Making Pasta with a Pasta Machine Plus a Recipe
I am the very proud owner of a pasta machine, which I have had for several years and is still as good as new.
My son and I were together all day today so we decided treat dad by making pasta, my son loves using the machine and it is actually very easy to make fresh pasta.
With a little practice and a few tips any hand pasta machine will make extremely delicious, lasagne, tagliatelle or spaghetti, which taste far better than any sold in packets.
My pasta machine is sturdy, made of stainless steel, and does exactly what it says on the box! I like manual ones because they are easier to control.
I have an electric one too but I never use it. I seem to get into a mess when I try to speed things up! My machine isn't sold on Amazon, it's too old, but the one I have picked out is very similar and gets many excellent reviews.
A pasta machine is standard kitchen equipment all over Italy. People make fresh pasta at the drop of a hat, most Sundays, and certainly during special occasions. I have wonderful memories of helping my Italian grandmother crank the handle of her pasta machine, which was exactly the same as those they sell today, apart from the motors some of them have!
Scroll down for my printable recipe for making pasta. We took some photos while we worked today and I have written some tips next to each one. The secret is to keep the dough dry so it doesn’t stick to the rollers. Here's a great easy tomato sauce recipe.
Pasta machines make wonderful gifts because they’re not too expensive, they last forever, and there is something very charming about them. To buy one just click on any Amazon product image you will be taken directly to Amazon.com.
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All you need to make this great dish is a pasta machine and unless you're going to make very large amounts of pasta there is absolutely no need to buy a motorizing attachment!
I hope you enjoy making it as much as we did today.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 400 grams strong white flour + extra to use to keep the pasta from sticking to itself when it's made
- 100 grams of fine semolina
- salt - about half a teaspoon
- Dribble of olive oil for extra flavor
Instructions
- Mix the flour, semolina and salt together in a bowl.
- Make a hole in the middle of the flour mixture
- Crack in the eggs and a dribble of olive oil and start pulling in the flour round the eggs with a spoon or your fingers until all the mixture is incorporated into dough
- Place on a floured surface and roughly knead it into a very stiff dough ball - it should not be at all sticky. You don't have to knead it very much because the machine will do all that hard work for you. WRAP IN CLING FILM AND PLACE IN THE FRIDGE FOR 30 MINS
- After at least 30 mins place on a lightly floured surface and cut the dough into manageable size chunks.
- Set the roller part of the machine to it's largest setting - the rollers should be the furthest apart. Usually number 1. Roll the ball of dough through. Fold and repeat. Do this a few times until the dough is nice and smooth. It may need more flour or a drop of water. You will have to play it by ear. The aim is to have a nice smooth thick piece of dry pasta.
- Turn the dial one notch at the time so that the rollers get closer together very slightly. Don't skip any number. Do not fold the dough any more just roll it through once.
- Change the setting again and roll. Repeat this till the sheet is as thin as you like it. I do mine till number 7 and my machine has 9 numbers - 9 being the thinnest.
- Now you're ready to cut the sheets into either tagliatelle or spaghetti. Just carefully roll the pasta through in the same way. Don't pull it just let the roller pass it through.
- Place the cut pasta on a floured tray. Separate the strands as much as you can and flour them. They must not stick together.
- Keep in a cool place until you are ready to cook them.
- Cook in a large pot of salted boiled water for a few minutes - they will start to float. Do not overcook them. They should be 'al dente', meaning they should have a bite to them.
- Add your favorite homemade sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh pepper.
Serve with a side salad and a nice glass of red wine! Buon apetito!
Thank you so much for your visit. Here's a delicious French Onion Soup Recipe my Parisian Aunty taught me. Please leave a comment before you go.
