Fresh pasta, or 'pasta fresca' to the Italians, has a taste that will make you rethink your notions of what good pasta is, in fact you may never want to buy the dried version again! Simple and cheap to make with only a few ingredients, pasta is a favourite around the world. You really should try it.
There are many slight variations in homemade pasta recipes, this is one of the easiest methods – follow it and you'll be making fantastic pasta in no time!
Ingredients: (enough for 2 people)
1 cup plain flour
1 large egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Step 1
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl or food processor and mix well, the dough should stick together if you press it with your fingers, the texture should be rather like uncooked rice. If it is too dry, you can add a little more water, or if it's too sticky add a little more flour.
Step 2
Mould the dough into a ball and leave it in the bowl, covered with a damp cloth, for around 10 minutes. Then dust your work surface with a little flour and knead the dough until it feels smooth. This should take 5-10 minutes.
Step 3
Now it's time to roll out the pasta. Set the pasta machine to its thickest setting. Take 1/3 of the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin so it's thin enough to fit into the machine. Put the dough through the machine 3 times, turning and folding it each time. Turn the machine to its next setting (one notch thinner) and put the same piece of dough through the machine 3 times as before. Repeat this for all the width settings on the machine. The pasta will get thinner each time.
Step 4
By now you will have a long, smooth sheet of pasta. Place it on the table and cut it into your desired length, about 10 inches long. Sprinkle lightly with flour. Now pass the sheet of pasta through the cutters on the other side of the pasta machine. Set the width of the cut to your preference, for example a setting of 1/8 inch would give you linguini, ¼ inch for fettucini. Turn the handle with one hand, using your other hand to catch the finished pasta.
Step 5
Place the finished pasta on a clean tablecloth, trying to keep the strands as separate as possible. Allow it to dry for an hour or so.
To cook the pasta, add 1 tablespoon of salt to a large pan of boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Tips
The following tips will help you to make perfect homemade pasta every time:
Making coloured pasta is easy: simply add puréed tomato or spinach to the dough for red or green pasta. You can also make black pasta by adding squid ink.
When letting the dough 'rest' before kneading it, cover the bowl with a damp cloth, or wrap the dough tightly in cling film so it doesn't dry out.
There is no need to add oil to the pan when cooking your pasta. Stirring occasionally will prevent it from sticking.
Don't cook your pasta for more than 3 minutes. Overcooking will ruin your pasta! Once cooked, eat it straight away with your preferred sauce. It should not be allowed to cool.
Making pasta is fun and rewarding -- you really should try it!
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Pasta Maker Machine
When you make your own homemade pasta you have the opportunity to add the ingredients you already may have in your home. Investing in a pasta maker machine, you can make the pasta you and your family will enjoy for years to come. Making your own can be a simple process. You have a large variety of makers to choose from.
You have the hand-cranked models and motorized pasta machines, which help with the speed and with your tired hands. With your pasta maker, you make the texture and the taste that you and your family will enjoy!
When buying your new pasta maker machine you need to consider the type of machine you would want to buy. You only have two to decide from. Electric or the manual, hand-cranked model. If you go with the manual maker, the type that I have fond that works well. Is the type that you need to secure to the countertop? This does work well for two reasons, you do not need to move the machine, and your hand will clear of the countertop.
You will find it is well worth your time to do some research before you buy. You will need to clean your pasta machine after each use, look for the type of machine that is easy to clean and maintain. Be sure to find a pasta maker that comes with attachments, the new types of makers today have a variety of attachments. This is very important for a variety of pasta shapes and sizes that you will be making. The internet is a great place to do your research, for the models of the pasta makers you would like to buy.
You will need to consider the prices and remember the attachments. I do hope this small review on Pasta Maker Machines will help you.
You have the hand-cranked models and motorized pasta machines, which help with the speed and with your tired hands. With your pasta maker, you make the texture and the taste that you and your family will enjoy!
When buying your new pasta maker machine you need to consider the type of machine you would want to buy. You only have two to decide from. Electric or the manual, hand-cranked model. If you go with the manual maker, the type that I have fond that works well. Is the type that you need to secure to the countertop? This does work well for two reasons, you do not need to move the machine, and your hand will clear of the countertop.
You will find it is well worth your time to do some research before you buy. You will need to clean your pasta machine after each use, look for the type of machine that is easy to clean and maintain. Be sure to find a pasta maker that comes with attachments, the new types of makers today have a variety of attachments. This is very important for a variety of pasta shapes and sizes that you will be making. The internet is a great place to do your research, for the models of the pasta makers you would like to buy.
You will need to consider the prices and remember the attachments. I do hope this small review on Pasta Maker Machines will help you.
Thursday, 10 June 2010
How to Invent Your Own Pasta Recipes
If you are looking for a specific dish, you might like to use a recipe search engine to find exactly what you are looking for. If however you are feeling creative, it is possible to invent your own pasta recipes with relative ease.
First of all, choose what kind of pasta you want to use. Pasta comes in white or whole wheat and lots of different shapes, including penne, bows, spaghetti, shells and many more. It does not matter too much which pasta you choose but bear in mind that big pasta shapes like shells or tubes are good if you have a chunky sauce because more sauce will stick to those shapes than spaghetti for example.
The Easiest Way to Make a Pasta Sauce
The quickest and simplest way to invent a pasta recipe is to cook the vegetables and sauce while the pasta cooks. If the pasta is cooked before the sauce is done, simply drain it, and cover the pot tightly. It will keep warm. If you want to use hard vegetables like carrots in your pasta recipe finely chop them and cook them in the pot with the pasta.
Chop all your vegetables the same size. You can use asparagus, mushrooms, onion, garlic, zucchini, eggplant (aubergine), broccoli and many more. When the vegetables are chopped up, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a wok.
Add the vegetables to the oil and cook them until they are tender. If you want to make a healthy pasta recipe, you can use water instead of oil. The vegetables will cook just as well but, because water evaporates and oil does not, you might have to keep adding more.
When the vegetables are tender, it is time to add some liquid to make a sauce. The simplest way to do this is to use a jar of pasta sauce but you can also make your own easily enough – and more cheaply.
Combine sieved tomatoes or tomato sauce with fresh basil, pine nuts, sliced olives, chopped anchovies, or anything else you fancy. Add some salt and black pepper to season, and a few drops of Tabasco sauce if you like spice.
Throw in a can of salmon, mackerel, or tuna if you like, or even some leftover beef or chicken. For extra creaminess, add some cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream or grated cheese. Stir the pasta into the sauce and stir it well. Keep cooking it over a low heat until everything is hot, and then serve.
How to Serve Your Homemade Pasta
Top your pasta with some fresh basil leaves and serve it with parmesan cheese. Your guests will be very impressed with your unique pasta dish and you can rest assured that there are so many different ways to make pasta recipes, each time will be different. Inventing pasta recipes is a great way to use up leftover meat, fish and vegetables.
Sometimes it is fun to make up your own recipes but at other times a recipe search is useful, especially if you are looking for recipes for special occasions.
First of all, choose what kind of pasta you want to use. Pasta comes in white or whole wheat and lots of different shapes, including penne, bows, spaghetti, shells and many more. It does not matter too much which pasta you choose but bear in mind that big pasta shapes like shells or tubes are good if you have a chunky sauce because more sauce will stick to those shapes than spaghetti for example.
The Easiest Way to Make a Pasta Sauce
The quickest and simplest way to invent a pasta recipe is to cook the vegetables and sauce while the pasta cooks. If the pasta is cooked before the sauce is done, simply drain it, and cover the pot tightly. It will keep warm. If you want to use hard vegetables like carrots in your pasta recipe finely chop them and cook them in the pot with the pasta.
Chop all your vegetables the same size. You can use asparagus, mushrooms, onion, garlic, zucchini, eggplant (aubergine), broccoli and many more. When the vegetables are chopped up, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a wok.
Add the vegetables to the oil and cook them until they are tender. If you want to make a healthy pasta recipe, you can use water instead of oil. The vegetables will cook just as well but, because water evaporates and oil does not, you might have to keep adding more.
When the vegetables are tender, it is time to add some liquid to make a sauce. The simplest way to do this is to use a jar of pasta sauce but you can also make your own easily enough – and more cheaply.
Combine sieved tomatoes or tomato sauce with fresh basil, pine nuts, sliced olives, chopped anchovies, or anything else you fancy. Add some salt and black pepper to season, and a few drops of Tabasco sauce if you like spice.
Throw in a can of salmon, mackerel, or tuna if you like, or even some leftover beef or chicken. For extra creaminess, add some cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream or grated cheese. Stir the pasta into the sauce and stir it well. Keep cooking it over a low heat until everything is hot, and then serve.
How to Serve Your Homemade Pasta
Top your pasta with some fresh basil leaves and serve it with parmesan cheese. Your guests will be very impressed with your unique pasta dish and you can rest assured that there are so many different ways to make pasta recipes, each time will be different. Inventing pasta recipes is a great way to use up leftover meat, fish and vegetables.
Sometimes it is fun to make up your own recipes but at other times a recipe search is useful, especially if you are looking for recipes for special occasions.
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Popular Varieties of Pasta
Italy is well-known for three things: football, pizza and pasta. No need to question how pasta could be this popular since there are more than 400 kinds of pasta spread and sold worldwide.
It is a commonly thought that pasta came from Italy. Hundreds of years ago, China created noodles. Marco Polo was the one who brought this to Italy in 1295 after visiting China. Soon, this souvenir became a favorite, and the Italians started making it.
A researcher tried to challenge this story. The results showed that pasta came from Sicilia, Italy. The citizens there were said to be making pasta by the 12th century. The current position is that nobody knows which version is true.
Pasta is made of flour, water, and salts, which are cooked and formed into many shapes. Sometimes, it is also mixed with eggs and vegetables to create some colored pasta. To get the shapes, the dough is flattened before being cut and molded. It is ready to be served after boiling for some minutes.
To add delicious tastes, pasta is served with other ingredients or spices. There are some sauces usually used in serving pasta, such as bolognaise, tomato sauce, amatriciana, and carbonara. It can also be served with meat, cheese, and cream.
Outside Italy, pasta is often sold in dried. In some restaurants, it is cooked right before being served. Fresh pasta needs shorter cooking time, but it cannot be kept for a long time since it has high amount of water. Dried pasta can last up to 3 years since the water amount is only 10%. You can also find some pasta with ready-to-serve packages sold on markets.
The unique thing about pasta is its shapes which affects cooking time, consistency, ability to hold sauce, ease of eating, etc. Certain shapes are ideal for certain dishes and sauces. In Italy, there are more than 650 kinds of pasta, and the new ones are created every year.
FARFALLE - The shape is like a butterfly, with some serrations on each side. It is ideal for salad and main courses, especially when served with a creamy sauce.
LASAGNE -It is sold with the dimension 27cm x 5cm. It is available in 3 colors: yellow for grilled dishes, red for dishes with sauce, and green for dishes with spinach or other vegetables.
SPAGHETTI - This is the most popular shape which often served as a daily menu. With a long stick shape, it is be delicious with bolognaise sauce.
VERMICELLI - It is the short form of spaghetti. Serve it with seafood and meat, or add it to soup to get the most delicious taste.
CONCHIGLIONI - Shaped like shell, it is perfect for soups, salads, and main courses.
CANNELLONI - The shape is like a pipe. The diameter is 3 cm, and the length is 5 cm. The shorter one is called rigatoni. Cook it with meat and cheese in baked or boiled dishes. You can also fill the pipe with meat.
FUSILLI - It has a beautiful spiral shape. Cook it with cream tomato sauce and peas.
MACARONI - Like spaghetti, this is also popular. With a curved pipe shape, it is perfect for baked dishes like macaroni schotel and soups.
FETTUCCINE - The shape is flat and rather wide. You can find it in 3 different colors: green (which made of spinach essence), black (made of squid's liquid), and yellow (made of egg). Serve it with cheese, meat, vegetable, and seafood.
It is a commonly thought that pasta came from Italy. Hundreds of years ago, China created noodles. Marco Polo was the one who brought this to Italy in 1295 after visiting China. Soon, this souvenir became a favorite, and the Italians started making it.
A researcher tried to challenge this story. The results showed that pasta came from Sicilia, Italy. The citizens there were said to be making pasta by the 12th century. The current position is that nobody knows which version is true.
Pasta is made of flour, water, and salts, which are cooked and formed into many shapes. Sometimes, it is also mixed with eggs and vegetables to create some colored pasta. To get the shapes, the dough is flattened before being cut and molded. It is ready to be served after boiling for some minutes.
To add delicious tastes, pasta is served with other ingredients or spices. There are some sauces usually used in serving pasta, such as bolognaise, tomato sauce, amatriciana, and carbonara. It can also be served with meat, cheese, and cream.
Outside Italy, pasta is often sold in dried. In some restaurants, it is cooked right before being served. Fresh pasta needs shorter cooking time, but it cannot be kept for a long time since it has high amount of water. Dried pasta can last up to 3 years since the water amount is only 10%. You can also find some pasta with ready-to-serve packages sold on markets.
The unique thing about pasta is its shapes which affects cooking time, consistency, ability to hold sauce, ease of eating, etc. Certain shapes are ideal for certain dishes and sauces. In Italy, there are more than 650 kinds of pasta, and the new ones are created every year.
FARFALLE - The shape is like a butterfly, with some serrations on each side. It is ideal for salad and main courses, especially when served with a creamy sauce.
LASAGNE -It is sold with the dimension 27cm x 5cm. It is available in 3 colors: yellow for grilled dishes, red for dishes with sauce, and green for dishes with spinach or other vegetables.
SPAGHETTI - This is the most popular shape which often served as a daily menu. With a long stick shape, it is be delicious with bolognaise sauce.
VERMICELLI - It is the short form of spaghetti. Serve it with seafood and meat, or add it to soup to get the most delicious taste.
CONCHIGLIONI - Shaped like shell, it is perfect for soups, salads, and main courses.
CANNELLONI - The shape is like a pipe. The diameter is 3 cm, and the length is 5 cm. The shorter one is called rigatoni. Cook it with meat and cheese in baked or boiled dishes. You can also fill the pipe with meat.
FUSILLI - It has a beautiful spiral shape. Cook it with cream tomato sauce and peas.
MACARONI - Like spaghetti, this is also popular. With a curved pipe shape, it is perfect for baked dishes like macaroni schotel and soups.
FETTUCCINE - The shape is flat and rather wide. You can find it in 3 different colors: green (which made of spinach essence), black (made of squid's liquid), and yellow (made of egg). Serve it with cheese, meat, vegetable, and seafood.
Thursday, 4 March 2010
The Joy of Pasta
This blog is for all pasta lovers. It will include the history of pasta, pasta recipies, the latest developments in the world of pasta and information about cooking with pasta.
We hope you enjoy it!
We hope you enjoy it!
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