Whole wheat pasta dough
This is an eggless dough, one that yields a lovely, chewy noodle (or whatever shape you choose). I use this recipe to make Whole-Wheat Fettuccine with Savoy Cabbage, Cream, and Caraway Seeds; Orecchiette with Creamy Broccoli Sauce; and
Whole Wheat Maltagliati with Fresh Cranberry Beans and Braised Radicchio. Any of these recipes would also be good with the white whole wheat dough variation that follows.
Portions: Makes about 1 lb-455g
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups-200 g whole wheat-wholemeal flour
- 3/4 cup-100 g 00 flour or unbleached all purpose plain flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
- 2/3 cup 165 ml tepid water
Preparation:
Put the whole-wheat/wholemeal flour, ¾ cup/100 g “00” flour, and the salt in a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine. Drizzle in the 1 tbsp olive oil and turn on the machine. Begin slowly pouring the water through the feed tube, adding only as much as you need for the dough to form crumbs that look like small curds. Pinch together a bit of the mixture and roll it around. It should form a soft ball. If the mixture seems dry, add a few more drops of oil and pulse briefly. If it seems too wet and sticky, add additional “00” flour, 1 tbsp at a time, and pulse briefly. Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface sprinkled lightly with “00” flour and press it together with your hands to form a rough ball. Knead the dough: Using the palm of your hand, push the dough gently but firmly away from you, and then fold it over toward you. Rotate the dough a quarter turn, and repeat the pushing and folding motion. Continue kneading for several minutes until the dough is smooth. Form it into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap/cling film. Let the dough rest
at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.
- White whole wheat pasta dough variation
White whole-wheat/ whole-meal flour is milled from a variety of wheat known as albino wheat or white wheat. It is just as nutritious as regular whole-wheat/wholemeal flour, which is made from red wheat, but is somewhat milder in flavor and lighter in hue. I like to use it in pizza dough, quick breads, and, of course, pasta. To make white whole wheat pasta dough, substitute 1½ cups/200 g white whole-wheat flour for the regular whole-wheat flour and proceed as directed in the recipe.
