Ingredients

300 grams (2 1/2 cups) '00' soft wheat or all-purpose flour

50 grams (1/4 cup) semolina substitute with the same weight of ‘00’ or all-purpose

200 grams lightly beaten eggs (approximately 4 large eggs)

Handful assorted tender herbs, leaves only

Directions:

To make the pasta dough by hand: Make the pasta dough by hand according to this “well-method” technique.

To make the pasta dough in a food processor:Add the flour and eggs to the bowl of a food processor with the steel blade attachment. Pulse together until beads of dough (roughly the size of couscous) start to form, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a flat, ideally wooden, surface, combine it into a mass and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until smooth and firm.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and allow it to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. While the dough rests, roast the chickpeas (see second part of recipe).

Herb-laminate the pasta:After the pasta has rested, line a tray or baking sheet pan with semolina flour, cornmeal, or a dry dish towel and keep it nearby.

Cut off a quarter of the pasta dough and re-wrap the remaining dough immediately.

If using a pasta machine: Flatten the dough with the heel of your hand until it’s about ¼-inch thick. Set the pasta machine to its thickest setting and roll the dough through once (it will be tapered at the ends). Fold both ends into the center like an envelope, so the width of the pasta sheet is similar in width to the pasta roller. Roll the dough through the thickest setting once more so the result is an even rectangle.

Continue rolling the pasta sheet through the machine one time on each progressive setting until you have a semi-thin sheet (about setting 5 or 6 on a Marcato Atlas 150 manual roller or KitchenAid attachment). If the dough is at all sticky as it goes through the machine, dust both sides with a light layer of ‘00’ or all-purpose flour.

If rolling by hand: Roll the portion of dough with a rolling pin into as thin a rectangle as possible—it’s a workout! While you’re aiming for about a millimeter thick, don’t stress and do the best you can.

Once you have a long, thin sheet of pasta (either rolled out by hand or in a pasta machine), lay it on a wooden surface and trim uneven edges (ball up the scraps and wrap them in plastic to rehydrate—they can be re-rolled at the end.)

If you don’t have a wooden surface, dust a little flour on the bottom of the pasta sheet and your countertop to prevent sticking.

Cut the sheet of dough in half crosswise so you have two even pieces. Cover one of the sheets with a damp dish towel and set it aside.

If the sheet you’re working with feels very dry, brush or spray it with a very small amount of water. Arrange the herbs across it in your preferred design.

Next, gently lay the second sheet of dough on top of the herbs (you basically have an herb sandwich). Press down gently and smooth out the top so there are no trapped air bubbles.

Trim the edges of the combined sheets on both sides, lengthwise, to seal the two together. It should now be slightly narrower than the width of the pasta machine. Dust both sides of the pasta with a little bit of ‘00’ or all-purpose flour.

If using a pasta machine: set the dial to one setting wider than where you were before (so if you left off on setting 6, go back to setting 5). Roll the sheet through once. Then, set the dial to your original setting and roll it through again. Finally, roll it through one setting thinner than it was originally (so if you first rolled the sheet to 6, now you’re on 7). You should be left with beautifully printed pasta sheet.

If rolling by hand: roll the newly formed sheet as thin as possible until you can see the herbs peeking through. Try to be a bit gentle so the herbs stretch but don’t bruise. If any moisture from the herbs is making the dough sticky, dust it with a bit of flour.

If the sheet is very long, cut it in half crosswise. If you have time, allow it to dry for a few minutes per side (this will help prevent sticking while you work with the rest of the dough). For pappardelle, cut the sheet into about 1-inch ribbons and arrange them across the baking sheet. Make sure to dust a little semolina flour or cornmeal between each piece if you need to stack them.

Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Any herb-laminated pasta scraps are a perfect snack, and they can also be frozen (see below) and used in soups.

Note: For longer-term storage, allow the pasta sheet to dry for about 10 minutes on each side before cutting. Once cut, dust each ribbon with semolina flour or cornmeal—particularly around any herb-heavy areas—and layer them in stacks. Freeze the stacks until the strips are solid, about 25 minutes, then transfer them to a large freezer bag (they’ll last up to a couple of months). Cook straight from frozen.

Cheese filling for pasta:

Ingredients for the cheese filling

40 grams (about 3 cups, or 1 large bunch) flat-leaf parsley, leaves only

10 grams (about ½ cup, or 1 large handful) fresh mint, leaves only

225 grams (1 cup) whole milk ricotta, drained if needed

60 grams (¼ cup) mild goat cheese (optional)

30 grams (¼ cup) finely grated Pecorino Romano

1 lemon

Directions:

Add the cheeses and herbs to a food processor, as well as some finely grated zest from one of the lemons. Pulse to combine, then season to taste with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Pulse again until thick and creamy.

Transfer the filling to a bowl or piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use. The filling can be made up to two days in advance and kept in an air-tight container.

* If your ricotta is very loose and watery, drain off any liquid, then spread the cheese out a little on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb some of the excess moisture.

Herb Laminated Pasta Sheets

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