Spicy pasta and noodles with Chillies

Chillies are absolutely fabulous with noodles and pasta. In countries like China, Thailand and Korea, Chilli in the form of pastes and oils is extensively used in recipes that feature noodles made from rice and mung bean. The Italians, on the other hand, use durum wheat to make pasta. This is not to say that Itay is not also a great fan of chillies. Pestos made with chillies and tomatoes, nduja ( a spicy sausage from Calabria ), and chilli oils are widely used in pasta preparation.

This section explores how Chilies are used with these ingredients in these countries and many more.

While this a spicy pasta, you can also use it to make a plain pasta that you will use with the other recipes on this page. Just leave out the spices. Home-made pasta is so much better than store-bought dried products.  It simply just  has to be tried in all your spicy pasta dishes

Ingredients

1. Flour – 2 Cups
2. Olive oil – I tablespoon ( extra virgin)
3. Eggs – 3 large
4. Water
5. black pepper – 0ne teaspoon
6. Cayenne powder – i/2 teaspoon
7. Paprika powder – two teaspoons
8. Chilli flakes – one teaspoon

Method

1. Place the flour on a flat surface like a kitchen counter or wooden cutting board. Add the spices and mix well
2. Scoop into a mound. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and oil into it
3. Take some flour from the side  and sprinkle over the eggs and oil
4. Using a fork, work the eggs and oil into the flour until everything is mixed
5. Using your hands, start forming a ball and then start massaging the dough until everything is well incorporated
6. Knead the dough ball for five to 10 minutes ( add about a tablespoon of water at this stage) . Add a further tablespoon if needed,  to achieve a  stiff but pliable dough.
7. Wrap the dough in cling film and allow to rest of 30 minutes
8. After the 3o minutes, divide the dough into four small balls
9. Sprinkle some flour on your working surface.
10. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5 mm
11. Cut the edges of the rolled out dough to form a rectangle  ( use the cut off bits to make another dough ball)
12. Sprinkle some flour on the rectangle and keep to one side until all the dough balls have been rolled out and cut into rectangles.
13. Using a sharp knife, cut these  into 5 mm wide strips ( you can also use a pasta cutting machine to do this)
14. To cook. Bring a  medium-size pot half-filled with water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook to the desired bite. ( the time it will take will depend on the type of flour used)
15. Serve with a little chilli oil or butter and sprinkle with chilli flakes