I have written about fresh made pasta before. This is to update my processes. This summer I picked up a hand cranked pasta roller. This really simplifies the process and produces a much more consistent end product. Plus the cutter that came with my machine cuts in two different sizes, thin like capellini pasta, or thick like fettuccine.
After using it a few times, I found that a pasta drying rack would come in handy. When pressing the pasta through the roller and cutting it, having a place to get it out of the way really pays off. You can buy a pasta dryer, but I had some wood dowels in the garage and I was able to make my own. I used a 1/2″ dowel and drilled across and used 3/16′ dowels to create the crossbars to hang the pasta.
As a refresher, I displayed the recipe below. However, lately I have been leaving out the parsley and adding 1/4tsp of coarsely ground black pepper. That gives the pasta a nice subtle spicy heat that pairs well with just about any sauce. I have rolled the pasta into sheets and used that to make a lasagne. That is on the menu for later this week, recipe to follow.
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Place eggs, water, flour, parsley and salt in mixer bowl. Attached bowl and flat beater. Turn to speed 2 and mix for 30 to 60 seconds. Add more water if the dough is too dry, in 1/2 Tablespoon increments.
- Change out the flat beater for the dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and knead for 2 minutes. Remove the dough and knead by hand for 2 minutes. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Cut dough into four pieces to be rolled out. In my case, I cut it into two, wrapped one really well and froze it for use at another time. My research shows that it should stay good for about 2 months. We are planning on making homemade ravioli out of it this weekend. Take the two or four pieces and roll them out until paper thin. It will get thicker as you cook it. Use a sharp knife and cut into thin strips. Once cut, twist a few pieces together into a nest shape.
- Once all is cut into strips, place into well salted boiling water and cook for 3-5 minutes. Pasta will float when it is done. Remove from boiling water and serve promptly with your favorite sauce.
