Monday, September 22, 2008

On Top of Homemade Pasta!


Whew, what a crafty weekend! Phoebe and I made felt barrettes, ribbon barrettes, a barrette holder for all the new barrettes, worry dolls, and, to top it all off, homemade pasta.
FINALLY! I have found a good, basic noodle recipe! I found it in my pasta machine's instruction booklet [Note: Dang! Those things have just shot up in price!].

Pasta Dough Recipe
6 Servings
Ingredients:
5 eggs
1 lb flour (I used about 4 cups)

Place a pound of flour on a working surface and make a hole in the center. Put 4 eggs into the hole. Gently begin mixing the flour with the eggs.
To soften the mixture, 1/2 oz of olive oil, a little water, or another egg may be added. (I dipped my hands in water and kneaded that into the dough. It really only needed the slightest bit more dampness).
Continue to knead the dough until it reaches a uniform texture and color. It should be soft and smooth. Form a ball with the dough, wrap it in a towel, and let it rest for a few minutes.
Cut the dough into small slices and pass each piece through the flat rollers of the Atlas Pasta Maker, with the regulating knob set at the widest position, number 1.
Fold the pressed sheet in two and pass it again through the rollers.
Repeat folding and rolling several times, lightly flouring the sheet each time it is passed, to keep it smooth.
Then reduce the thickness of the sheet by passing it through the rollers one thickness setting smaller each time, until you reach the desired thickness.


The trick was: I kneaded it all with my hands! Every batch I made in the KitchenAid was bland and weird. This doesn't mean I won't try to make these with it or my food processor, but the tactile sensation associated with the kneading and mixing was necessary to get the right dough. Added plus: the recipe is so basic it is a great base for flavored pasta.

Phoebe & I rolled these through to a setting of "3" and then through the fettuccine cutter. The result was similar to kluski noodles. Phoebe & Mike thought them a bit thick. For sauces, I agree. These will be perfect in Beef Stroganoff!

Phoebe took all the bit dough left overs with which we had cleaned the pasta machine and dyed them all sorts of colors. She has plans for red & green Christmas noodles; orange & black Halloween noodles; and orange, red, & yellow for Christgiving time.

Side note, yet still applicable: I found a whorking huge bag of salt at Costco. So ridiculous it was in hugeness that, of course, I wanted it. 25lbs for $3.25! I didn't get it, but now I will. I need to salt my boiling water since the noodles are so basic.
Now, to get fancy and add flavors to the noodles. What can I add?

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