Homemade pasta with Olive pesto, Pumpkin and Cannellini beans

 

Hey there!

Today I’ve got another pasta dish for you and I didn’t even use store bought pasta this time. I went all out and freshly handmade some delicious whole wheat Farfalle. There’s nothing better than homemade pasta, just saying, so if you’ve got the time you should definitely do the extra step and follow my example.

 

I just had some spare time on my hands and I was just feeling like some of the real homemade stuff, although I must say the barilla whole wheat pasta isn’t to bad either.

 

While making my pasta I actually realised that I hadn’t made pasta in ages. The last time I went the extra effort must have been over a year a go when my host mum and I decided to make our own Tagliatelle on a scorching summer’s day during the Christmas holidays.

When my hostparents were visiting a few weeks ago I actually asked them if they’ve been making lots of pasta since I had left Australia. But they too haven’t touched the pasta machine since that extremely hot day we had made ourselves some amazing Tagliatelle ai frutti di mare.

Although it took a while to prepare the homemade pasta, I didn’t mind the extra effort, I thought it was rather calming since I was just doing the same step over and over again and in the end I actually felt like I had it all done in minutes. It was kind of like pasta making meditation, if you get what I mean.

 

As for the sauce I was inspired by an Italian classic called Pasta alla Genovese. Where pasta is cooked with green beans and potatoes and as a finishing touch some pesto is added. This is actually absolutely amazing as well.

I was introduced to it a few years a go by a lovely family friend in Italy, when we didn’t know what to prepare for dinner one night. We actually coincidentally met our friend at the beach that day and somehow got talking about dinner plans. My mum mentioned she didn’t know what to cook, so lovely Luisa suggested Pasta alla Genovese. From then on this has been a recurring staple in our dinner repertoire. It was actually my go-to dinner while living in Australia. I think I cooked it basically every time I was on cooking duty in my third host family, at least when ever I attempt to introduce them to Swiss cuisine.

 

Even though Pasta alla Genovese is a truly delicious dish already I wanted to change it up a little. I went with a similar concept, yet achieved a totally different result, which tasted just as amazing if not better.

 

In place of ordinary basil pesto I prepared an olive walnut version, then instead of potatoes I used pumpkin and to substitute the green beans my choice fell on cannellini beans. I know, another pumpkin dish, but they’re in season, so I guess you’ll just have to go with it.

I think it is amazing how basic few ingredients can turn out to be such a beautiful dish when combined in the right manner. This was truly delicious.

 

So if I was able to whet your appetite for this deliciousness I’d say you should now start cooking or at least write your shopping list to get yourself the required ingredients.

• 200 g whole wheat flour
• 1-2dl water
• (350g Pasta)
• 50g walnuts
• 500g pumpkin ( I used Hokkaido, as always)
• 80g pitted black olives
• 240g cannellini beans (I used canned beans)
• olive oil
• salt

 

So if you decided to go with the sophisticated version and make the extra effort of preparing your own pasta you can start here, other wise scroll down till step 3 and start there.

 

1. Mix 200g of whole wheat flour and 1 tsp of salt with 1-2 dl water, start by only adding 1dl and add more if needed. Knead the dough until smooth then wrap in plastic foil and let it rest for about thirty minutes.
2. Now roll out your pasta dough by using a pasta machine. When your dough is rolled out very thinly, shape it into whatever pasta shape you prefer. I went with farfalle today. Then let your pasta rest on the counter top until you cook it.
3. Slice your pumpkin into smallish cubes, add one tbs of olive oil and some salt and bake at 200°C for about 25 minutes or until soft and tender
4. Meanwhile put your olives and your walnuts in a food processor with a little salt and process until fairly smooth.
5. After your pumpkin has been in the oven for about twenty minutes you can start boiling your pasta.
6. When your pasta is cooked al dente your pumpkin should be ready as well. Reserve about 2 dl of the pasta water when you drain your pasta
7. Mix your drained pasta with the walnut olive pesto, the pumpkin and the beans as well as the reserved pasta water.

 

Voila, now your delicious pasta dinner is ready to be served. This dish doesn’t need anything else. You might add a sprinkle of Parmesan or just leave it as is. It will be delicious whatever you decide to do. This is such an easy dinner and if you skip the homemade pasta part it will be finished in less than 40 minutes.

Not only is it incredibly simple it also tastes truly amazing. Honestly, this was one of the most delicious things I have eaten in a while and that’s saying something, as you know I do eat a lot of absolutely divine tasting food.

 

Have a good week

 

Bisous

Fanny, the foodie