Recipe: Pesto and Homemade Pasta (blender or food processor)

PESTO AND HOMEMADE PASTA

HOMEMADE PASTA

3 eggs
2 pinches of salt
1 3/4 cups pasta (semolina) flour
Pesto (recipe follows)

Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl with a fork. Mix in the salt. Add the pasta flour, one handful at a time, mixing well with each addition. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Wrap it in wax paper and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Then, pass your dough through a pasta machine according to the manual directions. Or, gently roll the dough out as thin as you can on a floured surface with a rolling pin and cut it into long, thin noodles with a sharp knife.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes. Strain the noodles, then serve with Pesto.

PESTO

2 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup pine nuts, sunflower seeds, or walnuts
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Place the basil, nuts, and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend or process until the leaves are chopped. Add the oil and blend or process until smooth. You may need to stop the machine, scrape the sides with a spatula, then blend or process again.

Add the cheese and salt and pepper. Then scoop the pesto into a large serving bowl and add the cooked and drained pasta; toss well.

Servings: 4
Source: FamilyFun Magazine