Life is not worth living if I cannot have pasta or bread again-Monica Seles
The day starts off bright and promising.
After a month of being without a/c, yesterday the heavens opened and we feel cold, thanks to my new friend who fixed it.
Filled my elephant mug with strong hot coffee(which was a pure torture last couple of weeks). I sat by the window, slowly sipping away jotted my plans for the day. Little did I know then that plans work a bit differently every time.
After my coffee,I was refreshed and ready to go about my day. My morning jog goes for a toss with boys at home and my hubby out of town. After dropping the kid off to his class, came back very optimistic about making my pasta from scratch. Got back and realized, I had to run errands which I was postponing(now I have to do that after lazing for couple of weeks). Lunch comes and goes, my pasta hasn’t started yet.
Very determined , I gathered everything to make my pasta. Then ring ring, get a call from my little one’s coach about his class….oops, I forgot. I drive my little one to his class and get back. My headache’s creeping on me, I remember it’s time for my evening coffee. After a rushed coffee routine, I am on a crunch to make dinner, which I thought would be done by now.
OK, mixed all the ingredients, let the dough rest, went to pick my little one from class. Got back, a little tired, but I was not going to allow anything to come in between my pasta and me now. Rolling time came, and I just forgot how tough it is to roll by hand. Friends, I don’t have a pasta machine. Took me a whole hour to roll out, cut it into thin strips. It was finally done, but not to my satisfaction, it was a bit thicker than I would’ve wanted. The thinner it is the sauce gets soaked in better. Then again I can get bit fussy.
Here goes my ‘In a Rush Beetroot Pasta with Green Peas Masala’, which is ridiculously yummy and hearty. It might be a little overwhelming at first but it’s as simple as making the dough, roll, cut and boil, You are adding couple of extra steps and whole lot of satisfaction. Remember though, without the pasta maker it is a bit difficult to roll it to paper thin, but it’s not hard. If you love pasta, and you’ve eaten fresh made pasta, you know, it’s worth the effort right??
Three of us sat for dinner on our brown sofa finishing off a whole plate of pasta watching Lucy’s Show and laughing, she is the best comedian I know.
Ingredients:
For the Pasta:
All purpose flour – 2 cups
large eggs – 2
beet juice(fresh) – 2 tbsp
tomato paste – 1 tbsp
olive oil – 2 tsp
salt – 1/2 tsp
For the Green Peas Masala:
Green Peas – 1 cup
onion – 1
tomato – 1
ginger/garlic paste – 1 tsp
almonds – 15
jeera – 1/4 tsp
garam masala – 1/4 tsp
chilly powder – 1/2 tsp
salt – 1 tsp or according to taste
pepper – 1/4 tsp
oil – 2 tsp
sugar – 1/2 tsp optional
Method:
For the pasta:
1. Mix all the ingredients for the pasta dough to a tight tough dough. Knead it well for about 10 minutes. If using a food processor, process it for around 5 minutes. Let it rest for a minimum of 1 hour. At this point you can refrigerate this dough over night, and bring it to room temperature before rolling it out.
2. Cut the dough into fourths. With one portion, roll it out very very thinly, as thin as you can and cut it into very thin ribbon strips with a sharp knife.
3. Use little all purpose flour on the cut strips from sticking together.
4. After everything is cut. BOIL a quart of water, add little salt and little oil. Bring it to a boil and add the pasta in it. Let it cook for 4 minutes, drain it out and keep aside.
For the Green Peas Masala:
1. Grind the onion, tomato and almonds to a fine paste.
2. In a pan, add oil, add jeera, once it sputters, add the paste and cook it for 3 minutes.
3. Add chilly powder, garam masala and salt and cover and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add a cup of water and let it cook for another 10 minutes or until the raw smell of the onions are gone.
5. At this stage add the peas(I used frozen), and cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
If you are using fresh peas, add it at step 3 itself.
6. Last add some pepper and sugar.
MIX the pasta and Masala and serve it hot.
ENJOY!!!
Dear Asha, Hats off to u for ur multitasking……i dont know wen my kid starts goin to school how i will manage…..i mean household work never gets finished , no matter how much i try +the 18 months kid, who makes sure i don’t sit idle, so he keeps on pouring milk from his bottle on sofa, then water or juice on the floor or on the bed, opens his diaper and throws it away like paper aeroplane and opens refrigerator , takes out ice cream cones and finish it off all by himself……….everyday before i go to bed i wish to do multi tasks with more ease……. anyways that pasta looks wonderful and healthy a well, i mean it luks superb and you are like an expert in taking that perfect shot. Awesome.
looks so delicious and creative. i know people who use beets in red velvet to avoid food coloring.
@ Sush, multitastking is the middle name for moms:) Your little one seems like two handfuls, cutie pie he is..You are doing great girl and thanks always for your support..
@Honey, Yes, you are absolutely right, beets were used originally in red velvet cakes, am not sure why we started using the red color though..
But thanks for stopping by dear.
You made homemade pasta without pasta machine, hats off too. Great dish. Love it.
Looks delicious.. I love beets… a very creative way of using it to make pasta 🙂
You are committed to your pasta! I’ve never tried making pasta from scratch, but the fact that you juggled all of that and still made it is inspiring me to try. Lets see if I actually do it 🙂
Lovely Asha running around with your kid and making pasta. Its happening in all our houses, but you have put it down very beautifully.
Pasta looks too good, such vibrant color makes it very tempting…
http://priyas-virundhu.blogspot.co.uk
Just lovely, Asha! Thick pasta strands or not, I bet your pasta dish satisfied and scratched that proverbial itch like no other time…especially after all that running around. I agree…well worth the effort! Beautiful photography here, too. So inviting. Thanks for sharing!
Wow! the pasta looks so yummy. You even make the common beet look good!
This looks very delicious and comforting, I am glad I stopped by your blog, love it!
Hey Ash….what a busy bee you are… despite being so busy, finally you managed to do you wished to do, wonderful Pasta. Without pasta making machine, you prepared it and that too with a unique combination with beets and tomato… hats off femme 🙂
One thing Ash, did you require any amount of water for kneading dough? or beet juice and tomato paste were sufficient in kneading.
@ Femme- NOPE no water at all, the juice, eggs, tomato paste was enough and YOU have made my day my dear.
Thank You all for your lovely comments, really makes my day a bit more brighter.
Life can get really hectic with kids at home. Don’t forget to take care of yourself. loved your recipe.
Hats off to you Ash… The pasta look so perfect and you have done a wonderful job girl… !! They are delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I absolutely love the color of that pasta. Beautiful dish!
Your beet pasta is gorgeous! Love the vibrant color!!!
making pasta from scratch is one on my list for so long – you have made it look so easy. Thanks for the recipe Asha and kudos for all you do woah super woman
@ Rekha, thank you my friend.
@ Indu, thanks.
@ Liz- the beet just enhanced the color like crazy.
@ Dixya- It is easy..go for it..
Beautiful pasta and fantastic creation! That original dish looks mighty scrumptious.
Cheers,
Rosa
This pasta has such glorious colors, it’s a real eye candy,
and I’m sure it tastes as good as it looks.
Just mouthwatering….looks delicious!
You are amazing! That pasta turned out so pretty, aside from being delicious!
And with all those things going in on your day,too!
Sounds like a supper-to-die-for
Hats off for not giving it up!! With a headache, I won’t be able to pull off such beautiful pasta 🙂
Asha,this is amazing!!I cant even think of making pasta from scratch that too without a machine.Salute your determination 🙂
I am impressed! With all that was going on, I would’ve scrapped the whole idea and ordered a pizza! I have rolled pasta by hand and so I know how hard it is! But homemade pasta is wonderful.
Yours looks amazing and the colours are beautiful!
Nazneen
This is such an interesting combination. I love all the ingredients and I know this dish must be delicious! Very creative post!
thanks for your lovely comments, it is really encouraging, you have a lovely blog
HAVE A GREAT DAY ! 🙂
I love the brilliant color of this pasta, so inviting!