Hand Made Pasta

It’s a leap year and what better way to spend the extra day in February than learning how to make homemade pasta with your bare HANDS. In the near future when robots do most things for us, knowing how to make your own pasta will definitely be a marketable and essential skill for survival, so listen close.

This recipe has only two ingredients. Flour and eggs. And I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention that it’s based on a Jamie Oliver recipe that I hold in my mind-brain for safekeeping.

*Also I realize this is a very basic pasta recipe, and I know there are many other more deluxe ways of doing this but as we’re all just learning, let’s start with baby steps in our pasta-making adventure.

SERVES: 4

COOKS IN: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

• 5 eggs (free-range and big boys)

• 500 grams of ‘00’ flour (I’ve also used all-purpose and it’s ok too. ‘00' flour refers to Italian milled flour that is used specifically for pasta making.)

INSTRUCTIONS

THE DOUGH

1. Clear your counter and make a volcano-like pile of flour on it.

2. In a separate bowl, crack and beat your eggs until smooth. Pour this eggy mixture into the volcano of flour.

3. With your little fingies, slowly mix the eggs into the flour until everything is combined and you have the makings of a rough pile of dough bits.

4. Knead and push the dough bits together until a smooth dough ball forms.

5. Now it’s kneading time. Push and pull and stretch that dough ball. This is when you need to work that gluten so your pasta is springy and has a bite to it. If you don’t knead it enough the noodles become soft and gross.

6. Once the dough ball is silky, smooth and beautiful, wrap it tightly in plastic cling wrap and let it sit in your fridge for 30 min.

*if you have a food processor, then skip all of these steps, chuck the eggs and flour into it and let it do its thing until the dough is no longer rough and floury but smooth.

ROLLING YOUR PASTA

1. If you don’t have a pasta machine then you’ll need to roll out your pasta by hand with a rolling pin or empty wine bottle. I usually divide my big dough ball into little balls and roll those out individually. The trick here is to know when it’s thin enough. I usually think it’s thinnest when I put my hand under the flat dough and I can kind of see my hand thru it. Some others say they like it thin like a visa card, but it’s really up to you and what kind of pasta you are making.

2. If you do have a pasta machine, then attach it to your counter tightly and lightly flour the surface where your pasta is going to be processed thru. (You want a ton of space for this).

3. Divide your big pasta ball into little mandarin sized balls. Flatten them with your palm and then put them through your pasta maker on it’s widest setting. (If it sticks, use a bit of flour).

4. Repeat this a few times, every time lightly dusting your dough with flour. This step also acts as a form of kneading and working that gluten.

5. Now run the dough through the next setting. On my pasta maker, it goes from 1-7, so I will start at 1, put the dough through a few times, and then repeat this process all the way to the skinniest setting at 7.

6. Once you have your thin pasta sheets, it’s time to cut them. Dust the sheets with flour and fold them up. Then take a sharp knife and cut your noodles.

7. Once all noodles are cut, unravel them and dust the whole pile of noodles with flour. You can either then dry your pasta on a rack or if they are covered in enough flour, I just leave them in piles to be used right away.

8. Bring a heavily salted pot of water to a boil, chuck your noodles in and drain when al dente. (Fresh pasta cooks quicker than dried so keep an eye on it)