How to Make Pasta
Gone are the days of having to knead dough and hand-cut pasta into different shapes. Stores now sell bags and boxes of dried pasta that makes getting and preparing pasta simple and inexpensive. However, there's something about fresh made pasta that's satisfying to make and eat. There are now machines that make the process of rolling out the pasta dough and cutting strips of pasta simple and easy. If you don't want to spend a lot of time making pasta before dinner, you can make a large batch and freeze it for a few months. The pasta will hold its fresh taste, making it seem like you just made a batch of fresh pasta every time you cook.
Basics of Making Pasta
Pasta is made from flour. The two main kinds of flour used for making pasta include white flour and semolina flour. You can also use whole wheat flour, although this will change the taste and texture of the pasta. Semolina, a grain flour, is the traditional flour used in making pasta. White flour creates a dough that is easy to shape and work with. Semolina flour creates an elastic dough that allows you to shape it into almost anything you desire. When combined together, white and semolina flours make the perfect pasta dough, especially when using a crank or electric pasta machine.
To make fresh pasta at home, all you need are flour, salt, olive oil, and eggs. While you can roll the dough out using a rolling pin and cut noodles out with a knife, if you'll be making pasta regularly you may want to invest in a pasta machine. Measure out a cup of white and semolina flour. Pour it onto a hard, smooth surface and make a well in the middle. Add a pinch of salt, two eggs, and a teaspoon of olive oil into the well. Using a fork, stir the eggs and oil, allowing the flour to sift into the eggs from the sides. Keep stirring until you have a soft ball of pasta dough.
You will need to knead the pasta dough for about 10 minutes, and then let it sit at room temperature for an hour. If using a pasta machine, you will follow the instructions to roll and cut out the dough into noodles or macaroni shapes.
Making Pasta without a Machine
A pasta machine is great for cutting out different shapes and getting perfectly sized sheets of pasta dough, but it's not necessary to use a machine to make pasta. After the dough has sat for an hour, cut it in half and use a rolling pin to create a medium thin sheet of dough. Let this sheet sit until it's slightly stiff but not hard and dry. Using a knife or rolling cutter, cut out long strips for pasta or squares or circles for ravioli.
Whether using a machine or cutting it out by hand the dough will be soft and slightly wet after you cut it out. You can immediately boil the pasta or chill it in the fridge to boil later in the day. If making a large batch of pasta let the pasta dry completely and then freeze it in a plastic bag for up to three months. Once you learn how to make your own pasta, you'll probably never return to store bought varieties.