Do You Make Pasta?

[Spy Car]

Today my son and I had such fun whipping up some home-made pasta.

 

I had him mixing, kneading , and rolling. And cranking the machine to roll sheets and cutting while I fed the thing. What fun!

 

And the pasta (made with fresh eggs from our little flock) was so good!!!

 

In times past I used to make pasta all the time. Today was a good reminder to get the pasta making revived.

 

Anybody else making their own?

 

Bill

[Carol in Cal.]

...making my own butter again. What a difference from store bought!

 

And cheese making is so rewarding as well, and the soft cheeses are really easy. I tried this for the first time last year, and am really glad I did.

[1bassoon]

No, but you both are making me:

 

a) hungry

 

and

 

b) sad that we don't have our chickens any more :(

[Spy Car]

...making my own butter again. What a difference from store bought!

 

You know, I remember making butter as a class project back in Second Grade (1965-66) very distinctly. But I've never done it since.

 

But you have me intrigued. So what do I do?

 

And cheese making is so rewarding as well, and the soft cheeses are really easy. I tried this for the first time last year, and am really glad I did.

 

I've only made paneer, using a little lemon as a curdling agent.

 

Fresh pasta with home-made butter and soft cheese sounds pretty good :D

 

Bill

[littlebug42]

I have recently started making homemade egg noodles and my children LOVE them. My oldest daughter was sick last week and that was what she was wanting to eat. We are considering a pasta attachment for our KitchenAid mixer and I plan to start making our own pasta at some point in the future.

[ElizabethB]

That sounds like fun, we make a lot of things by hand here but not noodles yet. My children do love to help me make turkey meatballs, they only get to help if they wash up very well before and after.

 

To make butter, buy the thickest, heaviest cream you can find, put in a little jar or tupperware, the clearer the more fun, then shake until it's done.

[Carol in Cal.]

You know, I remember making butter as a class project back in Second Grade (1965-66) very distinctly. But I've never done it since.

 

But you have me intrigued. So what do I do?

 

 

 

 

Buy some heavy whipping cream. Run it in a food processor until it separates. Lift out the solids and put them into a strainer over a bowl. More whey will drip out. (Save the whey in both the bowl and the fridge. It's a great soup thinner, very nutritious and it adds depth to the flavor of cream soups.)

 

You will end up with very mild but tasty unsalted butter, softer than the kind you get in stores. It keeps for a week at the most in the fridge, so eat it right away. I like it on artisan bread--wine wheat walnut sourdough from Boulangerie is very good for this. It is its own topping, not an ingredient.

 

I also like it very much on breads baked with cloves of garlic in them, and on pumpernickel.

[Spy Car]

Buy some heavy whipping cream. Run it in a food processor until it separates. Lift out the solids and put them into a strainer over a bowl. More whey will drip out. (Save the whey in both the bowl and the fridge. It's a great soup thinner, very nutritious and it adds depth to the flavor of cream soups.)

 

You will end up with very mild but tasty unsalted butter, softer than the kind you get in stores. It keeps for a week at the most in the fridge, so eat it right away. I like it on artisan bread--wine wheat walnut sourdough from Boulangerie is very good for this. It is its own topping, not an ingredient.

 

I also like it very much on breads baked with cloves of garlic in them, and on pumpernickel.

 

I rarely purchase fresh cream, but it seems most heavy cream these days is "ultra-pasteurized." Is that going to be a problem? Or do I look for raw cream? Or what?

 

Bill

[Carol in Cal.]

I rarely purchase fresh cream, but it seems most heavy cream these days is "ultra-pasteurized." Is that going to be a problem? Or do I look for raw cream? Or what?

 

Bill

 

The books warn against trying this with ultra-pasteurized cream. I have been able to do it, but it takes longer. I have heard of others being completely unsuccessful. We do have a brand here, Clover, that is organic but not ultra-pasteurized. I get it at Whole Foods.

[Rosie_0801]

You'd be able to make cheese using kefired milk, yes?

 

Rosie

[kalanamak]

You know, I remember making butter as a class project back in Second Grade (1965-66) very distinctly. But I've never done it since.

 

But you have me intrigued. So what do I do?

 

 

 

I've only made paneer, using a little lemon as a curdling agent.

 

Fresh pasta with home-made butter and soft cheese sounds pretty good :D

 

Bill

 

Back in my paneer-making days, I also made butter to make ghee. I used unhomogenized cream (local dairy) and whirred it in the cuisinart with the blades. After a bit, it suddenly "catches' the wad and you stop it and drain the "buttermilk" which is delicious to sip, or you can culture it with a bit of yogurt, or, my favourite, was to use it to make potato and corn chowder.

 

Take the butter curd/wad and knead and rinse it with cold hands under cold water. If you leave any pockets of buttermilk, it will spoil quickly.

[Jen in PA]

I make my own pierogies and Hungarian pinched noodles. Unbelievably easy to do.

[cjzimmer1]

I rarely purchase fresh cream, but it seems most heavy cream these days is "ultra-pasteurized." Is that going to be a problem? Or do I look for raw cream? Or what?

 

Bill

 

We made some last fall. We just bought the plain old ordinary stuff from the store (not organic). It was either Dean's Brand or Roundy's. Those are the 2 brands sold everywhere here. It turned out just fine.

 

But I haven't made pasta, yet. On my list of things to learn to make this year are pasta, cheese, bagels and english muffins. I just haven't made the time to do it. I did learn to make kombucha so at least I've tackled one thing this year.

 

But I know we will love the pasta, there are several local vendors who sell fresh pasta around here and it is so good although very pricey.

[Ibbygirl]

I make my own gnocchi.:) I also bought a pasta making machine a year ago, but haven't used it yet. :blushing: I need to get that baby boy out and make some lasagne. :)

[Rose in BC]

Yes I do make my own. Not exclusively though because sometimes you need the speed of the stuff from the box.

 

My kids love it when I make homemade (especially when I make a carbonara sauce).

 

I haven't made it for a while so I think I'll pull out the pasta roller and whip up a batch.

 

Thanks for the reminder.

[Spy Car]

The books warn against trying this with ultra-pasteurized cream. I have been able to do it, but it takes longer. I have heard of others being completely unsuccessful. We do have a brand here, Clover, that is organic but not ultra-pasteurized. I get it at Whole Foods.

 

I think I can get Clover here. Can you get "Strauss Family"? One thing I miss about being in the Bay Area or Carmel/Monterey is the milk from the Strauss Family Dairy (in Marshall just North of Bolinas on the coast of Marin). Their products are pasturized, but they are not homogenized and taste "old-fashioned" good, and the cows of course eat grass.

 

If you haven't tried their dairy products, I'd urge you to seek them out at least once.

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

Back in my paneer-making days, I also made butter to make ghee. I used unhomogenized cream (local dairy) and whirred it in the cuisinart with the blades. After a bit, it suddenly "catches' the wad and you stop it and drain the "buttermilk" which is delicious to sip, or you can culture it with a bit of yogurt, or, my favourite, was to use it to make potato and corn chowder.

 

Take the butter curd/wad and knead and rinse it with cold hands under cold water. If you leave any pockets of buttermilk, it will spoil quickly.

 

Thanks for the tips. My almost 35 year-old Cuisinart finally bit the dust the other day (sad) so for the moment I'm food processor-less (other than a mini-prep). It's strange, because I still take it for granted I can whip it out, but no.

 

Maybe I'd have to shake it as Elizabeth suggested (and as we did it in school)?

 

I do like making ghee. I often do this with store-bought butter since it is so much better to cook with and it stays fresher much longer.

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

I make my own pierogies and Hungarian pinched noodles. Unbelievably easy to do.

 

Now you're making me hungry :D

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

We made some last fall. We just bought the plain old ordinary stuff from the store (not organic). It was either Dean's Brand or Roundy's. Those are the 2 brands sold everywhere here. It turned out just fine.

 

But I haven't made pasta, yet. On my list of things to learn to make this year are pasta, cheese, bagels and english muffins. I just haven't made the time to do it. I did learn to make kombucha so at least I've tackled one thing this year.

 

But I know we will love the pasta, there are several local vendors who sell fresh pasta around here and it is so good although very pricey.

 

Pasta is pretty easy (especially compared to something like bagels). I got to be so fast, I could make the noodles before a tomato sauce was ready. Or a huge pot of water came to a boil. Fast.

 

Today was more leisured, and more fun for it.

 

One tip I'll tell you (and ignore those who say it can't be done) is to use Semolina rather than while flour. The "local vendors" of fresh pasta generally use plain flour, but you can do even better.

 

If you have a Cuisinart *sniff* you can use it with a steel blade and 100% Semolina to work the dough (and with a little hand work after) it is flawless (and super easy).

 

Because our food processor is shot, I went for 60% Semolina and 40% flour as this was easier to work, especially with the 5 year-old helping, and did it my hand. And it was great!

 

Semolina makes a huge (positive) difference IMO.

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

I make my own gnocchi.:) I also bought a pasta making machine a year ago, but haven't used it yet. :blushing: I need to get that baby boy out and make some lasagne. :)

 

Mmmm home-made gnocchi are soooo yummy. Do you have a "potato ricer"?

 

A ricer really helps keep the gnocchis light. But you probably know that :D

 

Bill

[Mrs Mungo]

I make homemade egg noodles, my kids stage minor revolts if I try to use pre-packaged.

[Carol in Cal.]

I think that that's the brand in the glass bottles that I buy from time to time--raw, not homogenized, Strauss Family Creamery. Great for making the best full fat cheese.

 

I thought they were based in Saratoga, but maybe not.

[Spy Car]

I think that that's the brand in the glass bottles that I buy from time to time--raw, not homogenized, Strauss Family Creamery. Great for making the best full fat cheese.

 

 

Yea, that's the one. Their milk is in a class by themselves.

 

It isn't "raw" though. It's all pasteurized, just not homogenized. It is hard to get here in Los Angeles. Except the "whole milk" (in plastic not glass) which is carried here at Trader Joes (under their own brand) and sold as "Cream Top".

 

Little know "secret." It was the same in Pacific Grove, and I suspect the same in Silicon Valley where you (lucky dog) can get it in glass.

 

Bill

[Amira]

I make a lot of Central Asian noodles. One time we had about 10 people in the kitchen stretching noodles. That was a delicious meal.

 

We do gnocchi too. My husband picked up the tradition of eating gnocchi on the 29th of each month (well, not this month) when he lived in Uruguay.

 

I've made lots of ghee and lots of homemade butter, but I've never made ghee from homemade butter. I've got to try that.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have a food processor right now. Noodles are a lot easier with one.

[Spy Car]

I make a lot of Central Asian noodles. One time we had about 10 people in the kitchen stretching noodles. That was a delicious meal.

 

What is distinctive about Central Asian noodles? I've had Persian "reshte" but never (to my knowledge) had Central Asian noodles. How do you "stretch" them?

 

As a side-note, I did flavor the pasta sauce with some Kashk (which you may know?).

 

Bill

[ElizabethB]

I bought a spaetzle maker, after 6 or 7 moves of not using it, I finally donated it to Goodwill. I didn't want to donate it in Arkansas, I waited for more metropolitan LA area in hopes that someone would actually get some use out of it.

 

The German food was great. Mmm. Spaetzle, weiner schnitzel...

[Spy Car]

I bought a spaetzle maker, after 6 or 7 moves of not using it, I finally donated it to Goodwill. I didn't want to donate it in Arkansas, I waited for more metropolitan LA area in hopes that someone would actually get some use out of it.

 

The German food was great. Mmm. Spaetzle, weiner schnitzel...

 

Note to Self: run out to the Goodwill tomorrow :D

 

Bill

[ElizabethB]

Note to Self: run out to the Goodwill tomorrow :D

 

Bill

 

Well, it's probably gone, that was a few months ago, but if it's still there, it should be cheap by now!

[Audrey]

Today my son and I had such fun whipping up some home-made pasta.

 

I had him mixing, kneading , and rolling. And cranking the machine to roll sheets and cutting while I fed the thing. What fun!

 

And the pasta (made with fresh eggs from our little flock) was so good!!!

 

In times past I used to make pasta all the time. Today was a good reminder to get the pasta making revived.

 

Anybody else making their own?

 

Bill

 

 

Yes! I really enjoy it. I started doing that when I got a crank-style pasta machine as a gift. It's so quick and easy, I no longer buy spaghetti, fettucini or lasagna (because that's what my machine can cut). My family looooooves homemade pasta, too. :001_smile:

[Audrey]

Note to Self: run out to the Goodwill tomorrow :D

 

Bill

 

 

I make spaetzle the way my grandma did ... using the big holes on the cheese grater.

[ElizabethB]

I make spaetzle the way my grandma did ... using the big holes on the cheese grater.

 

Good to know if I ever feel up to it and can tolerate a bit more egg and wheat! That's part of the reason I gave it away, it didn't look that different from my cheese grater or the holes in my metal colander.

[Spy Car]

Yes! I really enjoy it. I started doing that when I got a crank-style pasta machine as a gift. It's so quick and easy, I no longer buy spaghetti, fettucini or lasagna (because that's what my machine can cut). My family looooooves homemade pasta, too. :001_smile:

 

Sometimes it can be fun to roll the sheets, but then cut them by hand. Even things like squares are kind of cool (and unusual). It is interesting how the shape of pasta effects the experience of eating it.

 

Raviolis are good too. Mrs Spy Car told our son tonight (as we munched on the home-made pasta) how I'd had her over for dinner on our first date, and made her home-made raviolis way back when.

 

I knew right then that this was the man I was going to marry, said she :D

 

My plan worked :lol:

 

Bill

Edited February 21, 2010 by Spy Car

[iquilt]

Sometimes it can be fun to roll the sheets, but then cut them by hand. Even things like squares are kind of cool (and unusual). It is interesting how the shape of pasta effects the experience of eating it.

 

Raviolis are good too. Mrs Spy Car told our son tonight (as we munched on the home-made pasta) how I'd had her over for dinner on our first date, and made her home-made raviolis way back when.

 

I knew right then that this was the man I was going to marry, said she :D

 

My plan worked :lol:

 

Bill

 

Adorable! My dh also cooked for me on our first date; homemade cheesecake.:) Now I have to try making pasta.

[Melenie]

I love making pasta, butter and cheese with the girls.

Our family food blog is in my siggy. (Melenie.com)

If you look at the categories on the right you will find butter, yogurt and cheese making along with pictures and directions. I do not have all the equipment so I try to come up with innovative ways to make our own equipment.

Edited February 21, 2010 by Melenie

[kewb]

Does it count that I have the semolina flour and I periodically stare at it and say "You really need to try to make pasta."

[Carol in Cal.]

Good to know if I ever feel up to it and can tolerate a bit more egg and wheat! That's part of the reason I gave it away, it didn't look that different from my cheese grater or the holes in my metal colander.

 

I have a spaetzle maker, and the dumplings from it are kind of airy.

 

I prefer the handmade ones, but they take forever, even going pretty fast with that pinching. They are denser and more flavorful, and also the little variations in size from one to the other make a mouthful more interesting.

[Amira]

What is distinctive about Central Asian noodles? I've had Persian "reshte" but never (to my knowledge) had Central Asian noodles. How do you "stretch" them?

 

As a side-note, I did flavor the pasta sauce with some Kashk (which you may know?).

 

Bill

Here's the recipe I use for hand-stretched noodles, except I usually use whole wheat flour for half the flour. I'd prefer to use all whole wheat, but then the noodles don't stretch very well. All white is best for stretching. There's nothing particularly distinctive about the recipe, but, like everywhere, Central Asians have their own way of preparing and serving noodles. I've never made anything thing like reshteh.

 

I do know kashk, although I've never used it personally, or its many variations.

[hsmom]

We do! I no longer buy pasta at the store. I recently got a KA with the pasta maker attachment. My family loves them. I also find it so much fun! I make them the day I need them.

[laughing lioness]

My oldest dd makes her own pasta and makes ours when she's home with a roller she bought in Europe. I make homemade egg noodles for chix/noodle soup. My grandma always served us homemade egg noodles when we visited. Mine have never turned out as amazing as hers were- which were something else! MMMM.

[Snickerdoodle]

Strauss Family vanilla ice cream.

 

Oh my.

 

:001_tt1:

 

Brings back memories.

Edited February 21, 2010 by Snickerdoodle

[KAR120C]

I'm not picky about "plain" noodles, but if I'm filling something - pierogi, ravioli, any kind of little dumplings - I'll make my own wrappers. I use rolled pasta for little beggars purses, potato-cheese pierogi, and ravioli... and I use crepes (or sort-of-crepes...) for blintzes and stuffed manicotti, bread dough for meat pierogi and stuffed buns... and then piecrust for all manner of little turnovers. The one I haven't tried myself is puff pastry or fillo -- I buy packaged or use piecrust instead.

 

I actually managed a very passable poptart a couple weeks ago... I had joked about making margarita-filled poptarts and then had to give it a try... and actually? not half bad! :D

[Ibbygirl]

Mmmm home-made gnocchi are soooo yummy. Do you have a "potato ricer"?

 

A ricer really helps keep the gnocchis light. But you probably know that :D

 

Bill

 

The first time I ever made them I was feeling frisky and adventurous and so I just made them according to a combination of two recipes from two different Italian cookbooks with whatever stuff I happened to have. They tasted good but they gnocchi were like belly bombs! After like 10-15 of them you were so full you thought you wouldn't eat for a week! :) After that experience I promptly bought a potato ricer and they came out much better. :) My dd LOVES it when I make gnocchi. They're so yummy with a spicy marinara sauce. man, I"m getting hungry now. :)

[Ibbygirl]

Sometimes it can be fun to roll the sheets, but then cut them by hand. Even things like squares are kind of cool (and unusual). It is interesting how the shape of pasta effects the experience of eating it.

 

Raviolis are good too. Mrs Spy Car told our son tonight (as we munched on the home-made pasta) how I'd had her over for dinner on our first date, and made her home-made raviolis way back when.

 

I knew right then that this was the man I was going to marry, said she :D

 

My plan worked :lol:

 

Bill

 

Awww that's so sweet. :001_wub: :)

[beachrose]

Haven't done it in a while but ...... now i have to do it this week! Thanks for the inspiration

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Doesn't anyone want to share a recipe?

 

Please???

 

SWB

[Lakeside]

Doesn't anyone want to share a recipe?

 

Please???

 

SWB

 

:iagree:

 

I would especially be interested in an egg noodle recipe like Mrs. Mungo and SpyCar have mentioned. You know, the ones that cause family members to not want anything else! :D

[Mrs Mungo]

I actually managed a very passable poptart a couple weeks ago... I had joked about making margarita-filled poptarts and then had to give it a try... and actually? not half bad! :D

 

Now, this is a poptart I could get on board with!

[Mrs Mungo]

:iagree:

 

I would especially be interested in an egg noodle recipe like Mrs. Mungo and SpyCar have mentioned. You know, the ones that cause family members to not want anything else! :D

 

I use my grandmother's recipe. They are just plain, old-fashioned egg noodles with flour, salt, egg and a dab of olive oil. I add a little water (a *little*, like a tablespoon at a time) if the dough doesn't feel loose enough. It's all by feel, I learned to make them from my grandma, I don't have a strict recipe.

 

It's basically like this:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1716,150189-248196,00.html

 

But, like I said, I only use water if the dough feels like it needs it. I only let the dough dry for about an hour each time instead of two hours but you may need that extra time if you use as much water as the recipe suggests. You want the dough to be very thin and that drying time is necessary or you'll have thick, doughy noodles.

[Lakeside]

I use my grandmother's recipe. They are just plain, old-fashioned egg noodles with flour, salt, egg and a dab of olive oil. I add a little water (a *little*, like a tablespoon at a time) if the dough doesn't feel loose enough. It's all by feel, I learned to make them from my grandma, I don't have a strict recipe.

 

It's basically like this:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1716,150189-248196,00.html

 

But, like I said, I only use water if the dough feels like it needs it. I only let the dough dry for about an hour each time instead of two hours but you may need that extra time if you use as much water as the recipe suggests. You want the dough to be very thin and that drying time is necessary or you'll have thick, doughy noodles.

 

Thanks! I'll give this one a try. Its the "feel" part that gives me trouble. Hopefully after trying it a few times I'll get the hang of it!

[Spy Car]

Doesn't anyone want to share a recipe?

 

Please???

 

SWB

 

How could I refuse you?

 

Believe it or not, I just finished making another batch because it proved so popular last night.

 

So...there are a variety of ways to make pasta dough. And one has some options about flour. I started making pasta over 30 years ago.

 

Then every cook-book I ever read said use white flour, and that using Semolina (the hard high-gluten flour made from durum wheat, the kind dried pasta is made from) was nuts.

 

So I started using white flour, and found the results "flabby."

 

That lead me to Semolina. Now working Semolina by hand is a chore. The dough is stiff, prone to be dry, and stretching all that gluten is work.

 

To back up. "Traditionally" pasta dough is formed by first creating a "well". What is a "well"? It is a ring of flour with a low spot in the center where one breaks eggs, beats the eggs, and then slowly incorporates the flour into the egg using a fork, then works the mass by hand.

 

That's the way I made the pasta today. That is the way past has been made for centuries. Forget this way (if you have a food-processor that functions, as I *sadly* do not). My old-reliable 30+ year-old Cuisinart finally gave up the ghost.

 

Anyway, they will tell you Semolina can't be done. Not true. Tough by hand ("well method") I will grant you. Semolina makes heavy, stiff, granular dough that takes a lot of work by hand.

 

Yesterday, knowing I wanted an "easy success" I went 50/50 Semolina and Flour. Not a bad ratio for those starting out. This ratio makes a very good pasta.

 

Today, I went 75% Semolina and 25% Flour. The work-load of kneading expanded exponentially (by hand). So why bother? Well the 50/50 will be delicious. It will. But 100% Semolina IMO is the Holy Grail. It is just "toothy" and the best.

 

But yikes! Even 75/25 was so much work I wish that I'd gone 50/50 (by hand).

 

However, to really stretch out the story, long ago I discovered that if you put 100% Semolina and egg in a food-processor with a steel-blade you can quickly make a superb pasta dough in no time.

 

Proportions are always a little tricky with pasta. Semolina takes more egg than Flour. And everything effects pasta dough. Humidity, the eggs, the flour, everything.

 

So a basic guideline is about 2 cups of Semolina or Flour to 3 eggs.

 

Now why do I say "or Flour" after going on about Semolina? I do so because for a novice a 50/50 mix is probably a good starting point. but as one gets comfortable 100% is do-able in a food processor (by hand or mixer with a dough-hook stick to 50/50).

 

In the food-processor (with a steel-blade) add the Semolina/Flour mix and the eggs. Turn on the machine. It will mix, then the dough will shatter apart forming tiny balls that fly around. Keep going.

 

After a short time the dough will re-form into a big lump that bangs around the machine. Thump! Thump! Thump!

 

This is a good sign. Let it work a bit.

 

At this point the dough should be starting to become rather elastic. Remove from the food-processor and work by hand. I generally split the dough into 4 balls. Working one with palms, a pin, and hands until velvety (while the others rest under a moist cloth).

 

If the dough is sticky, work in a very light (as in LIGHT) dusting of flour. If it feels dry and grainy work in some moisture by moistening ones hands and working the dough. DO NOT pour water on the dough as it will get "gummy". One may also add a scant amount of olive oil if the dough is feeling too dry (although I resist this).

 

Getting the right elasticity and moisture is something that become easier with practice. I generally don't measure, and instead "feel" it as there is no measurement that will be perfect every time. Not to make it sound "difficult" (it's not). But there are variables that need to be adjusted for.

 

The good news is you can feel when the dough is velvety and elastic, and a little more moisture or a little more flour will easily set a dough right.

 

Once a ball is ready, run it through a pasta maker. Mine is a hand-cranked "Atlas" brand model. Pasta machines have rollers that can be adjusted from Position 1 (the widest) to Position 6 (the thinnest).

 

You start on Position 1, by stretching the dough into a cigar-like shape, and sending it through the rollers. Usually this step is the toughest to roll and usually #1 gets repeated at least once. If the dough is perfect, you keep going moving to 2, 3, 4, 5, and finally 6. At this time you will have a nice sheet of pasta.

 

I hang mine on a broom-stick suspended from a rack to dry slightly while the other 3 balls are turned into sheets. Make sure the pasta is hanging in a relatively dry space, as a hot steamy space can cause the pasta to stick. A flour-sack cloth (or similar) over the stick can help if high humidity can't be overcome.

 

By the time the last sheet is rolled, the first should be ready to run thought the cutting blades of the pasta machine. Go with "thicker" cuts (as the thin ones are trickier) when first starting out. Or one can hand cut the pasta which can be very rustic.

 

Once cut put the pasta back on a stick (taking care not to overlap to avoid sticking) or gently lay on a big tea-towel to dry (again not overlapping).

 

When it's time, cook in a big pot of salted water. Fresh pasta cooks quickly, so be vigilant. Don't overcook!

 

Sauce as desired, but know lighter (more delicate) saucing really shows fresh pasta to it's best effect.

 

Buon Appetito!

 

Bill

Edited February 22, 2010 by Spy Car