I recently received a pasta machine as a gift and have always (up until now) been quite skeptical about how different fresh pasta could taste compared to the dried pasta you buy at the supermarket. So, I thought I’d give it a try….. and I was amazed at the difference!!! I highly highly recommend you take the time out of your day to make this – in fact, you’ll never be able to go back to eating the dried stuff again. You can even make a lot and freeze it for later use. The beauty of fresh pasta is that the sauce that you put on it becomes secondary…. since the pasta itself becomes the feature.
Anyway, here is the recipe I tried…..
- 2 2/3 cups (400g) Italian ’00′ flour or high-grade flour, plus extra, for dusting
- 4 (59g each) eggs, at room temperature
1. Place flour in a mound on a work surface. Make a large well in the centre, then break eggs into it. Using a fork, gently beat eggs, while, with your other hand, secure the walls of the well. Continue stirring with the fork, drawing in flour until mixture is very thick, then, using your hands, work in remaining flour.
2. Once flour is incorporated, knead the dough (it should be firm and not sticky) for 5 minutes or until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
3. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Flatten 1 piece with your hand. Dust lightly with flour. For machine-rolled pasta, set your pasta machine to its widest setting, then feed the dough through 4-5 times, folding it in half each time and turning it 90 degrees until it is smooth and the width of the machine. Repeat feeding the dough through, without folding, narrowing the settings on your machine, 1 notch at a time (the highest number being the thinnest setting), until you reach the second last setting, then place pasta sheet on a flour-dusted work surface. Repeat with remaining dough. For ravioli, once you have rolled out 2 pasta sheets, fill immediately, so dough remains pliable.
4. For machine-cut pasta, drape pasta lengths over a clean broom handle, railing or opened cupboard door for 10 minutes or until slightly dry. Feed dough lengths, 1 at a time, through cutting attachment on your pasta machine, then scatter lightly with semolina and place on a tray.
5. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add pasta, stir once and cook until al dente, then drain. Serve immediately with favourite sauce.
Below is a good machine which would easily do the trick…
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