Basil Pasta

Note:  This little chicken+garlic+jalapeno+red sauce+fresh chopped basil combo is a favorite of mine for a quick dinner.   It's great with any whole grain pasta, even if it isn't homemade.  

I found this recipe on a website (I can't remember which one, sorry) when I was looking for homemade pasta recipes.  I bought a pasta machine online while in Oklahoma City because as usual, I wanted to try making something that wasn't already prepared in a box.  Oh yeah, and I love basil and the color green so green noodles sounded fun.  It isn't as hard as you might think.  It's harder without a pasta machine because you'd have to use a rolling pin but if that's the case, just flour a smooth surface and roll out half the dough at a time to about 1/8" thick.

3/4 c chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 c flour
1 egg
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbs water

Using a food processor, process basil leaves until chopped very fine.   Add 1 1/2 cups of flour and pulse two or three times, or until combined. Add egg, 1 teaspoon oil, and the water until dough looks crumbly and sticks in a tight ball when pressed in your hand. If dough seems dry, add a bit more water.   Wrap dough in a piece of plastic wrap which has been coated in a few drops of olive oil. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.  Run dough through pasta machine, or roll with rolling pin to 1/8" thick.  Use additional flour to coat pasta while rolling.  Fold pasta in half lengthwise a few times, flouring between each layer, and cut into strips.   Allow pasta to dry for one hour prior to cooking.  Cook in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. This should take only a 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pasta.

This pasta tastes best with a marinara sauce.  I tried it last night with just some tomatoes and oil and garlic but it was a little bland.  Cooking the basil like this takes away most of the freshness that I love about basil.  Adding a sauce like Newman's Own Sockarooni brings it back out.  I also added 1 diced chicken breast, 1 garlic clove, and 1 jalapeno.  Cook the chicken in a skillet with the minced peppers until almost done.  Then add teh garlic and sauce and simmer over medium heat for a couple minutes until the sauce is warmed through.