In this lesson, we are making fresh handmade pasta with a sweet corn lemon sauce.

This lesson will take about 2-3 hours, so I recommend setting aside a long afternoon to complete the recipe. Take your time in rolling and shaping your pasta. Share the experience with family or friends. This recipe is perfect for healthy eating and unwinding — great for your physical and mental wellbeing!

This recipe was adapted from consulting and testing a number of other recipes [see resources below]. The final version of the ingredients and method is intended for beginners and without the use of a pasta machine, a stand mixer, food processor, nor a blender — though you can use any of these tools to make your process easier. 

 

 

Fresh Handmade Pasta with Sweet Corn Lemon Sauce

Yields 2-3 servings

Prep + wait + cook time = 2-3 hours

Ingredients for pasta: 

2 whole eggs, large

1 egg yolk

1T olive oil

1/4 cup semolina flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour + ~2T for dusting/rolling

1 tsp dried oregano

Pinch salt (approx. 1/4 tsp) (kosher or sea salt preferred)

Plus salt for pasta water (another 1/2 tsp)

Ingredients for sauce: (optional)

1 can sweet corn

1 lemon

Cooking oil for pan (any cooking oil is fine: olive, vegetable, canola, etc.)

Salt & pepper

Tools needed: 

Rolling pin

Sifter

Fork

Plastic wrap

Pot with water for cooking pasta

Wooden spoons and tongs

Pan


Make pasta dough: 

In bowl, add 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk, and 1T olive oil. Lightly beaten.

On baking surface, sift 3/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup semolina. Add pinch salt. Add crushed 1 tsp dried oregano.

Make a large well in the center of flour. Pour egg mixture into the center of the well.

Using a fork, carefully incorporate flour mixture into the egg mixture, making sure not to incorporate large chunks.

Once the dough is thick enough to handle by hand, knead 8-10 minutes. You’ll need to dust the surface and dough with extra flour if the dough is sticky. The dough should spring back and shouldn’t be too wet or too dry. 

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour until the dough does not spring back when poked. In the video, the dough was rested for 45 minutes.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces so it’s easier to work with.

Flour work surface, and roll out dough with rolling pin.

Roll until it is very thin, until you’re able to see your hands through when held up to the light.

Cut your dough into the shape you’d like. In the video, the dough was cut into pappardelle, fettuccine, and bowtie shapes.

Set aside to dry or cook.

Cook pasta for 1-4 minutes. Test its doneness by tasting.

Save some pasta water. About 1 cup is enough.


Make sauce: 

Drain corn then finely chop/mince corn.

Wash and dry lemon. Slice in half.

In pan, add a bit of oil (not too much). Heat oil for about 1 minute, then add chopped corn in single layer.

Heat corn for about 1 minute until warm.

Add approx. 2 T of reserved pasta water.

Add salt and pepper. Stir.

Heat through for about a minute.

Add another 2T of pasta water.

Cook another minute until sauce is slightly thickened (about 2-3 minutes). Repeat this step until you have enough light sauce to coat all of your pasta.

Add your cooked pasta and stir to coat.

 


Recipes consulted: 

 

This recipe was adapted or created for Pasadena Public Library by Jane Gov, Youth Services Librarian. Any reference or adaptations to this recipe can be credited to Pasadena Public Library.

This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.