Easy Pink Beetroot Homemade Pasta Recipe

hopewellheights

9 months ago

Making pink pasta from scratch is so simple and delicious and doesn’t require any artificial dyes or messing with raw beets – just beet powder!

This pink egg pasta recipe was inspired by a Valentine’s Day dinner I hosted for my daughter and her friends. Nothing is more magical to little girls than all things pink and purple and hearts. Well, at least for my little girl! I was more of a tomboy, but I found my way into my feminine side eventually – I love being a mother and homemaker. Although I’m not big on pink and purple myself, it brings me joy to see my daughter have fun in the kitchen with me preparing a beautiful dish.

This recipe combines earthy beetroot powder and my classic pasta recipe for the perfect pink color for any occasion, but especially for Valentine’s Day pasta dishes. We even used this recipe to make pink ravioli which was delicious. No worries if you’re not a beet lover, my whole family agreed we couldn’t even taste the beets.

Check out my homemade egg pasta recipe here that can be used in any number of quick pasta recipes – once you start making delicious pasta from scratch, you won’t want to go back. And you can use this basic recipe to make any type of pasta – spaghetti, linguini, lasagna, etc.

I may be compensated if you click some of the links in this post – no extra cost to you!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This easy recipe doesn’t require using fresh beets or cooked beetroot – just beetroot powder!
There’s no earthy flavor so you can add this pink past to any simple dish you’d add cooked pasta to.

What you’ll need for this pink pasta recipe

FRESH PASTA DOUGH INGREDIENTS

2 scant cups (230 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (20 grams) beetroot powder
4 large eggs (200 grams)
1 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
1 teaspoon (5 grams) extra virgin olive oil
Additional flour for dusting

TOOLS

large mixing bowl & wooden spoon
plastic wrap for pasta dough
sharp knife or bench scraper
pasta maker – I use an Atlas 150 with a pasta cutter attachment
drying rack (optional)
if you don’t want to make pasta by hand, a stand mixer with a dough hook or food processor can be used

Spend the day with me prepping some Valentine’s Day recipes including my favorite pasta with a pink twist!

Step-By-Step Instructions for Making Your Own Fresh Pasta

Make the dough

Add the flour and beetroot powder to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Use the bottom of a measuring cup or the back of a spoon to make a well in the flour.
Add the whole eggs, salt, and olive oil into the well.
whisk the egg mixture together with a fork or your fingers and then work into the flour.
The dough will be shaggy when you first start mixing – keep mixing until it comes together into a ball. If it’s too dry, add a little water. If too wet, add little flour. Pasta dough is very adaptable – just add what you need until you get the right consistency. The dough should be easy to knead and not sticky.
Once the dough has reached the right consistency, knead for about 5 minutes until smooth, it should be a very vibrant color.
Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it with plastic wrap. Then let the dough rest at room temp for about 30 minutes. I’ve forgotten about my dough and let it rest for much longer – it was just fine as long as its wrapped and not exposed to air.

Roll out the dough with a pasta machine

Unwrap the dough and cut it in half. Re-wrap one piece of dough until you’re ready to roll it out. Pasta dough begins to dry out quickly and then is very difficult to roll out. Keeping it wrapped is important to prevent it from drying.

Use a rolling pin or the heel of your hand to flatten the half of the dough you’ll be rolling out. It needs to be thin enough to fit through the pasta machine’s widest setting.
Set the pasta machine to 0 and pass the dough through 2-3 times. The dough will begin to stretch out into a long sheet with each pass through the roller.

After 2-3 passes through on a 0, lay the sheet of dough on the counter and fold it in on itself lengthwise, and then widthwise to make a thin strip of dough.
Use a rolling pin to flatten the strip so it fits through the machine & then roll it through the machine on 0 one time.
Adjust the machine to the 1 setting and pass the dough through 2 times.
After the last pass on 1, fold the dough in half lengthwise.
Roll the folded dough through the machine on 1, one more time.
Adjust the machine to a 2 and then roll the sheet of dough through 2-3 times. Repeat this process until you reach your desired thickness, 6 is standard.

Cut the pasta

Lay the sheet of pasta dough (it will be quite long) out flat on your work surface and dust with a little flour, using your hand to make sure the entire sheet is coated in flour.
Use a knife or bench scraper to divide the pasta sheet into 3 equal sections.

Run each floured sheet through the cutting attachment & then prepare immediately al dente, hang to dry on a drying rack, or twist the cut pasta into nests to dry.

Storage

Once the pasta is completely dry, store it in an airtight container like a ziploc bag in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a couple of months. Hanging pasta will dry very quickly, it only takes a day or two. Nests will take 3-5 days to dry. Pasta is dry when it breaks easily.

FAQ

Do I need any special equipment to make homemade pasta?
- While not essential, having a pasta machine or pasta attachment on a stand mixer can make the process a lot easier. You may also need a mixing bowl, a whisk or fork, and a clean working surface. Rolling out a lot of pasta by hand is hard work, but it gets easier with practice!
How long should I let basic pasta dough rest?
- Allowing the dough to rest for around 30 minutes to an hour is recommended. This helps relax the gluten, making the dough easier to roll out and shape.
How long should I cook homemade pasta?
- Cooking times may vary, but homemade pasta typically cooks faster than dried pasta. Fresh pasta generally cooks in just a few minutes. It’s important to taste the pasta for doneness, as the cooking time may differ based on thickness and shape. Time also may vary when you’re using different pasta recipe. For example, when making homemade lasagna, fresh lasagna sheets do not need to be pre-cooked at all, they will cook in the oven along with the assembled lasagna.

TIPS

Choose the right flour. All-purpose flour is commonly used for homemade pasta, but you can also experiment with different flours like semolina flour for different textures and flavors.

Measure ingredients accurately. Properly measuring the flour and eggs is important for achieving the right dough consistency. Use measuring cups or a kitchen scale for precise measurements.

Knead thoroughly. Kneading the dough for sufficient time is key to developing the gluten and achieving the best results. Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky – but still easy to handle and not dry or stiff.

Rest the dough. Allowing the dough to rest after kneading gives the gluten time to relax, resulting in a more pliable dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Dust with flour as needed. While rolling and cutting the pasta, dust the dough and work surface with flour to prevent sticking. However, use flour sparingly to avoid making the dough too dry.

Cook pasta in well-salted water. For optimal flavor, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Cook the pasta al dente, meaning it is still slightly firm to the bite.

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