BELLAVITÆ

Once you’ve learned to make your own fresh egg pasta, it’s a breeze to make Italy’s most famous flavored pasta – spinach pasta [pasta verde].

Pasta verde can be used for tortellini, for pastas with sauces containing earthy mushrooms, and of course for Lasagne Verdi al Forno [Baked Spinach Lasagne in the style of Bologna].  You can make it with either fresh or frozen spinach — and the results surprisingly similar.  Here’s how:

For a “two-egg pasta”:

If using fresh spinach:

Soak ½ pound of fresh spinach leaves in fresh water, drain, and re-soak to remove any traces of soil or sand.  Place wet leaves in a pan with 1 tablespoon of salt.  Cover the pan and cook on medium heat until tender, about five minutes.

If using frozen spinach:

Allow 5 ounces of frozen spinach to completely thaw.  Place in a covered pan with ¼ teaspoon of salt and let cook over medium heat until it loses its raw taste and becomes tender, about five minutes.

For both types of spinach:

Drain the spinach, and when cool enough, squeeze with your hand to release as much water as possible.  Chop the leaves finely (do not use a food processor) with a knife.  If you have a mortar & pestle, place the finely-chopped leaves in it and hand process until a paste is formed (if you don’t have a mortar & pestle, this step is optional).

Add the spinach in a bowl with the two eggs and lightly beat.  Continue the recipe as outlined in Pasta all’Uova Fatta in Casa: The Joy and Satisfaction of Making Homemade Egg Pasta.

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Technorati Tags: Classic Italian Recipes, Pasta verde, Spinach pasta