Comments on: The fresh pasta experiment

By: George

George — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:15:25 +0000

yummilicious recepie. tried at home…..
mouthwatering flavours..

By: Paul Giordano

Paul Giordano — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 23:43:04 +0000

I have been making pasta for over 20 years now. I only followed a recipe at the beginning, now I just eyeball it and let it ride. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Add some garlic or purée some roasted red peppers or perhaps some spinach or basil! I usually make it for guests and special occasions. Pasta making is a great art that is a lot of fun and it really does taste great when done right.

By: Sandi Saunders

Sandi Saunders — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:53:59 +0000

Go you, Lindsey!

By: John R Mohme

John R Mohme — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:45:20 +0000

Also, I use a manual machine, Atlas 150. You have better control than with the motorized machines.

If you still want the “power”, you can always add the motor.

By: John R Mohme

John R Mohme — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:42:38 +0000

Freezing fresh pasta is an option, just separate as much as possible and, most importanly, do not thaw prior to dropping it into boiling, salted water.

Making fresh pasta in small batches, from a mix, is still the best option. It’s usually ready by the time you finish the sauce and the water’s boiling.

By: AJ

AJ — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:15:50 +0000

Wise advice, Jeff. I have had the pasta attachment on my “wish list” since a Kitchen Aid mixer made its way into my life as a housewarming gift from my mom.

You also make an excellent point about getting spoiled on the good stuff. I discovered that the hard way after the first time I made homemade Pitas…put the grocery store things to shame!

By: Jeff Bland

Jeff Bland — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:01:15 +0000

Lindsey; Like you experienced first hand, weather plays such a large part in pasta making. It is so dry right now, if you follow a standard recipe, you will need to add more water. If you are making in July or August, you will need less water because of the humidity here in VA. My recipe is pretty simple.
1 Cup AP Flour, 1 Large Egg, Pinch of salt, and water as needed. Put into a food processor and run until it starts to form little grains (almost looks like couscous). Pull out a little and squeeze into a ball. If it will not hold together, you may need to add a little more water. If it comes to a ball in the processor, you have plenty of moisture. If I am making sheets for lasagna, I will keep the dough a little moister. If I am making spaghetti, fettuccini or some other wide pasta, I will try and keep the dough as dry as possible. Really tough to roll out the dry dough but the reward at the end is so worth it. Let it rest for a while after making and between sheeting. After cutting, make sure you toss with a pinch of cornmeal. If I want really tender pasta, I will use 2 cups of AP flour, 1 large egg, and water as needed.

By: Lindsey Nair

Lindsey Nair — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:42:49 +0000

@Chef Jeff, I have not tried Mirko yet but I hear many rave reviews.

By: Lindsey Nair

Lindsey Nair — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:42:19 +0000

Thanks for the tips, John and both Jeffs. A recipe is one thing, but when it comes to something like this, it’s always better to have advice about the way the dough should look and feel.
Jeff Bland, would you consider sharing your dough recipe? You say eggs make the dough tough, so how many eggs do you use?
I’m also interested in whether anyone thinks it is worth it to make homemade pasta and dry it or freeze it for later, or if that defeats the purpose of making it fresh. I was thinking some homemade pasta would make a neat gift.

By: Jeff Bland

Jeff Bland — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:30:09 +0000

I have been making fresh pasta since I was a young boy and still have my first pasta machine. Just like anything else, practice makes perfect and here are a few things I have learned over the years.
- The drier the dough, the better the pasta but more difficult to work with.
- Eggs make pasta tough, so less eggs, the more tender the dough but more difficult to cook.
- After cutting any pasta, toss it with just a pinch of cornmeal and this will keep it from sticking together. Do not use flour because the pasta will absorb it in and make the pasta stick together.
- Semolina pasta is usually used for dried, extruded pasta and is really tough to work with at home. If you stick with the AP flour, you will be just fine.
- A food processor is a really easy way to mix your dough.

Also wondering if anyone has tried the fresh pasta at Mirko Pasta at Towers?