Simple Homemade Pasta - Beetroot, Squid Ink Or Herb & Chilli Pasta

Pasta is great fun to make, relatively easy and extremely effective when creating dinner party recipes. These ones are superb.

1. 1

   BASIC PASTA DOUGH
   
   Put the flour, eggs and olive oil in a food processor and process until it sticks together.
   
   Bring together on a floured surface, roll into a well formed ball and wrap in clingfilm then refridgerate for 1/2 hour.
   
   Once chilled, remove from fridge and begin rolling through a pasta machine. Take of golf ball size pieces and start on the largest setting. Roll through, the turn 90 degrees, fold in half and pass through again, then turn and fold. Do this 5-6 times on the largest setting, dusting with flour each time, then start reducing the setting by one each time and pass through twice for each reduced setting.
   
   You will end up with a long strip of fresh pasta. This can then be used as you like. Lasagne pasta or pass it through and make tagliatelli or spaghetti.
   
   Cook in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain then drizzle with olive oil to stop it sticking.
   
   BEETROOT PASTA
   
   When processing, instead of three eggs, use two eggs and one prepared beetroot instead. You will end up with a deep crimson pasta.
   
   SQUID INK PASTA
   
   When processing add one sachet of squid ink for black pasta along with the main ingredients.
   
   HERB & CHILLI PASTA
   
   Finely chop a selection of herbs, such as parsley, corriander, dill and tarragon along with a finely chopped red chilli and add to the dough mixture at processing stage. This will result in a green and red speckled pasta effect. This works exceptionally well with my pan seared tuna, vine roasted tomatoes and white wine & caper sauce recipe.
   
   Cook all as above.