Whole Wheat Papardelle with Roasted Sunchokes, Carrots, and Pecorino Romano

My Dad gave me a pasta machine a couple Christmases ago, but up until now, I have only used it to make lasagna noodles.  I was at the Heartland Restaurant in St. Paul recently and they had this wonderful hand cut wild rice flour papardelle with golden turnips, chanterelles and parmesan cream.

The pasta had a nice hearty texture due to the nature of the flour used in it, nothing like I have expirienced with a pasta before!  It was so good that I was inspired to try my hand at making some pasta myself!  I used whole wheat flour in mine however, since I don't have a grinder that will grind the wild rice fine enough.   The whole wheat turned out to be just as hearty and still have that wonderful texture.  I decided to pair my hearty pasta with roasted carrots and sunchokes, since I had come across some beautiful locally grown ones.  I finished the pasta off with garlic, thyme and a little pecorino romano cheese. 

It was so simple and yet so good!  Comfort food fit for the coldest winter night.  And why not make your own pasta when you are cooped up inside due to the winter chill!  Here is the recipe if you would like some for yourself! 

Whole Wheat Papardelle with Roasted Sunchokes, Carrots, and Pecorino Romano

Serves 3
Pasta:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 egg
1-2 Tbsp water
1 tsp sea salt

4 medium carrots, sliced on the diagonal

6 medium sunchokes, sliced thinly on the diagonal

olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 tsp dried thyme
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 oz pecrrino romano cheese, shaved

To make pasta, mix together flour and sea salt in a bowl.  Make a well in the center, and crack the egg into it.  Add 1 Tbsp water, and start slowly mixing in flour and incorporating it into the wet ingredients.  Mix until all flour is incorporated and a soft but not sticky smooth dough is formed (if you need to add more water if dough is too dry).  Divide dough into 2 pieces, and flatten each slightly.  Lightly flour each, then send through a pasta maker until the dough is a very long thin sheet.  (alternatively, roll each out until very thin with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface).  Cut each into 1 inch thick strips, and set aside on lightly floured parchment.  Place a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil.  Meanwhile, Preheat oven to 475 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil.  Toss carrots and artichokes with just enough oil to coat and spread out on sheet.  Roast until starting to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes.  When your pasta water has come to a boil, cook pasta for about 2 minutes, or until it floats to the surface.  Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pan, and add garlic, pine nuts, and thyme.  Cook for a minute until garlic is fragrant, then add cooked pasta, roasted veggies, and sea salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well until heated through, then transfer to plates and sprinkle with pecorino romano and serve!