Carrot Nutmeg Pasta

Fresh pasta gets a sunny makeover here. Carrot puree replaces most of the water in this dough, tinting the pasta a cheerful orange and lending a faint natural sweetness, while a pinch of nutmeg adds a warm, cozy note that pairs beautifully with the carrot.

It’s built on durum semolina flour, the high-protein wheat that gives pasta its firm, springy bite, with just three ingredients in total. The carrot does double duty as both color and moisture.

The trick with any vegetable pasta is moisture. Because the water content of carrots varies, the recipe wisely advises adjusting as you go, adding more puree, water or flour until the dough comes together right. Let it knead before deciding it needs more liquid, and watch it closely, since it firms up as you work it. Roll, cut, and cook in well-salted boiling water just until tender.

Kitchen Tips

• Add liquid gradually. Carrots vary in water content, so adjust with more puree, water or flour until the dough is smooth but not sticky.
• Let the dough knead a bit before adding more water, as the recipe says. It often comes together with patience alone.
• Rest the dough before rolling so the gluten relaxes and it rolls thin without springing back.
• Fresh pasta cooks fast, in just a couple of minutes, so taste early.

Variations

• Cook fresh carrots and puree them smooth, or use jarred baby-food carrots for a shortcut.
• Add a little grated Parmesan or a pinch of ginger to the dough.
• Toss the cooked pasta with brown butter and sage to play up the nutmeg and carrot.