Freshly made pasta is the best. And, although it can be time consuming, it is very forgiving, and totally worth it. Once you learn how to roll out your pasta, you can cut it or, or twist it, or use is it any way you like.
I have written lengthy directions below, but basically you make a well in the center of your mound of flour, and slowly scramble the eggs with a fork, while gathering bits of the surrounding flour. Then knead the rest of the flour in. Don't be alarmed if dough is very tough - the more time that passes the more flour the dough absorbs, and it will become softer and softer. So, it's a good idea to have extra flour on hand to keep your hands from sticking when you are stretching the dough.
I stretch pasta using a pasta machine, but you can do it with a rolling pin as well. Just keep folding and rolling, until you have a smooth even consistency.Tagliatelle Pasta
Ingredients
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
5 extra large eggs, room temperature
Pinch of salt
Method
To prepare the pasta dough, place the flour in a mound on a wooden board, and use a fork to make a well in the center. Place the eggs and salt in the well and mix them together with your fork. Then begin to incorporate flour from the inside of the well, pushing the flour under the forming dough so it doesn’t stick to the board. Remove any pieces of dough that stick to the fork and incorporate them. Then gather the dough together and set to one side of the board. Gather all of the unincorporated flour and sprinkle across the board. Knead the dough by pushing with the palm of one hand, and folding the dough over with the other hand. Do not sprinkle the flour over the dough, it will gradually absorb the flour. Continue kneading until the dough is no longer wet, and all but 4-5 tablespoons of the flour is incorporated. If you are stretching the dough by hand, knead the dough for 5 minutes, if stretching by machine, knead for 2-3 minutes. By hand: place a rolling pin in the center of the dough and roll gently back and forth until the dough is thin and elastic. Cut into desired shape.
5 extra large eggs, room temperature
Pinch of salt
Method
To prepare the pasta dough, place the flour in a mound on a wooden board, and use a fork to make a well in the center. Place the eggs and salt in the well and mix them together with your fork. Then begin to incorporate flour from the inside of the well, pushing the flour under the forming dough so it doesn’t stick to the board. Remove any pieces of dough that stick to the fork and incorporate them. Then gather the dough together and set to one side of the board. Gather all of the unincorporated flour and sprinkle across the board. Knead the dough by pushing with the palm of one hand, and folding the dough over with the other hand. Do not sprinkle the flour over the dough, it will gradually absorb the flour. Continue kneading until the dough is no longer wet, and all but 4-5 tablespoons of the flour is incorporated. If you are stretching the dough by hand, knead the dough for 5 minutes, if stretching by machine, knead for 2-3 minutes. By hand: place a rolling pin in the center of the dough and roll gently back and forth until the dough is thin and elastic. Cut into desired shape.
Basil Pesto
Ingredients
2 c fresh basil
1/2 c grated Parmesan
1/2 c grated Romano
2/3 c Olive oil
3 T toasted pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
1/2 t kosher salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
Method
Put the basil, chesses, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender, and pulse a few times. Then with the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil until well combined.
3 comments:
OK, seriously, you need to write a genuine book about cooking with food storage. There is a large percentage of our generation that does not know how to make good things to eat from basic staples that makes up most of everyone's food storage.
and you do it with such style. You would sell thousands, and your mom in law already knows how to publish books. It's the perfect storm of book makingness.
C
I made Pappardelle as a practice run before my dinner club last week. I don't have a pasta machine so it was really time consuming and not consistent in its thickness. So.. I think I will go buy the machine and then think about homemade pasta again. Ravioli is much easier to make without a machine. Looks great!
I have dough issues - going to try yours!
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