The Fancy Way To Incorporate Herbs Into Your Fresh Pasta

Making fresh pasta at home is a fun way to enjoy a meal with friends and family. But if you happen to have an abundance of fresh herbs on hand too, then you can use them to make your pasta more visually stunning — and tasty. To give homemade pasta this gourmet twist, you simply need to add one extra step during the pasta-making process: including the herbs in the dough. While this technique is not a difficult one, you will need to have a pasta machine in order to roll out the herbed dough into thin, uniform sheets.

Once you have made your favorite pasta dough recipe, a simple mixture of eggs, flour, and sometimes water, you'll need to let the dough rest before rolling it. After, once the dough has been rolled into sheets, it can be cut into wide strips. After removing the herb stems, place the leaves in a column along the center of the strips of pasta dough. Next, cover the herb-studded dough with plain dough and gently press them together. You can also work in sheets of dough, which will allow you to work faster to prevent the pasta from drying.

Once the strips of dough have lightly adhered to one another, send the strips of dough with herbs sandwiched in the middle back through the pasta machine. Remember to always start at the widest setting of your pasta machine and gradually reduce the width as you go. This method allows for an even thickness and prevents overworking the dough, which could make it tough. Keep a close eye to prevent rolling it too thin. You want to create a stained-glass effect with the herbs — not pasta so thin it tears or the herbs break through the surface.

With the pasta made and cooked, it's important to consider how you plan to serve it too. You want the subtle flavor of the herbs to shine after taking the extra step to incorporate them. It's best to stick to lighter sauces. A simple toss in olive oil or a delicate sauce is ideal. 

So, delve into the beauty of herbs, and watch your pasta game transform. It's an easy way to impress your dinner guests and change up your go-to homemade pasta routine.