Home-made Pasta Maritata (Sagne maritate)

Spring is here!  The fresh mint appeared in the yard and so has the fresh garlic. 

            Mint growing

Fresh garlic

It's time to make sagne maritate (married pasta).  It's called "married" because the pasta marries (si sposa) with other ingredients.  This is an old family recipe.

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Ingredients (Sauce)

1/2 cup chopped mint

1/4 cup chopped fresh garlic (if available)

Alternate 3 cloves of minced garlic

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes in oil (if available)

Salt and pepper

Dough

4 cups flour (all purpose, or half all purpose and half semolina flour)
Pinch of salt

3 medium eggs
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Water (tepid) as required

Place the flour mixture on a pastry board and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs, olive oil, salt and a small amount of water (if needed). Begin to stir the flour from the outside of the well into the wet ingredients. Continue this process until the dough holds together in a ball. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Stretch the dough with the pin and roll out (not to thin). Cut the dough in rectangles and then in squares using a dough wheel to create the edging.

In a large pot of boiling water, add the pasta and cook just for a few minutes.  Drain (not totally) and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.  Put cooked pasta back into the pot.  Add reserved water.  Place pasta pot on the stove over low heat. Add the minced mint, garlic, walnuts, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir gently and mix well. Cook the pasta for few minutes and serve immediately.