Spelt Tagliatelle Pasta with Kale & Mushroom

Spelt Tagliatelle with Kale and Mushroom is a hearty pasta, a bit more rough since I played with different flours to obtain a more rustic pasta texture.

Spelt pasta and in general all whole wheat and whole grains pasta have a less smoother texture compared to egg yolk pasta. They also have a nuttier flavor, therefore it is very important to choose the right sauce to pair it with considering both flavor and texture. This tagliatelle spelt pasta is paired with herby vegetables and with a smooth Kale cashew pesto that add a touch of freshness and creaminess.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS DISH

– It’s a great Mediterranean dish: whole grains spelt, EVOO and olive oil, Tuscan Kale, mushrooms and parmesan.

– It is a highly energetic  meal, suitable for vegetarians and vegan (once you removed the Parmesan)

– It’s a comforting recipe and one of my favorite pasta recipe when I am looking for something nourishing and comforting.

WHAT ARE TAGLIATELLE?

Tagliatelle is a long-form of pasta that is between 0.25 inch (6 mm) wide.

Tagliatelle derives from the Italian word “tagliare” which means to cut. In fact tagliatelle are usually cut by hand with a sharp knife.

Tagliatelle are similar to fettuccine as they both are flat and long pasta noodle, made from egg yolk pasta dough in the most classic recipes. There 2 differences. Tagliatelle are slightly wider and thinner, while fettuccine are a bit thinner and a bit thicker. The other relevant difference is the origin of these pasta shapes: Tagliatelle has originated in Emilia Romagna and in North Italy, while fettuccine is a popular noodle pasta from Rome and in Southern Italy.

SPELT PASTA RECIPE INGREDIENTS

To make spelt pasta you will need equal part of semolina or durum wheat and spelt flour. I chose this mix as these flours have a higher higher protein content, resulting in a pasta that is hearty and more rough to the touch, ideal for holding the sauce better.

Durum wheat is the semolina flour, it is ideal to mix with other flour given it’s higher gluten content which creates a less sticky dough and it’s more elastic than other types of flour.

Spelt flour or Farro, is a grain normally used to make bread and sweets, but is increasingly found in pasta these days. Farro or whole grain spelt is also more tolerable than classic pasta, in case you have a mild allergy to gluten. The result is a spelt pasta that is higher in complex carbohydrates and also higher in fibers. A nutritious pasta that has become one of my facorite pasta recipe when I want something nourishing, while having the pleasure to make it from scratch

Instead of egg mixture, I used extra virgin olive oil. And you will need some lukewarm water too.

WHAT IS LUKEWARM WATER?

Lukewarm means at room temperature. The ideal lukewarm water temperature is between 100 and 110 F° (36.5 to 40.5 C°).

SPELT PASTA SAUCE INGREDIENTS

In general all whole wheat grains requires a hearty and chunky sauce. I used 2 types of vegetables that pairs well with this spelt pasta: Tuscan or Lacinato kale, whose leaves cook very quickly, and some mushrooms, which are rich in vitamin D. Kale is bitter and mushroom add a meaty-umami taste to the recipe.

I decided to make a pesto with some of the kale, Parmesan and cashews to add a touch of creaminess that went well with the pasta.

HOW TO MAKE SPELT TAGLIATELLE PASTA

I will leave you all the simple steps, to make it easier if it is the first time you are making homemade pasta.

STEP 1:

Sift the two flours, and form a volcano shape on a clean work surface. Add 1 tbsp of oil and 150 ml of lukewarm water to the center. Begin to work in the flour until a dough forms. Knead the dough until it is smooth. Cover it and let it rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

While the dough rests, prepare the sauce, which is very simple:

– Heat some EVOO in a frying pan, with 2 cloves of garlic. Sauté the mushrooms and after 10 minutes

add the kale, cook until the kale is wilted.

– Bring some water to boil, blanch the kale 2 minutes and then place it a food processor or blender with 2 tablespoons of cashews, 1 tbsp of parmesan, 1 cloves of garlic and 3 tbsp of EVOO. Puree until smooth.

STEP 2:

Now you can move on to shaping the dough. I’ll leave you with 2 methods below:

BY HAND

Since I was making it for Rob and I, I just rolled it out with a rolling pin until it reached a thickness of ¼ inch. Then I divided the flattened dough into 2 pieces. I trimmed the irregular edges with a sharp knife.

To cut the pasta sheets into tagliatelle, roll up a third of the sheet on itself, then the other half. Cut with a sharp knife into large ¼-inch strips. Unravel the cut tagliatelle strips and let them dry on a standing rack.

USING THE PASTA MACHINE

Start with a rolling pin. Then divide the pasta dough into 3 pieces, working each piece out separately and turning from the center to the outer edges.

Now pass the dough through the rollers of the pasta maker. Start with the widest settings of your pasta machine and run it through two more times decreasing the level of thickness, up to the desired consistency. This is how you get the lasagna sheet. Use the tagliatelle attachment and run the pasta sheet through one more time to get tagliatelle noodles.

STEP 3:

Bring a large pot of cold water to boil. Add sea salt and, once dissolved add the tagliatelle to the boiling water. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until the tagliatelle rises to the surface, about 5-10 minutes, until al dente. Preserve a little amount of water, then drain them and add the pasta to the kale and mushroom, add the sauce you made earlier and add a bit of the pasta water. Toss it to combine.

Your spelt pasta is ready to eat! MANGIA! Sprinkle some more Parmesan cheese, if you would like.

RECIPE VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

If you prefer a simpler sauce to toss your spelt pasta, I recommend a vegetable sauce like Traditional Tomato Sauce. Another great sauce would be any pesto, try any of the Red Pesto, Classic Pesto, or Arugula and Mint Vegan Pesto.

If you like, you can use dry whole wheat pasta or classic wheat pasta, in which case dinner is ready in 30 minutes.

HOW TO SERVE WHOLE WHEAT TAGLIATELLE WITH KALE AND MUSHROOM 

This spelt pasta works well as a main dish. You can serve it with a side salad and some rosemary focaccia bread.

This pasta is best eaten fresh. If you have extra, you can store it in a container in the refrigerator for a maximum of 2 days.

HOW TO STORE WHOLE WHEAT TAGLIATELLE WITH KALE AND MUSHROOM 

If you make more tagliatelle, let them dry and then store them in an airtight container. They will become dry and you can consume them within 3-4 days.

Please let me know in the comments how you like the TAGLIATELLE WITH KALE, MUSHROOM AND WALNUT PESTO! I would really love to hear from you, and hope this dish will be A FUN PASTA PROJECT TO GATHER ALL YOUR FAMILY IN THE KITCHEN!