple minutes to let the flavors come together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper after plating