Handmade pasta

I made pasta! And you know what?...it was pretty easy!

I have to admit, I was a bit worried! I was making it for a dinner for my parents and brothers, but I knew there was boxed pasta in the house if I really messed it up, so not all would be lost!

Turns out though, it worked out and it was quite tasty!

Most of the recipes you can find on the intent are relativity the same.  Pasta is flour, egg and a bit of oil. And elbow grease! Can't forget that!!

You can use all purpose flour, semolina flour, whole wheat flour...it really depends on what you want to do. I made 2 batches-one was half all purpose, half semolina and the other was all all purpose.  Honestly, I didn't taste much of a difference. Play around and see what you like best.

Serves 6
5 cups flour ( AP, semolina, mix)
6 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

On surface, mound flour. Make a well in the center of the flour and break the eggs into it along with the oil and salt.

Beat the eggs and oil and gradually add in the flour.  It will be sticky and goopy, but keep adding in flour until it all comes together and is no longer a sticky mess!  You should wind up with a ball of dough.

Place in a bowl covered with a towel, or wrap the dough call in plastic wrap.  Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

After time passes, pull up your sleeves and get ready to roll! Cut the dough ball in half, cover the other half so it doesn't dry out and get rolling! If you have a pasta machine or a Kitchen Aid with the pasta attachment, use that! If not, get your rolling pin and start rolling. Add flour to your pasta and rolling pin as needed so that nothing sticks.  Roll, roll, roll. You want it thin, but not sticking to your work surface thin. Use a sharp knife to cut it into strips.  Pile it up and toss it with some flour do it doesn't dry out.

Get yourself some boiling water, toss it in, give it a good stir to reduce sticking, (sticking is the enemy with pasta!!), and give it a good 3 to 4 minutes and you'll have yourself some handmade pasta.  And you know what, it's good. It's good and hearty and tastes extra good because you know you made it yourself.

I made a shrimp and scallop scampi and a tomato sauce for our dinner. Delicious! Also had eggplant caponata on crostini with ricotta. Yum! Recipe found here!:
http://katcooksbakeseats.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-little-italian.html


What's next?? Ravioli's!