I can buy great pasta in the shops I hear you say. That is very true you can buy pasta in the shop. but ask yourself this do you prefer a hot homemade loaf of bread straight out of the oven or a medium sliced Kingsmill loaf that squishes back into dough? Some people will prefer the Kingsmill loaf and this recipe is not for them.
Homemade pasta is not something that will radically change the way you eat pasta or the way you enjoy it, unless you appreciate and enjoy the cooking as well as the eating. Making pasta takes time, care, patience and a lot of mistakes. Most people in the UK eat pasta at home because its easy and comforting this is not a recipe for you. Do not continue with this recipe unless you have a genuine desire to make homemade pasta.
Anyway, back to the mistakes! I have made a few! Don't try to make pasta without a pasta machine unless you are happy with thick pasta that becomes slightly doughy in your mouth. I tried multiple times and there is just no way of getting the dough thin enough in a reasonable period of time and effort. I made ravioli so thick it glued my mouth together...not a good pasta experience. Another thing to be aware of is cooking times, The first time I made pasta was with some good friends for one of their parents, that was a mistake! we rolled it super thin and then cooked it for 5 minutes! it was stodgy flubby and a complete disaster! But after a few more attempts I think I can make pretty decent tagliatelle. Ill let you know my hints as we go along.
Ingredients
- 1 egg per person eating
- 75-100g of flour per person eating
*The first thing I have found, and its rather obvious, is that eggs are not all the same size! Even within a size of egg lets say medium, the amount of white and yoke inside varies and this means saying take 1 medium egg per 100g of flour is useless. Instead I work to 1 medium egg to 75g and then add more flour if needed.
Put the flour in a bow and create a large well in the centre. Crack the eggs in and beat them with a fork, as you beat more and more flour will be combined at the edges. Once the mixture is no longer really wet, use your hands.
*The use of your hands when making pasta is essential with this recipe, it lets you feel when the texture is right and if you can squish anymore flour into the dough.
Bind the dough together using your hands until it looks a bit like this. Firm and dry, not too sticky.
Now you need to start running it through your pasta machine. Start on the widest setting. Run the dough through once. Don't worry it wont look anything like pasta. Fold into a rectangle wide enough to fill half your pasta machine and repeat 5x.
Your dough may still be very holey at this point. Reduce the pasta machine size and repeat the running it through, folding it to cover the holes if required. Once the dough has no holes in it after a run through the machine, loop it round so the pasta is a continuous loop. (see photo below)
Now keep rolling and start reducing the thickness of the pasta machine, until the pasta reaches your desired thickness. I usually go to 7 out of 9 the rest of this recipe will be for that thickness.
Leave too dry for a minimum of 30 minutes, make sure it is hanging over the back of a chair. Lift up occasionally to prevent it sticking.
When you are ready to cook the pasta you need to cut it. The pasta machine should have an attachment for this, and it’s super easy to use, simply run it through.
Cut into portions and place as nests. Transfer to a pan of salted boiling water. Cook for 1 minute, drain and serve.
*I prefer to cook it in small batches when cooking for more than 2 people, this is because with the large volume of pasta it can get stuck together quite easily.
Enjoy! Subscribe and let me know how it went in the comments!
Liam
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