Naturally Colored Fettuccine Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

By Ashley Cuoco

Images

Serves

Serves 4-6 (1 pound) per variety

Ingredients

  • Beet Pasta:
  • 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
  • 4 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 medium cooked beet, peeled

  • Tomato Pasta:
  • 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
  • 4 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste

  • Saffron Pasta:
  • 2 teaspoons saffron threads
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
  • 4 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • Spinach Pasta:
  • 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
  • 4 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

Procedure

To make the beet pasta: Puree beet in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Pour flours directly onto a large work surface. Use your fingers to combine them and make a well in the center. Add whole egg, egg yoks, salt and beet puree. Use your hands or a fork to beat the center well, gradually incorporating flour until the dough begins to hold together in a mass. If dough feels too dry, add water by the teaspoon until it comes together.

Sprinkle a handful of semolina onto your work surface. Knead the dough, flouring as necessary until dough feels firm and elastic, about 3 minutes. If dough feels too wet, continue to add flour and knead until no longer sticky to the touch.

Press dough into a disc and wrap in plastic—let rest at room temperature 30 minutes.

Generously flour work surface with semolina. Use a bench scraper to divide disc into 4 equal portions. Remove one quarter and wrap the others in plastic.

Set pasta rolling machine or attachment to widest setting (setting 1). Use a rolling pin to flatten the first quarter of dough into a rough rectangular shape, about ¼" thick. Dust in semolina and pass once dough through the roller. Fold dough like a letter and rotate 90 degrees. Flatten again with a rolling pin and pass once more through the widest setting. Dust with semolina and pass through the next narrowest setting (setting 2). Continue to dust and pass through the next narrowest setting until you reach setting 4 or 5, ideal thickness for fettuccine. When the sheet of dough becomes too long for your work surface, divide it in two for more manageable sizes.

Switch to a fettuccine roller. Dust sheets well with semolina and pass through on low speed. Catch strands in the center as they exit the roller; swirl well in semolina to keep from sticking. Using a circular motion, gently twist the strands together to form a loose nest. Continue this rolling and cutting process with the remaining quarters of dough.

At this stage, nests are ready to be cooked in boiling, salted water (2-3 minutes). Alternatively, nests can be frozen on a sheet pan until firm and transferred to an air-tight bag for storage. When cooking from frozen, add an additional minute or so of cook time.

To make the tomato pasta: Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding tomato paste (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.

To make the saffron pasta: In a small bowl, add saffron threads and 3 tablespoons warm water. Stir and let soak about 5 minutes.

Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding saffron threads and water (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.

To make the spinach pasta: Puree spinach in a food processor or blender until smooth. Using a paper towel or cheese cloth, gently squeeze out a bit of the excess water (not all of it).

Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding spinach puree (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.

By Ashley Cuoco

Serves

Serves 4-6 (1 pound) per variety

Ingredients

  • Beet Pasta:
  • 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
  • 4 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 medium cooked beet, peeled

  • Tomato Pasta:
  • 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
  • 4 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste

  • Saffron Pasta:
  • 2 teaspoons saffron threads
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
  • 4 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • Spinach Pasta:
  • 6 ounces semolina flour, plus more for dusting
  • 4 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

Procedure

To make the beet pasta: Puree beet in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Pour flours directly onto a large work surface. Use your fingers to combine them and make a well in the center. Add whole egg, egg yoks, salt and beet puree. Use your hands or a fork to beat the center well, gradually incorporating flour until the dough begins to hold together in a mass. If dough feels too dry, add water by the teaspoon until it comes together.

Sprinkle a handful of semolina onto your work surface. Knead the dough, flouring as necessary until dough feels firm and elastic, about 3 minutes. If dough feels too wet, continue to add flour and knead until no longer sticky to the touch.

Press dough into a disc and wrap in plastic—let rest at room temperature 30 minutes.

Generously flour work surface with semolina. Use a bench scraper to divide disc into 4 equal portions. Remove one quarter and wrap the others in plastic.

Set pasta rolling machine or attachment to widest setting (setting 1). Use a rolling pin to flatten the first quarter of dough into a rough rectangular shape, about ¼" thick. Dust in semolina and pass once dough through the roller. Fold dough like a letter and rotate 90 degrees. Flatten again with a rolling pin and pass once more through the widest setting. Dust with semolina and pass through the next narrowest setting (setting 2). Continue to dust and pass through the next narrowest setting until you reach setting 4 or 5, ideal thickness for fettuccine. When the sheet of dough becomes too long for your work surface, divide it in two for more manageable sizes.

Switch to a fettuccine roller. Dust sheets well with semolina and pass through on low speed. Catch strands in the center as they exit the roller; swirl well in semolina to keep from sticking. Using a circular motion, gently twist the strands together to form a loose nest. Continue this rolling and cutting process with the remaining quarters of dough.

At this stage, nests are ready to be cooked in boiling, salted water (2-3 minutes). Alternatively, nests can be frozen on a sheet pan until firm and transferred to an air-tight bag for storage. When cooking from frozen, add an additional minute or so of cook time.

To make the tomato pasta: Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding tomato paste (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.

To make the saffron pasta: In a small bowl, add saffron threads and 3 tablespoons warm water. Stir and let soak about 5 minutes.

Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding saffron threads and water (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.

To make the spinach pasta: Puree spinach in a food processor or blender until smooth. Using a paper towel or cheese cloth, gently squeeze out a bit of the excess water (not all of it).

Beginning with step 2 above, follow the same instructions adding spinach puree (in place of the beet puree) to well with whole egg, egg yolks and salt. Continue on through step 8.

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Naturally Colored Fettuccine Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

FAQs

What is used to color pasta? ›

A bright pink dough colored with beets, a deep dark black dough colored with squid ink, a green dough made with spinach, and a golden orange dough that gets its hue from tomato paste.

How to get your pasta yellow? ›

Using a higher ratio of egg yolks to egg whites ensures delicate, rich, yellow noodles with a classic Italian flavor and texture.

Can you use food Colouring to Colour pasta? ›

Alternative taste-safe method to dye pasta

If you have a little one who is still mouthing everything and you're concerned about using paint, the alternative is to colour your pasta using food colouring. The colours may not be quite as vibrant but you can relax knowing it is completely taste-safe!

How do you dye pasta with food coloring and vinegar? ›

DIRECTIONS:
  1. For every cup of dry pasta, pour 1 tbsp of vinegar.
  2. Add a few drops of food coloring.
  3. Mix until all the pasta pieces are fully colored.
  4. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking tray and pour the colored pasta on top.
  5. Lay out in an even layer and let out to dry for a few hours.
Nov 9, 2021

What is the best natural colouring for pasta? ›

For the all-natural colors
  • Red: 1 boiled beetroot & 1 carrot optional, it is used to lighten the redness of the beetroot.
  • Orange: 1 roasted red pepper.
  • Yellow: 1 roasted yellow pepper -OR- 1 tsp turmeric powder -OR- 1-2 fresh turmeric roots.
  • Green: 1 cup spinach leaves -OR- 1 cup parsley.
Mar 4, 2024

How to color pasta without vinegar? ›

Add 10 drops of food coloring to the first bag of pasta.

If you want vibrant results, use a little more food coloring. If you're going for pastel pasta, use a little less than 10 drops. You can use any color you want and even experiment with mixing colors to create new ones.

What is the best color for pasta? ›

So here are five tips that you should remember when buying your pasta. A good pasta must have a light yellow colour, almost ivory, as this is the colour of semolina (ground durum wheat). This means the pasta has been dried slowly at a low temperature and that the nutritional properties are therefore intact.

What makes homemade pasta yellow? ›

Semolina flour is a coarse, sturdy flour made from durum wheat that you will likely find in the baking section of your local grocery store. It is sunny in color, turning pasta dough yellow, even without egg yolks.

How do chefs make pasta of different colors? ›

In general, Tacinelli and Rito use powders — charcoal, tomato powder, smoked paprika — to color their pasta rather than purees, because they don't mess with the moisture as much. If you'd rather use a vegetable puree like carrot, beet, or spinach, just keep in mind that you'll likely have to use fewer eggs.

What gives green pasta its color? ›

Red pasta is made using tomato in the pasta dough whereas green pasta usually has spinach on the pasta dough. There is also of course black pasta which has squid ink in the dough.

How do you make colored pasta sensory? ›

Measure about two cups of your dried pasta, and add it to a resealable plastic bag. Add 1/8 cup of white vinegar to a disposable cup and add 20-30 drops of food coloring. Stir it together and then give it a test! Dip a piece of pasta into the cup to test the color saturation.

How do you color cooked pasta for play? ›

Sort your cooked spaghetti into even piles, depending on how many colours you want to create. We went for red, blue, green, yellow and purple. Place your spaghetti into ziplock bags – you'll need one bag per colour. Make sure you're wearing gloves and then add a few drops of food colouring to each bag – seal it tight!

How do you color cooked pasta with paint? ›

Begin by placing 1 ½ -2 cups of dried pasta in a plastic bag. Add two squirts of hand sanitizer and a dash of paint. Add a little at a time, you can always add more color to make it darker. If you notice the paint is not fully covering the pasta, add another squirt of hand sanitizer to dilute the paint.

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