If your chooks are laying, it’s time to make your own pasta, because pasta is a game you can eat. Even better when it’s green. You could use young nettles, spinach or silverbeet to colour your pasta. Each would add its own distinctive taste. I chose wild watercress shoots for this one. The trick is to blanche your greens for a minute in a pan of boiling water, drain quickly and refresh in cold water to retain their colour. Then drain again and squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands or with a potato masher in a sieve or colander.
A couple of large handfuls of greens, prepared as above
One large egg
One teaspoon salt
About 200g ’00′ pasta flour (available from La Bella Italia or The Mediterranean Food Warehouse) or you can use high grade (bread) flour
Puree the greens with the egg in a blender. Sift the flour into a bowl and add the green eggy mixture. Bring together with a spatula and knead with your hands for about 10 minutes until silky smooth. Add a little more flour if it’s sticky. Allow the dough to rest for about half an hour in the fridge. Roll out thinly with a pasta machine or a rolling pin. Flour generously to prevent sticking. Slice into narrow strips (fettuccini, pappardele or tagliatelle, depending on width) dust again with flour. Cook in a large pan of boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes. Freezes well or will keep in the fridge for a few days.
