Homemade pasta.

So I am making it for the first time. I started with Mario's recipe, I heard it was easy. It just made a mess really, I don't have any pasta dough, just a floury mound. I am open to technique suggestions or alternate recipes. Ever since I borrowed a friend's pasta maker Jim has been patiently insisting on pasta.

Summer of Eggplant
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12 Comments

Sam1148 August 31, 2012
Pierino's ratio is what I basically use.
But I pare it down for two people with 1 cup flour with about 1/3 cup of semolina flour in the cup, 1 egg, oil, salt, and water as needed (depending on the egg). Bench flour.
After the basic 'egg in the well' incorporate tech..give it a rest a few mins..and make a couple of balls..and finish the kneeding with #7 (the largest I think on pastamachines) and fold into thirds and put through again, and again, and again, Adding more bench flour as needed so it doesn't stick to the rollers if you made it too wet. Then keep doing that and notching down the rollers to desired thickness (which should be thinner than your instincts think). One cup of flour will eventually make a about a 5 foot ribbon of pasta. Then change to cutting blades on the machine and run it through for final prep. (this is the ironing board tech comes in handy).
One key is fold each time you run it through, into thirds.

It'll come together pretty well at first you'll think the edges are feathery, but after working folding, running through the machine...those should smooth out. A rest before you start hitting it hard is good.
I made that sound like a lot of work..and yeah it can be...but it's worth it. It really goes fast when you get the hang of it.
 
pierino August 31, 2012
Per Sam's advice, in Italy you begin with one "egg" of pasta dough---that gives you a size reference. Flatten it, fold it and beginning with the widest setting crank it through eight times, folding after each pass. Next reduce the setting by one notch and give it one pass. Repeat until you get to the next to last setting (for cut pasta). Save the last setting for lasagne which ought to be as thin as possible.
Having electric rollers is great but the manual ones offer more cutting attachments for different widths from tagliatelle to pappardelle. A cool thing to have is a "chitarra" (guitar) where you roll the dough over wire strings giving you a long "square" pasta.
 
Sam1148 August 31, 2012
Pasta machines, the roller type can wear your out if you don't have the motor attachment. Forget the extruded type machine, unless they're very high quality.

Space can be an issue. Clamp the pasta machine to an ironing board covered with butcher paper,or tea towels. And go at it. To dry the pasta...use two kitchen chairs with a broom stick, or long wooden dowel draped with plastic wrap (for cleanness) to hang dry. Use tape to keep the dowel/broomstick handle in place while drying. You can just dust it with flour and layer it out on butcher paper outside on a good low humidity day too if you're doing a small batch.

I prefer a mix of flour and semolina flour...no recipe, just eye ball it, add an egg, in the 'well' you form and scrape up to center and mix. Then keep folding and putting it in the machine (crank until your arm is sore) and keep doing it.
 
Kristen W. August 31, 2012
...I realize it might've been nice of me to just GIVE you his ratio for pasta: it's 3 parts flour to 2 parts egg. You can see with this method that a scale is indispensable.
 
Linn September 2, 2012
I like ratios too. 1 egg for 100 grams flour.
 
Kristen W. August 31, 2012
In his book "Ratio", Michael Ruhlman suggests using a scale for measurements for greater accuracy, which may seem fussy for an experienced pasta-maker, but I think it could be helpful for a beginner to get the right consistency. The idea of using ratios rather than measurements for pasta and other things like pastry dough and sausage has been very liberating for me, as it de-mystifies the process for certain dishes I may not have experience with and gives me freedom to improvise.with more success.
 
boulangere August 30, 2012
Whatever mixing method you use, the rest period prior to rolling the dough is important. Introducing liquid and mixing of any kind activate gluten and cause it to begin to tighten. The rest period lets it relax, so that rolling is much easier and the pasta is more tender.
 
sfmiller August 30, 2012
Whether you mix the dough in a food processor or by hand on a board with the well method or in a bowl, if the dough doesn't come together, you just need more liquid. A little water, say a teaspoon at a time, will do the trick. If you put in too much water and the dough gets sticky, just work in bench flour as you knead.

My basic formula is one egg per 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (no oil, no salt), plus water if needed. But other recipes work well, too. As with breadmaking, the most important thing is developing a feel for the dough. Flours vary in absorption, eggs vary in size, humidity varies from day to day, measurements aren't always exact. But a well-made dough will always be supple and not sticky after kneading.
 
em-i-lis August 30, 2012
i make mine in a food processor too, as does boulangere. my recipe is thus and it works like a dream every time!

Ingredients

1 c “00? flour
¼ c whole wheat pastry flour
2 large egg yolks
½ tsp salt
1½ T extra-virgin olive oil
¼ c water

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and blend until it starts to come together in a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead ~6 minutes incorporating only as much flour as necessary; this dough should not be sticky.
Shape into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit at room temp for 1 hour.
Roll out with a pasta machine. I went to 8 for ravioli dough.

Good luck!
 
pierino August 30, 2012
Basic pasta isn't hard. The simple formula is 2 cups flour and two eggs. You will need some extra "bench flour" for your hands. The big thing to be careful about is breaking your well. I saw Emeril do this on Emeril Live and he just walked away from it because someone else would have to clean it up and they already had the stunt pasta dough made.

You will need a pastry scraper. Stir the eggs using a fork into the well, gradually working the flour from your well into it. Emeril's well was too thin so I could see that one coming.Work carefully. Then go to work with your bench knife and your floured hands. It really is easy once you get a feel for it.
 
Summer O. August 30, 2012
I will! Thank you!
 
boulangere August 30, 2012
I use an old Elizabeth David recipe: 2 cups flour, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon salt. Adjust the water upwards a bit if necessary. I make it in a food processor, then knead it together briefly by hand, wrap it in plastic and let rest at room temp for 30 minutes before making pasta. Persevere!
 
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