Thyme Bow Tie Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce, Broccolini & Toasted Pine Nuts
Yields: 2 large portions, or 4 small
Farfalle pasta, or bowtie pasta as most know it by, is a favourite for kids and adults alike. It may look fairly complicated to achieve but it is quite simple after a few tries and is sure to impress. We choose to let the pasta be the showcase in this dish by pairing it with a simple lemon butter sauce with sautéed broccolini, topped with toasted pine nuts, shaved parmesan and fresh basil.
Pasta
3 eggs, room temperature
2 cups Anita’s Organic Pizza Pasta Flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Extra flour for dusting
Sauce
1 bunch broccolini
½ cup butter
1 small lemon thinly sliced.
¼ cup shaved parmesan
½ cup pine nuts lightly toasted.
Handful of fresh basil, chiffonade
4 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
Dough Instructions (using a mixer)
Add flour, thyme leaves and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer, create a well in the center and add olive oil and eggs.
Using the dough attachment on low, allow for the dough to come together until it begins to form a ball.
Turn dough out onto a floured counter and knead for a few moments to bring any loose pieces together. Shape into a round disk and wrap ( we love to use beeswax wraps or a reusable bag to eliminate plastic wrap for this step) Let sit on the counter for 30 minutes.
Alternative Dough Instructions (mixing by hand)
Combine salt and flour and thyme leaves. Mound the flour and make a well in the center. Add the eggs into the well.
Using a fork, beat the eggs and slowly begin to incorporate the flour from inside the well into the eggs. Continue mixing until all liquid is absorbed.
Knead the dough by pressing the heel of your hand into the dough, folding the dough over, and rotating 45 degrees. Continue kneading for approximately ten minutes or until the dough begins to come together in a smooth ball.
Shape into a round disk and wrap (we love to use beeswax wraps or a stasher bag to eliminate plastic wrap for this step). Let sit on the counter for 30 minutes.
Creating the Farfalle
Cut approximately ¼ of the the dough off, keeping the rest covered to prevent it from drying out
Roll the piece of dough out with a rolling pin to approximately ¼ inch
Set your pasta machine to its lowest setting (usually 1) and pass the dough through. Run the dough through the lowest setting two more times. Feel free to flour the dough with semolina flour at any point through the rolling process if it begins to feel sticky.
Fold the sheet of dough into thirds, roll it flat with the rolling pin and pass the dough back through the second lowest setting another three times.
Pass the dough through the remaining settings once each until you reach your desired thickness, we find that setting 7 was perfect for this pasta. Flour the sheets of dough and place on a parchment lined baking sheet or hang on a pasta rack.
Using a knife or a pizza cutter, trim any uneven sides of the dough to make your sheet of dough the same width throughout.
Run your pizza cutter horizontally down your dough making even cuts, aiming to have each piece about 1 inch high and ½ inch wide.
Using a fluted pasta wheel makes cuts vertically keeping them 1inch high by ½ inch wide. Next is when it might be a great time to find an extra set of hands to help things go a little quicker so your dough doesn’t dry out. If not, just be sure to keep the pieces that you are not working on covered.
Take one of your squares, holding so the fluted edges are facing up and down. Begin to fold the sheet as if you were going to fold it in half.
From here fold the flaps back so they line up evenly with the middle of the pasta.
With slightly wet fingers, firmly pinch the dough in the middle to keep it from separating when cooking.
Continue with all other pieces placing them on a semolina floured surface or baking sheet.