Spinach Pappardelle with Mushroom Cream Sauce
If you have never tried making spinach pasta at home, you are in for a surprise! It’s easier to make than you might think and, unlike the prepackaged pasta you find in the grocery store, the spinach flavor in the homemade version really stands front and center. For this recipe, I’ve paired the pasta with an earthy mushroom cream sauce enhanced with ground rosemary and Porcini powder to intensify the mushroom flavor. This is a perfect dish to serve at a dinner party or part of a holiday meal. It’s popular with mushroom lovers and makes a great option for vegetarians as well. Serves 4-6 people.
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 3 cups flour
- 4 eggs
- 10 ounces spinach
- 1/4 tspn salt
For the Sauce
- olive oil
- 1 shallot diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pound mushrooms, assorted fresh (cremini, portobello, etc.)
- 1/4 cup white wine
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tspn porcini powder
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tspn rosemary, ground
- 1 Tbspn cornstarch
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the spinach. If you are using fresh spinach, chop and saute over medium low heat until it is wilted and has released most of its water. Alternately, you could use, chopped, frozen spinach. In this case, place the spinach in a heat safe bowl with a splash of water and cook in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Allow it to cool slightly, and then wrap the spinach in a cheesecloth, squeeze the excess water into a clean bowl and set aside.
- Then, add the eggs and the cooked spinach to the bowl of a food processor and blitz until the mixture is homogeneous.
- Next, place the flour and salt in a mound on a large work surface and form a well in the middle. Then, add the egg and spinach mixture to the well. Using a fork or your fingers, gradually incorporate the ingredients until they form a dough. If necessary, add the reserved spinach water in small increments until the dough comes together.
- Then, knead the dough for 5 to 6 minutes, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
- After the dough has rested cut off an egg sized chunk of dough and cover the remaining dough so it doesn’t dry out. Dust the dough with flour, flatten it into a disk and run it through the widest setting on a pasta roller.
- Adjust the setting on the pasta roller to the next widest setting and repeat. If the dough sticks to the rollers, or it looks pitted as it comes out the bottom of the roller, dust with flour. Continue this process until the dough is about 1/8″ thick.
- Trim the ends of the sheet so they are square. Let the sheets dry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with flour and then wrap the pasta sheets into loose rolls, without pressing, seam side up.
- Using a knife, cut the pasta into 1″ wide strips. Unwrap the rolls by gently picking up the end of the pappardelle and letting them unravel. Wind them into a nest and let them dry on a lightly floured work surface.
- Fill a large stock pot with water, add salt and bring to a rolling boil. Then get started on the sauce.
- Add 4 Tablespoons of olive oil to the bottom of a large saute pan and then add the shallots and garlic. Saute until they have softened and then add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Saute over medium low heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the white wine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer over medium low heat. Once the sauce is simmering, stir in the ground rosemary and Porcini powder.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add a cornstarch slurry to the pan. To make a slurry, remove a small amount of pasta water and put it in a bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch to the hot water and whisk until the it has completely dissolved. Then, add it to the sauce and mix well.
- When you are ready to serve, put the pasta into the boiling, salted water and cook until it is al dente. Then strain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss well and allow the pasta to cook in the sauce for a few minutes before serving.