Carefully chosen ingredients One of the items on my 30 Before 30 list is to 'make my own pasta'. I borrowed a friend's pasta maker and it took me more than 18 months to get round to actually doing it, but did it, I did! Here's the story of how I made my own fresh pasta and ticked off another #30before30 challenge.
First I had to make the mixture. I carefully bought all my ingredients, but the only 'fine' flour I could find in a selection of about 14 varieties was bread flour - and it had grains in it. This meant I had to sieve out the lumps, but I figured it made the flour even more fine. Perfect!
I followed the recipe, but it came out way too wet. I was making the green pasta recipe, where you need to add a whole packet of fresh spinach, so that's probably why - a bit too much water was added to the mixture post-boiling. I added more flour and egg in sensible quantities (guided by the original recipe) and I think I saved it.
First I had to make the mixture. I carefully bought all my ingredients, but the only 'fine' flour I could find in a selection of about 14 varieties was bread flour - and it had grains in it. This meant I had to sieve out the lumps, but I figured it made the flour even more fine. Perfect!
I followed the recipe, but it came out way too wet. I was making the green pasta recipe, where you need to add a whole packet of fresh spinach, so that's probably why - a bit too much water was added to the mixture post-boiling. I added more flour and egg in sensible quantities (guided by the original recipe) and I think I saved it.
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Leaving it to rest for a while, I put the pasta maker together. This contraption was a little confusing, but I eventually got there!
The first step is to take a large handful of the dough and press it through the rollers on the widest setting. The instructions in the pasta making manual says then to slowly work down through the thickness settings (8-1), but I found it work just as well jumping in settings of two (e.g. 8, 6, 4, and finally 2).
There is definitely an art to this, something willing videographer/housemate seemed to catch onto pretty fast! The drier the mixture, the better the result.
There is definitely an art to this, something willing videographer/housemate seemed to catch onto pretty fast! The drier the mixture, the better the result.
Once it's as thin as you can manage without destroying it - it'll be as long as your arm! - then the real fun starts. This is when you get to make shapes out of your precious mixture. I went for noodles and spaghetti - the simpler shapes for a beginner!
The noodles had a bit of trouble coming out of the shaper in the machine's teeth, but something which resembled noodle pasta finally came through. Hooray!
This was the finished result. It was a little moist - probably due to the spinach/water content. Maybe I should have started with a plain pasta mix, but where's the fun in that?! I left it out to dry for 3 days... Unfortunately, due to the egg content, the pasta went mouldy before it dried. Oops. Good job I wasn't hungry!
Well, that was fun, and it's one more thing crossed off my 30 Before 30 list! Would I do it again? not likely! Pasta is so cheap and easy to find in the shops. And you don't have to do a deep clean on your kitchen after it's made. Thanks to Lauren for lending me the machine - glad I tried it out!
See you next week - I promise to post some more of my writing. I do have something in mind... You deserve it, putting up with my pasta, Hen Do news, wedding planning, and 'rough day' posts of late!
Lou x
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Mmmm... delicious?!?! :(
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