Colourful Bowtie Farfalle Pasta with Marcato

Making your own pasta is actually a lot easier than it looks and the superior taste definitely outweighs the effort. Once you have mastered making a standard dough recipe then experimenting with different flavour profiles can be a lot of fun. Adding a different dimension to the pasta in both colour and flavour can really impress your family or guests.

The Marcato Atlas 150 is a manual pasta maker that is ridiculously easy to use. The patented Wellness rollers, at the core of the Atlas pasta system, are fully adjustable to nine thickness settings and feature a state-of-the-art design that prevents sticking during rolling. The Atlas lets you prepare 3 pasta shapes: lasagne, fettuccine (6 mm) and tagliolini (1.5 mm). However, you don’t have to be limited to just those pasta varieties. This farfalle pasta was achieved by making lasagne sheets. The sheets were then hand cut into small rectangles and pinched in the center to attain the bow tie shape.

You can also buy accessories to make further different shapes and can purchase an electric motor attachment, with its patented bayonet fitting, to make your work even easier. As detailed in the included instruction manual, the Altas 150 Pasta Maker is very easy to set up. You simply need to affix the machine onto a table or work surface with the clamp provided and insert the handle into the roller hole. To install the attachments you just need to slide them down on the tracks and removing them is just a case of lifting them up and off the tracks. You should never wash or dishwasher the Atlas 150, instead, you clean the machine, after use, using a brush or wooden rod. The Atlas 150 is available in a range of colours to match your other kitchen appliances and accommodate an array of kitchen colour schemes. Click here to view the entire Marcato range including their pasta machines and attachments, biscuit presses, pasta drying racks and other accessories

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Plain, Beetroot and Spinach Bow Ties

Plain Dough

• 100g soft wheat flour
• 1 room temperature eggs

Beetroot Dough

• 100g soft wheat flour
• 1 room temp egg
• 1 tbsp beetroot puree

Spinach Dough

• 100g soft wheat flour
• 1 room temp egg
• 60g spinach (stalks removed)

Instructions

Plain Dough Put the flour into a bowl and add the eggs into the middle of the flour. Mix the eggs with a fork until they are completely blended with the flour. Knead the mixture with your hands until it is completely homogeneous and consistent. If the mixture is too dry, add some water; if it is too soft, add some flour. (A good mixture should never stick to your fingers.) Beetroot dough Put the flour into a bowl and add the eggs and beet puree into the middle of the flour. Mix the eggs and beetroot with a fork until they are completely blended with the flour. Knead the mixture with your hands until it is completely homogeneous and consistent. If the mixture is too dry, add some water; if it is too soft, add some flour. (A good mixture should never stick to your fingers.) Spinach dough Lightly pan-fry the spinach with a tablespoon of water until the spinach has wilted and turned bright green (approx. 1 min). Remove spinach and squeeze as much water out as possible (I used a cheesecloth to do this) Finely chop the spinach. Put the flour into a bowl and add the eggs and spinach into the middle of the flour. Mix the eggs with a fork until they are completely blended with the flour. Knead the mixture with your hands until it is completely homogeneous and consistent. If the mixture is too dry, add some water; if it is too soft, add some flour. (A good mixture should never stick to your fingers.) Cover each variety of dough in cling film and allow to rest for approx. 20 mins. Set the Atlas 150 machine regulator to position 1 and pass a piece of the mixture through the machine while turning the handle. Repeat this operation two to three times, folding the dough over and adding flour to the middle if necessary. When the dough has taken a regular shape, pass it through the rollers set on number three and then number eight. With a knife, cut off the ends and then cut into small rectangular sections (approx. 5 x 2.5 cm) Place your index finger in the middle of the rectangle and then bring in the top and bottom (of the longer side) to meet your finger. Press firmly to seal and form the bow ties. Allow the formed pasta to dry for at least an hour before cooking. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 2-3 mins. Drain and serve with your favourite pasta sauce. About the Author: Amy is the recipe developer, photographer and voice behind the blog Healthy Little Foodies. She has a BSc(Hons) Food Science and Marketing and has, in the past, worked as a food development technologist, developing products for the UK's leading supermarkets. She now lives in Sydney and is a Mum to two young boys age 5 & 2.