Herb Laminated Pasta

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Herb Laminated pasta is not only beautiful but so delicious too! If you have always wanted to try laminated pasta, let me take the mystery out of it for you. With a few simple tricks, you will be making it in your kitchen.

You can also make laminated pasta with edible flours. I have made a recipe just for this and I know you are going to love this one as well. If you like using whole grains, I also have a recipe for Kamut flour pasta too.

What Is Laminated Pasta?

Laminated pasta is made by rolling 2 sheets of pasta. You place your herbs, flowers, or whatever you choose on the first layer. Then, you place the other layer of pasta on top, sealing the add-ins.

Roll it through the roller again, and you are left with beautiful pasta with herbs and flowers hidden on the inside.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Semolina flour- this might be a little harder to find, but in my area, I can find it in most decent grocery stores. If not, you can always order Semolina online.
• Olive oil- I have been using Moire's and love it!
• Salt- I prefer kosher salt.
• Eggs- Large eggs, at room temperature.
• Fresh or dried herbs for laminating in the dough- I prefer using fresh for better flavor. in this recipe I used oregano, but you can also use basil, parsley, etc.

How To Make

1. Start by mixing together your dry ingredients on your countertop. Add your eggs and olive oil. Start to mix it in with a fork until it gets too shaggy, then switch to your hands. You can see this method in the video.
2. Knead your dough for several minutes until it is smooth. Cover and allow it to rest for about an hour before shaping.
3. Flour your countertop before starting and as you need it while working.
4. You can roll your pasta out with a rolling pin, a hand-cranked machine, or an electric one like I did. I got this attachment for my Bosch last year and am just in love with it.
5. Roll 2 pasta sheets until they are thin. On the bottom layer, add the herbs across it.
6. Next, place the 2nd piece of pasta over the top of the bottom layer with the herbs. Gently press to close.
7. Sprinkle it lightly with flour on both sides. Then roll the pasta again. You have doubled the thickness of the pasta and need to roll it back out.
8. Continue until you have rolled and laminated all the pasta dough.
9. Next, decide how you want to cut the pasta. In this post, I will show you how to make garganelli and pappardelle. You can also use it for making filled pasta as well, like ravioli and tortellini.

Forming Laminated Garganelli

I formed my pasta in 2 ways. The first was garganelli. This is so simple to form and one of my favorite pasta shapes.

Start by cutting the laminated pasta into 2-inch squares. These don't have to be perfect, I promise no one will ever know. Make sure you have rolled your pasta thin for this.

I roll these on my Gnocchi board for the ridges, but you can also roll them on the countertop. Starting in one of the corners. Roll the pasta over the dowel rod while pushing it into the board to form the ridges.

Watch the video below for an idea of how to do this, it is a little tricky to explain this.

Forming Laminated Papperdelle

The pasta I used for the finished dish I am showcasing was a hand-cut pappardelle. This is a beautiful, simple, and rustic pasta. It is a pasta that has a wider shape that is ideal for your Laminated Pasta. 

Fold your pasta over itself several times. Make sure to flour the pasta lightly so it won't stick. Cut the folded pasta into 1-1 ½-inch slices.

This is one of the easiest kinds of pasta to form and I use it often when I am in a hurry.

Notes

• You do not want to use really big pieces of whatever you are laminating with, herbs or flours. Huge pieces of basil, for instance, almost always tear the dough.
• It also is best to use edibles that are fairly flat as they are easier to roll.
• Moisture content in the herbs and flowers makes a difference too. If they have too much water in them, it starts to soak through the dough when you roll the layers together.
• Stiffer herbs are also a little tricky to roll as they can tear the dough, I am thinking about rosemary.
• If your dough is a little on the dry side, I like to spritz it with a touch of water to help the layers stick together for rolling.
• This dough can be made ahead of time, rolled, and cut. Simply hang it to dry. I like to make it in the morning for dinner.
• Because this pasta has so much flavor, you can keep the sauce simple if you want. Brown butter and toss the cooked pasta in it. Sprinkle with parmesan and you are done. Or I have another recipe below if you want something a little more.

Aglio And Olio

The sauce is Aglio e Olio, an olive oil garlic sauce. It is most delightful when mixed with the oregano undertones in the pasta and is simple and quick to make.

Made with olive oil, fresh minced garlic, and red pepper, the trick to this sauce is cooking it quickly—only about a minute, so the garlic does not burn.

After adding the pasta, I love to drizzle it with fresh lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Serve hot and immediately.

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