Makes about 14 oz of Pasta.

• 4oz fresh spinach
• Fine sea salt
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks

Parchment paper or wax paper

Trim stems from spinach, discard stems. Rinse leaves in cold water, do not dry.
In a medium saucepan with a pinch of salt, cook spinach over medium heat covered, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain spinach and let cool, then gently but thoroughly squeeze out excess liquid and very finely chop.

On a clean work surface, mound 1 cup flour and form a well in the center.
Add 1 egg, 1 egg yolk and spinach into the well. Using a fork (or your fingers) gently break up yolk and slowly incorporate flour . Continue until the liquid is absorbed, then knead for 10 minutes.
Wrap dough tightly in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes

Repeat the process above with the flour and eggs to make the other half of the dough. Knead for 10 minutes and wrap in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes

After the dough has rested:

1. Take the spinach dough and divide into 3 equal pieces (cover the other two and set aside)
2. Set the rollers of pasta machine at the widest setting then feed pasta through rollers 3 or 4 times folding and turning pasta until it is smooth and the width of the machine.
3. Roll dough through the machine, decreasing the setting one notch at a time (do not fold or turn the dough this time) until pasta sheet is a scant 1/16 inch thick.
4. Cut sheet in half crosswise, lightly dust both sides with flour. Layer sheets between floured pieces of parchment or wax paper.
5. Repeat the process until both types of dough is rolled out.

Cutting:

1. Loosely roll up the pasta sheet and with a very sharp chefs knife, cut rolled sheet crosswise into ¼ inch strips.
2. Unroll ribbons of pasta, lightly dust with flour and spread on a lightly floured baking sheet.
3. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets.

To cook:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add Tagliatelle and cook until tender – about 3 minutes…no more.
3. Drain and sauce with whatever sauce you are using.

Straw and Hay Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Mushrooms.

• Fine sea salt
• 6 oz 1/8 inch thick slices prosciutto – cut into matchsticks
• ½ lb button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tbls unsalted butter
• 3 large or 5 small sage leaves
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• ¼ cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1 recipe (14 oz) fresh straw and hay Tagliatelle or 14 oz dried from the store.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. In a large skillet, combine shallot, butter and sage, heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until butter is melted.
3. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
4. Remove sage leaves at this point and add the matchstick prosciutto and cook until golden, but still tender (about 3 minutes)
5. Add cream to the skillet, bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.
6. Stir in parsley and cheese, remove sauce from heat.
7. When pasta is al dente, reserving ¼ cup of pasta water, drain pasta and add to the skillet with the hot sauce. Add a bit of the pasta water only if you feel you need to thin the sauce a bit. Toss.
8. Serve and eat immediately.