I got a free pasta machine

[mrsflibble]

now... howdo i make pasta? is there any point or should I shove it on freecycle?!

[contadina]

If you like fresh pasta then definitely keep hold of it as it's the only way to ensure that you can achieve lovely thin sheets of pasta for lasagna, parpadelle, fettuccini, tagliatelle, ravioli etc. You can also buy attachments to make spaghetti, vermichelli and neater tagliatelle etc. I wouldn't bother with the raviloli attachment as it makes really tiny ones and it's far more fun to make lovely big parcels with the sheets that you've rolled out with the pasta machine. I always make a double batch and dry some to store for later use as it keeps for a couple of months.

Pasta dough is made from flour and eggs (for every 100g of flour you need 1 medium-large egg) and you can either make it by hand or in a food processor. I make mine by hand, while hubby uses the processor - both methods work well.

If you're making dough by hand

Place the flour on a clean surface and make a well in the centre.
Break the eggs in the middle and from the outside in begin folding the flour into the eggs, using your fingers to break and evenly distribute the yolk and white.
Bind the mixture together until it becomes a single mass. If the mixture continues to feel a little wet, add a touch more flour.
Then knead it - pulling, stretching and pushing down with the heel of your hand - until the ball of dough is silky smooth to the touch.
Wrap it in cling film and put in the fridge for half an hour or so. Then put it through your machine at the largest setting first, and continue using the thinner settings and you are happy with it.

Here's a recipe using a processor http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/datab ... 3067.shtml

I'm guessing that your machine has instructions for use, but give me a shout if it doesn't as it's pretty easy to master.

[hamster]

Could you keep it for a bit and try and make pasta, then give it away on Freecycle if you don't get on with it?

[Milims]

Rats!! I'm not close enough to you to look out for it on freecycle if you hate it!! lol. Chris is part italian and we both love fresh pasta. Guess I'll just have to convince santa that I really have been a good girl and hope for the best!
I like the sound of your recipe Contadina- sounds nice and simple as well as enjoyable to do. Is it possible to make pasta without the pasta machine to cut it?

[Russian Doll]

dont put it on free cycle give it to me....i love pasta and think of the money ill save with amy

[Ellendra]

Do you have a recipe for an unsweetened pie crust? Probably the best noodles I've ever had I made with the leftover dough from a meat pie. Unfortunately, my dad tossed the recipe out during one of his cleaning frenzies

-Ellendra

PS: Now I'm gonna have to check Freecycle for a pasta maker . . .

[contadina]

You can cut the shapes that you like with a knife, no problem. The problem is getting the dough thin enough in the first place, which is where the pasta machine comes in handy. But if you have the time and the patience then rolled up sleeves and a rolling pin should suffice.

The majority of pasta made in Puglia is without eggs and without a pasta machine. I probably make this stuff once a week and get the pasta machine and eggs out once a month. If anyone's interested in instructions for no-egg, no machine orecchietta (little ears) and macaroni pasta let me know.

Re the pie-crust noodles, do you know what sort of pastry it was? I'm going to give noodles a go the next time that I make some shortcrust pastry. As you can't get Chinese style noodles easily over here I use the vermicelli setting on my pasta machine when it's out and make a batch and dry them for use in stir-fries. Tastes really good!

[wulf]

Yes - this sounds interesting. Share away!

Wulf

[contadina]

No worries. I shall start a new post entitled egg-free pasta!

[cobnuts]

How do you dry and store home made pasta? I've tried and failed in the past.

[mrsflibble]

my gran used to use a wooden spoon between two upturned chairs on top of the table.

Contadina: thanks for the recipe...does it require a special flour?

[contadina]

Most recipes say use Italian "00" but any strong white works. I always use about third semolina flour as it's the same price over here, but it's not absolutely necessary and you won't notice a great difference in taste or flavour.

I use a couple of broom-like handles and a couple of chairs to dry pasta. The key is to make sure that it's properly dry, which may take a couple of days. Being mean, I always put a clean towel underneath to catch any strands that fall off.

[ina]

Contadina: thanks for the recipe...does it require a special flour?

Dove's farm do a special pasta flour - no idea whether it's massively different, but you could always give it a try.

[possum]

don't get rid of your machine whatever you do, I love mine, I don't use it that often, just when we are overrun with eggs mainly, but home made pasta is gorgeous.