Description
My sourdough spinach pasta is light and springy, made with fresh spinach, Italian 00 flour, sourdough starter, and eggs. Choose from a quick same-day option or ferment overnight to deepen the flavor. Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 50 g blanched and drained spinach (from about 100 g fresh baby spinach leaves)
- 110 g eggs*
- 40 g sourdough starter (see Notes)
- 300 g Italian Tipo 00 flour
- Fine semolina flour, for dusting the pasta sheets
*For the eggs, the total cracked weight should be 110 g. If you are short, use a portion of another whole egg (lightly beaten) to make up the difference.
Tools & Equipment
- Scale
- Food processor
- Pasta machine or KitchenAid Roller attachment
- Wooden board or surface to work on
- Parchment paper
- Sheet pans
Instructions
Step 1: Blanch The Spinach
- Prepare a small ice bath for the the spinach; set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch until wilted (a few seconds). Remove the spinach and plunge into the ice bath. Strain and squeeze dry in a cloth. The goal is ~50 g drained spinach.
Step 2: Make The Pasta Dough
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and sourdough starter together; set aside. Add the spinach to the food processor. Pour the egg mixture on top. Process until the spinach becomes finely chopped; it will not be smooth like green purée. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the flour and process again until the dough comes together (it might look like doughy crumbs – this is OK. It should stick together when pinched with your fingertips). If it’s too dry, add water, 1 tsp at a time to bring the dough together. Or, add more flour if it’s too sticky. The variance in texture depends on your sourdough starter and the moisture in the spinach.
- Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface. Push it together to form a rough ball. Cover with an upturned bowl and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Knead the dough by hand for 2-3 minutes. It should feel smooth, supple, and chalky on the surface when finished. You’ll see specks of spinach throughout the dough, however the spinach should not cut and tear through the dough.
- Form the dough into a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and rest for 1 hour at room temperature or chill overnight.
Step 3: Roll Pasta Sheets & Semi-Dry
Note: if you have chosen to ferment the dough overnight in the fridge, rest at room temperature for at least 30-45 minutes before rolling.
- Cut the dough into quarters (wrap the remaining pieces).
- Working with one dough at a time: roll it into a 6-8 inch oval disc with a rolling pin. You want it the approximate width of your pasta machine. Send the disc through the roller attachment (3x) on setting #1, then (2x) on #2-4 (do not go up to #5 – it will be too thin for spaghetti).
- To semi-dry: Dust the pasta sheet on both sides with semolina flour to prevent sticking. Drape over the handle on your oven (or on the back of a clean chair), about 10 minutes or so, until it feels less doughy and more leathery but not dried out. This step helps the pasta to hold its shape.
Step 4: Cut Pasta
- Take a pasta sheet and cut it in half. Trim the ends. Run the sheet through the spaghetti pasta cutter attachment to create strands. Alternatively, cut the dough by hand.
How To Store, Freeze & Cook Sourdough Pasta
To Store (Short Term):
Toss freshly cut pasta with semolina flour and arrange on a sheet pan in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap, inverted sheet pan, or store in an airtight container. Leave at room temperature if cooking within 1–2 hours, or refrigerate for up to 12 hours. The flavor will continue to deepen when the cut noodles are chilled. Note: fresh pasta might oxidize and stick together if chilled past 24 hrs.
To Freeze:
Air-dry pasta in a single layer for 15–20 minutes first (uncovered) to reduce sticking. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month (any longer and it might dry out and break). No need to thaw; cook straight from frozen.
To Cook:
Bring 4-6 quarts of generously salted water to a boil. I don’t give exact amounts for the salt, because the flavor of salt varies considerably. Add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes, depending on the thickness. Always taste it. It should be al dente- tender with a slight bite. Use tongs to transfer pasta directly to your sauce.
Notes
For the starter: use active sourdough starter, sourdough discard, or recently fed & collapsed starter feed with all white flour.