How to make homemade pasta dough with basil from scratch using a Blendtec Twister Jar (plus, I’m giving one away). The basil here is used similar to how you would make spinach pasta dough rather than just mixing in minced herbs, which results in a green-colored pasta and a strong but not overwhelming basil flavor.
This past Sunday we headed off to the farmers market to find the vendors are slowly starting to clear. It happens every year around this time when their particular items are done for the season, and with the weather dropping to below freezing this weekend, you can be sure the trend will continue in higher numbers the next two weekends.
This always sends me into a sort of frenzy where I suddenly feel as though I need to buy every single apple available, stack case upon case of tomatoes in the trunk, consider the finer points of freezing and blanching and canning and preserving and literally bite off more than I can chew in each department. The chill in the air seems to penetrate down into my soul, which I assume sits slightly to the right of where my heart lies.
I imagine that winter comes like the dementors, spreading cold across all that is living, and looking to suck my soul from my body. My personal Patronus is the act of stockpiling all that I can in an effort to keep my soul intact. (Yes, I am rereading Harry Potter with my 8-year-old.)
(Incidentally, pictured above is my 6-year-old. She still prefers Dr. Seuss for her nightly reading and her HP via video. I imagine her Patronus to be a Seuss-like mix of Hedwig and Fawkes. I apologize to everyone who is not a Harry Potter fan or forced to become one via your children.)
This is how I came to be cooking down 6 quarts of tomatoes, turning the last of my basil into pesto and pasta, baking bread, canning salsa, and simmering applesauce all at once Sunday afternoon. Luckily, I had helping hands and a gorgeous day to spend together in the kitchen prepping food for the week ahead.
As we were sitting down to dinner that night, pasta on plates eaten on the patio for perhaps the final time this year, I realized that my most treasured family moments are born out of the kitchen and the congregation that happens there. Two kids fed pasta dough through the machine at the counter, another worked on stirring sauce, and the fourth sat working on homework on the same floured table where the pasta dough was kneaded. It was chaos, but in each separate moment within the chaos was this intense calm where I could have stopped time and remained forever.
A Giveaway:
I’m giving away a Blendtec Total Blender Classic Wildside and Twister Jar to one lucky reader!
- The Wildside has a 4″ blade a a 3-quart BPA-free jar.
- Smart-Touch Tec-nology incorporates variable speeds that ensure your smoothies, soups, and sauves are extra smooth and your ice expertly crushed.
- The Twister Jar is specifically engineered for creating smooth pesto, pasta dough, nut butters and more.
- A 7-Year Warranty to protect your investment and be enjoy the blender for years to come.
TO ENTER:
Leave me a comment! Any little comment. Tell me about your blender woes (I killed my last one by leaving a spoon in it!) or your favorite things to make with a blender.
For Bonus Entries:
Tweet or share the following on Facebook and leave a comment letting me know you did:
Enter to win a @Blendtec Wildside Blender via @FoodforMyFamily http://wp.me/puu57-39b #giveaway
Share this recipe on Pinterest and leave a commenting letting me know you did.
THE RULES:
This giveaway is provided by Blendtec and will run until Friday, October 12, 2012 at 11:59 pm CDT and is open to all U.S. residents 18 years of age and older. A winner will be chosen at random using Random.org from all eligible entries. Chosen winners must respond within 48 hours of notification to claim their prize. Good luck!
Note: You can use the Twister Jar to mix the flour into the pasta dough as well. Add the flour slowly, and pulse while turning the Twister lid counterclockwise until all the flour is incorporated. Remove the dough and knead as directed in the recipe.
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch sea salt
1 3/4 cups “00″ flour or all-purpose flour
In a blender, mix together basil leaves, eggs, and oil. Pulse until smooth, though some flecks of basil are expected. Place the flour on the table and create a well in the center. Pour the basil and egg mixture into the well. Mixing with a fork, incorporate the flour until a dough forms. The dough should be slightly tough. Knead the dough 5-7 times and then allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes.
After the dough rests, continue to knead until all the lumps are gone. At this point you can feed the dough through a pasta machine, starting on the highest setting and then moving to lower settings, or you can roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin to 1/8″ thick or thinner. Cut into strips. Hang the pasta to dry slightly as you prepare the water.
Note: Pasta can be dried completely for at least 3 hours and then stored in an airtight container for up to three days or frozen and stored for up to a month.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water and 3 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Add the pasta, stirring as it goes in so that it does not stick together, return to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Check the pasta at this point. Fresh pasta generally cooks in 2-6 minutes depending on thickness.
When the pasta is al dente, drain, and toss with desired pasta sauce or olive oil/butter. Serve immediately.
Makes 3-4 servings.
More from Food for My Family
Pinned!
http://pinterest.com/pin/272186371200627152/
My daughter killed our last blender by burning out the motor.
https://twitter.com/tweetyscute/status/255819256103583744
I shared on pinterest http://pinterest.com/pin/47710077273846520/
I actually killed my last blender making baby food, if you can believe it! What a wimpy piece of junk! ha! Glad to see this one can handle such things.
I have another baby now who starts solids in just a few months, so I’d love to give it a try! 
Thanks for the giveaway! 
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/megans_madness/status/255825292688494592
I pinned this recipe! http://pinterest.com/pin/113293746847390779/ I LOVE basil, it looks awesome!
I love to make smoothies: whey protein powder, kale, chopped apple, carrot, and ginger. YUM!
Oh, how I would love this Blendtec!
Thanks for the chance to win.
tweeted about the giveaway
https://twitter.com/birdmoose3/status/256047301930389504
Thanks for the chance to win this awesome blender! I killed my last one trying to make almond butter
I actually have a blendtec. Love it. it is a couple of years old but would love another one to give to my sister in law.
The last blender I had did nit have a proper seal so when I went to blend a smothie, everything came flying out the top. What a mess!
I keep trying to find a good blender in my (low) budget. No luck! If I win this, I think it will fit the bill, though!
My blender died when making margaritas….I would be making green smoothies every day with this machine!!
I love making fruit smoothies for breakfast in my blender!
tweeted – https://twitter.com/steffers516/status/256208432535838721
I love making green smoothies. I have been wanting a Blendtec forever!
I pinned your homemade basil pasta recipe (which looks delicious by the way).
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I killed my blender making green smoothies–it just couldn’t handle the ice!
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Have sooo been wanting a new blender for smoothies! Each time I’m at the store Ill text my hubby and he says, “Is it in the budget?”…nope, not yet!
I love making soups and smoothies in a blender.
My facebook post https://www.facebook.com/rusthawk/posts/322999177798696
Pinterest share: http://pinterest.com/pin/225461525066469936/
I have a cheap blender that is so loud, one of our dogs run for cover when she sees it. I would love to win a good blender that could handle more than just milkshakes and margaritas.
I tweeted about the giveaway.
https://twitter.com/Kmmlynch/status/256438007161315328
My woe is trying to make a smoothie and have chunks of stuff still left!
I love smoothies and the frozen fruit gives me fits!
What an awesome recipe! Yum! And yikes about killing your blender with a spoon. Mine is just so underpowered, it’s a shame. I need this beauty!
Tweeted!
I pinned it too!
I would love a great blender – mine is slow and lacking thrust.
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Tweeted
I pinned!
Jenny´s last post ..Happy Birthday Shelby – Garlic Noodles with a Kick!
I love to make smoothies but all I have is an immersion blender, it is really hard to make smoothies with that!
I haven’t found a blender that handles the ice or hard veggies well for more than a couple months, so I just stopped buying them and I simply can’t afford Blendtec. I would be thrilled with this one!
My blender fails at crushing ice…..
I want to make smoothies with frozen berries with this blender! Also like to try making homemade almond butter – preservative free!
My husband has a smoothie for breakfast every morning, so our blender gets a lot of use!
I shared on Twitter via a tweet:
https://twitter.com/paulslim7/status/256500639826313216
Pinned via Shaina Olmanson’s Pasta Project:
http://pinterest.com/pin/391602130068281237/
I love to put frozen fruit, a little cream and make an ice cream/sorbet…so easy and so delicious. You do need a really good blender like this, or you have to use a food processor…
I love to make green smoothies, but don’t have a powerful enough one. Would LOVE this!
I had an unfortunate incident making cream of asparagus soup. The asparagus was a little stringy and totally killed my blender.
I had to get rid of our last blender cause we lost the top for it. INSANE, EH?!?!?!?
Great giveaway!!!! Last time I attempted to make a smoothie and realized I didn’t have protein powder or fruits
What a wonderful giveaway
. I think i put too much stuff in the blender then it overheated. Oops.
I posted the link on Facebook
My blender woe is that I don’t have one. I’ll be moving in with my bf soon, and HE has one, but I don’t. And it makes it really hard to make half the awesome recipes I find out there without one!
We make a lot of smoothies, protein shakes and yummy desserts in our blender, but it’s nothing like a Blendtec!