Whats for dinner @ the WKA house, Monday 28th May...

Remember I was mentioning here about the basil flavoured homemade pasta ? Well thats exactly what Im having for dins this eve... :) Use frozen broad beans if you cant get fresh and dont forget to take off their little jackets when they are cooked or youll end up with a dreadfully grainy yuck sauce.Images © Katie Quinn Davies 2012Fresh spaghetti with broad bean and mint sauce, bacon, peas and pine nuts.INGREDIENTSFor the fresh basil pasta:4 large free-range organic eggs400g Tipo 00 pasta flour6-8 large basil leavesFor the broad bean sauce:100g soft goats cheese3 heaped tablespoons light sour cream1/2 cup broad beans, cooked and peeledJuice 1 lemon2 tablespoons light olive oilLeaves from 2 sprigs mint 4-5 large fresh basil leaves1 long green chilliSea salt and freshly ground black pepperYou will also need:Olive oil for cooking6 rashers long streaky bacon, excess fat removed, cut into tiny cubes1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted1 cup frozen peasPinch caster sugar10 large mint leaves slices very finelyExtra goats cheese for servingMETHODTo make the pasta sauce whizz all the ingredients in a food processor to form a smooth, light green, creamy sauce. Set aside in a small saucepan until later.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan, add the bacon bits and fry gently until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towel and set aside. Return the pan to the low heat, add the pine nuts and toss continually in the pan until lightly golden ~ take care as they can burn super fast and have a habit of doing so the minute you take your eye off them (!) drain again on paper towel and set aside.Fill a small saucepan half-full with water, add a pinch of caster sugar, bring to the boil over high heat then add the peas and simmer over medium heat for 2- minutes, drain and plunge peas into a bowl of iced water.To make the pasta: add flour, eggs and basil leaves into the bowl of a food processor and whizz to form a ball of dough, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, knead for 30 seconds, then wrap in cling film and chill in fridge for 30 minutes.Fill a large pot with salted water, bring to a rolling boil over high heat.Remove pasta dough from fridge, cut into 4 pieces and run each one through your pasta maker from the widest setting (1 on mine ~ I use a bog-standard Imperia Pasta Maker) ensuring you are producing a smooth, hole-free and even pasta as you work your way up the settings (going from the widest (1) to the thinnest (6) as you are rolling the dough through the machine). Note: Stop rolling at setting 5 ~ I have found going all the way to 6 makes the pasta too thin and you end up with sloppy, noodle like spaghetti which cooks in 3 second and ends up a gloopy mess.Run the pasta sheets (keeping them very well floured as you go to avoid sticking) thought the spaghetti cutter on the pasta machine. Add all the cut spaghetti onto a baking tray and toss liberally in pasta flour to keep all the strands loose and separated. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook for 2 mins or until just al dente, drain (keeping all but about 1/3 cup pasta water in the pot) then return to the pot containing the small amount of hot cooking water. Note: pasta this thin and fresh cooks in literally minutes, so take care at this stage not to over cook it..While pasta is cooking gently warm the pasta sauce over low heat, then add cooked bacon, toasted pine nuts and peas retaining a few to scatter over the pasta at the end.To serve; coat the cooked pasta in the warmed sauce, spoon onto serving plates and scatter with any remaining bacon, pine nuts and the finely sliced fresh mint, a scattering of extra goats cheese and lots of freshly ground black pepper.