How to make easy pasta with kids

Fresh, homemade pasta is easier to make than you think! Here, our friends at Lunch Lady have all you need to make gorgeous pasta from scratch, including three twists to help add a burst of colour to your plate – perfect for getting kids cooking.

BASIC PASTA DOUGH RECIPE

3 large free-range eggs

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

250g plain flour

Pop eggs, oil and salt into a food processor and whiz until combined.

Add the flour and whiz until a dough just forms.

Remove dough from the food processor and place on a well-floured surface.

Knead until the dough is smooth.

Rub a little olive oil over the dough and cover in cling film.

Leave to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Feed the dough through a pasta machine set on the widest setting. As the sheet comes out, fold it into thirds and feed it through the rollers again, still on the widest setting. Repeat this 4 times.

Continue to feed the pasta dough through the rollers, gradually reducing the settings, one pass at a time, until the pasta is at your chosen thickness. Your sheet of pasta dough will get pretty long, so, if you’re struggling to control it, you can cut the sheet in half and feed each piece through separately.

Once the sheets of pasta dough are at a thickness you’re happy with, hang them over the back of a chair or a (clean) broom handle to dry a little — this makes cutting easier. Or, if you’re in a rush, dust the pasta with a little flour and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Now you’re ready to make whichever pasta you like!

TIP: To dry pasta for storage, leave covered until completely dry, turning over now and then to dry both sides. (Drying times vary greatly, depending on humidity and temperature). Store your dried pasta in an airtight container.

HOW TO MAKE COLOURED PASTA

3 free-range eggs

100g veggie puree (see below)

1/2 tsp sea salt

315 – 375g plain flour, add a little extra if the dough is a bit wet

1. Pop eggs, veggie puree and salt into a food processor and whiz until combined.

2. Follow steps 2-10 of the basic pasta dough recipe above.

CARROT PUREE

2 medium carrots (you could also use pumpkin)

1. Pop carrots in a medium saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender–about 20 minutes. Drain.

2. Whiz carrots in a food processor until smooth, and set aside.

BEETROOT PUREE

1 large beetroot

1. Rinse beetroot in cold water, remove greens, and peel with a veggie peeler.

2. Chop into small chunks.

3. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil, reduce heat, and cook beetroot until tender–about 10–15 minutes.

4. Drain, and rinse with cold water.

5. Whiz beetroot in a food processor until smooth, and set aside.

LEAFY GREEN PUREE

2 handfuls of leafy greens (basil, spinach, rocket, kale, etc.)

1. Remove stems and soak in cold water for 2 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cool water and pat dry.

2. Steam leaves until tender – about 5 minutes.

3. Drain and rinse with cool water.

4. Squeeze as much water as you can from the leaves.

5. Whiz leaves in a food processor until smooth, and set aside.

HOW TO MAKE PASTA SHAPES

FARFALLE

[farh-fah-leh]

butterflies

With a sharp knife, cut the sheet of dough into rectangles, about 3.5cm x 1.5cm. Pinch the centre of the long side of each rectangle to create little bows. Place on a baking tray and cover with a tea towel until ready to cook. To cook, add pasta to boiling, salted water and cook farfalle until it rises to the top of the water.

GARGANELLI

[gar-ga-nel=li]

tubes

With a sharp knife, cut the sheet of dough into 3.5cm squares. With the square facing you as a diamond, lay a pen or a pencil across the corner closest to you, lengthways. Wrap the corner of the pasta around the pen or pencil, and, with a little pressure, push it away from you, until you have made a tube. Slide the pasta off and repeat. Place on a baking tray and cover with a tea towel until ready to cook. To cook, add the pasta to boiling, salted water and cook garganelli for no longer than 3–4 minutes.

PAPPARDELLE

[pap-par-del-le]

broad flat noodle

Dust the top of the dough sheet with flour and loosely roll into a cylinder. Using a sharp knife, cut into 2cm-thick slices. Unroll the noodles, dust with semolina and gently toss to separate. Place on a baking tray and cover with a tea towel until ready to cook. To cook, add pasta to boiling, salted water and cook pappardelle for no longer than 3–4 minutes.

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