Homemade Fettuccine with a Basil and Pistachio Pesto

Since we recently came by a pasta machine we have been practicing our pasta-making skills and we're really getting a great hang of it now. Such a simple combination as flour and eggs and the use of your own hands makes you never want to have shop-bought dried pasta again! Why would you when it's so simple to make and it transforms a dish from standard to incredible? We've personally never really been fussed with pasta dishes, finding them a bit boring. However, having dabbled at making our own pasta in the past it opened our eyes to the difference in taste and flavour available and what we had been missing out on.

Here is a simple delicate but impressive dish which will leave you satisfied but dying for more. A slight twist on the usual pesto we chose to use toasted pistachio nuts which adds such a definitive texture and taste you will be impressed. We must also add, that as pesto is so simple to make, it is pretty much sacrilege to get shop-bought which has no texture and lacks the intense freshness of making your own. You will not ever regret making your own pesto and this dish is testament to that - in fact to making as much as you can from scratch. So here we present a recipe which is completely from scratch and will make your taste buds dance with delight.

In retrospect it would have been logical to take photos of the pasta making process, it is not as complicated as it seems below. Watch this space - there will be a step by step pasta making post soon. 

Homemade Fettuccine with a Basil and Pistachio Pesto
 
Serves 2

Ingredients

For the pasta
200 g Tipo '00' pasta grade flour
2 large eggs

For the pesto
60 g fresh basil
30 g shelled pistachio nuts (toasted in a frying pan)
30 g mature cheddar cheese (such as Davidstow)
1 garlic clove
125 ml extra virgin oil

Method

1. Pour the flour onto a solid work top surface and make a well in the centre. Crack your eggs into the centre and then using two fingers mix the eggs together with the flour working from the centre to the outside, working together until you have a soft dough. If it is a little dry add a few drops of water to help you along. Flatten your dough ball into a rectangular shape with your palm, wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile make your pesto by blitzing the garlic clove and cheddar together in a food processor with the toasted pistachio nuts. Add your basil and blitz, then pour in your oil and combine with a few pulses. If you need a little more oil to loosen it, do so. Season to taste, if required.

3. If you don't have a pasta machine, you can still do this, it will just take a little longer and you might not get it to the desired thickness before giving up. Same thing applies for both ways, first you need to laminate your pasta by rolling it out to a oblong shape using the thickest setting on the machine (1). Fold a third of your oblong in onto itself from the right side then the other end over the folded section so you get a 3 layered square, press gently together and twist 90 degrees and roll through the machine, open edge first. Another oblong will be formed, repeat the above to laminate a second time.

4. Once laminated, ensuring pasta is floured between each rolling setting, work down the settings until you reach the desired thickness. We felt that the thinnest setting for fettuccine was too thin (best for filled pasta we reckon) and that setting 8 was sufficient for this recipe. You may want to cut your pasta into manageable pieces to feed through your machine unless you want monster long pasta.

5. Attach your cutter and use the fettuccine roller to slice your well-floured pasta into strips and flour your pasta again after cutting to keep the strips separate.

6. Bring a large pan with plenty of hot water to the boil, salted extremely well. As Anna del Conte would say, it should be as salty as the Mediterranean. So we chucked a tablespoon of salt in there. It really does make a difference to the end product. (Do not be alarmed, you will not be eating this salt!)

7. Boil your pasta for 2-3 minutes or until cooked al dente. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water. Add your pesto (the pesto recipe will make enough to have leftovers unless you choose to add it all) to the pasta in your pan and toss throughout, loosening with a little of the reserved water. Serve with a light grating of cheese and freshly torn basil.

Apologies for the long method, it is so easy to do, we will be posting a pasta-making post soon to make it clearer than written word.