Fresh Pasta
This is an easy, fun way to experiment in the kitchen. Making fresh pasta reminds me of playing with play dough when I was little. It is possible to make pasta without a pasta machine but I highly recommend you invest in one. They are relatively inexpensive (I paid $10) and easy to store; it doesn’t have to be fancy or top of the line either.
This pasta is really light; I even find this whole wheat pasta lighter than the fresh white pasta I have bought in the store.
The method of making the pasta is the same for each ingredient list below, just make note of the difference in quantity of the ingredients.
Whole Wheat Pasta
2 Cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 Eggs
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ to 1 Cup warm water
White Pasta
The logic of switching up whole wheat and white flour for pasta is the same as it is for the pizza dough; white flour needs led salt to season.
2 Cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
2 Eggs
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ to 1 Cup warm water
Semolina Pasta
1 Cup Semolina flour
1 Cup all purpose flour
½ tsp salt (if mixing with white all purpose flour)
1 tsp salt (if mixing with whole wheat all flour)
2 Eggs
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ to 1 Cup warm water
Directions:
– On a very clean counter top, put the flour in a mound (right on the counter top).
– Add the salt to the flour and mix it in with your fingers and then build a volcano with the flour mixture (the same way you did/do with your mashed potatoes for the gravy).
– Crack the eggs and pour them into the centre of the volcano along with the olive oil (these would be the gravy!)
– Also add some of the water to the eggs and olive oil, start light with the water and add, as you need.
– With a fork, pierce the egg yolks and gently start whisking together the eggs, oil and water, careful not to break the volcano wall.
– Start gently adding flour into the mixture from the inner part of the volcano. If you are mixing with your right hand, use your left hand to keep the volcano together; pulling the flour that falls loose back into the pile.
– As is becomes manageable start mixing the dough by hand, add more water if the dough is still too dry and not coming together.
– You want the dough to be sticky but if it is sticking to your hands as you knead then you have added too much liquid and need to add a little more flour. Add a pinch of flour at a time, you don’t want to over estimate how much flour to add so go slowly or you could conceivably fight a never ending battle between the flour and the water leaving you with a huge portion with no flavour!
– Once the dough has come together knead it for 5 minutes.
To knead:
Push down on the dough with the heal of your hand, then turn the dough sideways, fold the dough in half and again push down with the heal of your hand, and repeat.
– Once you have finished the kneading wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for one hour on the counter.
– After the dough has rested for at least one hour divide into quarters and put through the pasta machine.
– Start at the highest setting, working your way down the sizes to the desired size (the pasta maker will also come with easy to follow instructions).
– After you have run the pasta through the machine and cut it the size you prefer you need to let dry for 15 to 20 minutes. I don’t have a pasta drying rack; I have used my food processor and paper towel rack to hold a large spoon! Get creative in the kitchen; it’s fun!
– Depending on the size of the pasta it will only need to cook for 2 to 5 minutes.
– Here are some rough estimates for size and time
Spaghetti – size 4 (test for doneness after 2 minutes of boiling)
Angel hair – size 1 (test for doneness after 1 minute of boiling)
Lasagna – size 3
Fettuccine – size 3 (test for doneness after 4 minute of boiling)
*** Do not add salt to the pasta dough when you are making lasagna because you use it raw and there is no water to absorb the salt.
Okay so I don’t actually know if this is how a pasta maker would categorize the various pasta sizes but as I have mentioned before; I am not a classically trained chef, these are the sizes I have found work for me.