This pile of 'twigs' on the right is my first attempt to make a more wholesome spaghetti for my family! I happened to be paging through one of my cookbooks - "Flavors of Tuscany - recipes from the heart of Italy", and I was impressed with how easy it was for Italian cooks to make their own pasta.I was certainly ready to experiment. I'd been trying to find a whole grain pasta, made from Spelt flour. So, I bought Spelt flour, and a little dark rye too, mixed a portion of both with flour, olive oil, salt and water and began to mix it all together, clumping it into a ball which is then kneaded. Since these flours are a little heavier than white flour, I had to trust my instincts as to how much of the oil and water should be used.
I rolled out an oblong slab, about 6 inches by 14 inches, and cut a line down the middle. Then I cut very thin strips, which were then rolled much like kids roll clay dough.
I did this on a thin kitchen towel dusted with flour held in place by some of my rocks. At the end of the shaping I slathered olive oil all over the spaghetti, and continued rolling them a little more. This oil coating will prevent them from getting 'pastey' when they are cooking. Since fresh pasta can dry out, I rolled them up in the towel while making my sauce.I did nothing fancy with the sauce, just took out a large jar of sauce from the fridge and added sauteed garlic, onion, and finely-sliced leeks to add to the texture. I had a pound of lean buffalo, so I fried that up with salt and garlic, and added it to the sauce.
I used a huge 7 inch strainer-scoop to remove the spaghetti from my kettle.
Served with a glass of grape juice and a cup of tea, it turned out to be a delicious experiment - however I'll have to warn you: This spelt-rye spaghetti may not appeal to children. Once cooked, it has the same color as earthworms!I'll end this post with this resolute little flowerpot I noticed in front of a shop along Ruston Way. It shows the very last of late autumn bloom, and has managed to survive several nights of freezing temperatures.
