Homemade pasta with Three-Cornered Leek

Homemade pasta can be really really easy to make. I promise.

If you’re making it for a massive crowd, even for 4 or 6 people then it get much more time-consuming. But for just two people, it really can be a quick and easy evening meal - with minimal ingredients - just plain flour, egg, salt, olive oil - and in this case a “sauce” made with three-cornered leek and butter.

Give it a go. Homemade pasta can be way easier and quicker than you think it is.

(I made this for my lunch from scratch, did all the washing up from the night before (while the dough was resting) and also ate lunch in under 40 minutes - though I am a quick eater!)

Serve 2 people (one if you’re really hungry!)

For the pasta:
120g plain flour (you can use special pasta / 00 flour, but plain flour is totally fine)
good pinch of salt
1 large egg
1-2 teaspoons olive oil

To serve:
4-5 leaves of 3-cornered leek, finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons butter

1) Put the flour, salt, egg, and olive oil into a mixing bowl (traditionally this is done on a work surface, making a well in your pile of flour but I think it’s perfectly acceptable to use a bowl instead - especially when I’ve just used it to weigh out the flour!)

2) Mix with a fork until it starts to form a dough. If it’s too dry, add a little more olive oil. Too wet, add more flour.

3) Once you can pull the dough together into a ball, knead it on a floured worksurface for 5 minutes. It will end up nice and smooth.

4) Put the ball of dough to one side to rest for at least 10 minutes. Longer is fine.

5) While you’re waiting, melt a dollop of butter in another sauce pan over a medium heat. Once it’s melted add the three-cornered leek and some salt and pepper. Keep cooking until the moisture from the leaves has evaporated and the butter just starts to brown. Turn off the heat at this point.

6) When you’re ready to eat, put a large pan of water onto boil. Make sure you add plenty of salt to the cooking water.

7) Roll out the ball of dough. It doesn’t matter what shape you make but try and roll it out so it’s nice and thin. Use plenty of flour to stop it sticking to the work surface. (You could use a pasta machine for this but I don’t bother)

8) Once your pasta sheet is lovely and thin, use a pizza cutter (or knife) to slice it into strips.

9) Once your water is boiling, gently lift the pasta into the water. It will only take a minute or two to cook. Once the water is boiling again, it will probably be done.

10) Drain the pasta and then add it to the pan of butter. Stir it. Then serve immediately with more black pepper.