# New to making fresh pasta



## BeachBirdie (Jan 3, 2009)

I just got an attachement for my kitchenaid stand mixer for making pasta.  I was curious if anyone had any tips or advice before I tackle making it for the first time.

Thanks!


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## Mraughh (Jan 4, 2009)

here's a receipe I used the first time I made fresh pasta that you might like to try. It makes a small batch and was easy to work with. 

This receipe comes from Bob's Red Mill brand Semolina flour (it was on the back of the bag)

Well I can't post a URL yet so go to bob's red mill brand website and search for "Basic Pasta Recipe" I saw they have alot of other receipes on there also. 

I made sure the eggs were room temperature before making this one, I'm guessing that helped but it was really simple and easy to do. 

I had gotten a pasta maker for Christmas and originally made a batch of dough from all-purpose flour to clean the oil off the machine rollers and it was really difficult to work with. 

This receipe is a bit wet(makes it easier to knead I think), so make sure you dust your pasta with flour each time you run it through the pasta maker. If you don't have a drying rack to dry your pasta strands, I used an oven rack and just draped the noodles over it to dry. 

good luck, I'm sure there are more folks on here who can give better advice, I'm a neophyte pasta maker myself


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## PieSusan (Jan 4, 2009)

Here ya go:
Bob's Red Mill


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## Mraughh (Jan 4, 2009)

Thanks Susan!


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## BeachBirdie (Jan 4, 2009)

Thanks so much...I'll let you know it goes!


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## AMSeccia (Jan 4, 2009)

which attachment ... the shapes or the rollers?  I have former and want the latter.  Mario Batali uses it all the time and makes it look so darned easy!  It's on my wish list, but behind a couple other pricey items.  

Please post feedback (I have no good tips to offer on the pasta itself).  It's a matter of how the dough feels for me.


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## BeachBirdie (Jan 4, 2009)

I have the shapes...not the rollers.


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## Seven S (Jan 4, 2009)

Just be aware that the recipe above for Bob's Red Mill is for "Semolina" flour, which is not interchangeable with all-purpose or italian "tipo 00" (doppio zero) flour.


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## BeachBirdie (Jan 4, 2009)

Yes, I'm glad you pointed that out.  I'm using all purpose tonight but I will get the Semolina four tomorrow.

What is the difference?....besides the obivious...lol.


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## Seven S (Jan 4, 2009)

Well, they are very different and for numerous reasons, but too many for me to go into detail.  AP flour is made from soft-wheat and semolina or durum from hard wheat.  In Italy, the classic fresh pasta made in Bologna is made with soft wheat flour and is generally the most commonly used at home.  Semolina/durum has higher gluten and is harder to work with in home applications.  It is the flour used most commonly for commercially extruded shapes.  I prefer to use all-purpose, unbleached.  It will be interesting for you to work with both and see which one you prefer and post back results. 

Now... I can point out that almost every italian chef will tell you that in making BASIC fresh pasta with AP flour, nothing else goes in the dough other than flour and eggs (chopped spinach for green/squid ink for black in colored pasta).  In semolina dough, often just water and semolina.  Salt should be used in the cooking/boiling water, oil makes it slicker and is undesirable and nontraditional.  I can point you to Ada Boni, Marcella Hazan, Giuliano Bugialli and Mario Batali as good sources of reference.

I have used Mario Batali's recipe to great success at a restaurant:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour, plus extra for kneading
5 large eggs

Use the well method.  Knead, knead, knead, knead some more... 10-15 minutes (you can use your own method if you are not kneading by hand.)  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and rest for at least 10 mins before proceeding.

(NOTE: the absorption capacity of the eggs and humidity in the kitchen or lack thereof may cause slight variation in the amount of flour needed)

Buon appetito e buona fortuna!


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## Mraughh (Jan 5, 2009)

Seven, 
quick question for you. When you are using the all purpose flour (or any type that is finely ground) do you sift it first? 

I noticed the semolina is a much coarser grind (bobs brand) than the all purpose flour I used (same kind that i make cookies with) and was much easier to knead. I thought that maybe it was because it was packed into the measuring cup and I had'nt sifted it or something.


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## Seven S (Jan 5, 2009)

Mraughh said:


> Seven,
> quick question for you. When you are using the all purpose flour (or any type that is finely ground) do you sift it first?
> 
> I noticed the semolina is a much coarser grind (bobs brand) than the all purpose flour I used (same kind that i make cookies with) and was much easier to knead. I thought that maybe it was because it was packed into the measuring cup and I had'nt sifted it or something.



I do not sift it, but if you live in a very humid climate you could if it looks somewhat clumpy.

semolina flour, by nature, will be coarser, but there are several different grind sizes (not necessarily stated on the package) across the board.  try different ones to find out what you like.


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## Jeekinz (Jan 5, 2009)

I'm not really a fan of semolina. It's a little harder to work with and I'm not fond of the flavor.

My basic dough is 3/4 cup white flour, 1 egg, pinch of salt and about 1/2 -1 tablespoon of olive oil (depending on humidity, etc). Once the dough is made wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 25 minutes.

Here's the recipe for cavatelli dough:  2 cups all purpose flour, 8 oz ricotta cheese and 2 eggs


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## Chopstix (Jan 13, 2009)

Yesterday I made fresh pasta for the very first time.  I felt some trepidation, having been warned by a friend who's married to an Italian gourmand that all her pasta-making efforts have been disastrous and that I'm better off buying fresh pasta.

Well, my attempt was a success!  I experimented with two small batches:

First batch: I used pure Italian flour tippo 00
Second batch:  I used 4:1 ratio of tippo 00 to semolina

There was negligible difference in the taste and texture of both batches.  They both tasted soft with a very slight firmness.  Today I'm going to attempt a 50-50 proportion of tippo 00 and semolina to produce fresh pasta with more bite.

I'll report on this later.  Meantime, I just want to say that kneading and making your own pasta feels very good, especially when it turns out great.


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## padams2359 (Jan 13, 2009)

Many years ago, when I was going through my pasta making phase, I found that the best thing to use to get your pasta colored, and add the flavor, was baby food.  Get the smallest jar of spinach for green, carrots for orange.  Once you have the feel of how the dough should come out, then you can start adding the baby food.  If you are trying to make Angel Hair or other thin pastas, chopped spinach will not work.  When you get the rollers down to the thinnest level, before cutting, the spinach will get caught and your pasta will tear.  I have also found this to be the case when I would add Italian Seasoning to the mix.  I have both a manual roller type, and the electric extruder (easy to use, pain to clean).  Never got one for my KA because I do not use the others often enough.  Years ago when I was making pasta, it was pretty hard to find fresh pasta in grocery stores.  Now it is everywhere.  It does not taste the same as homemade though.


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## Chopstix (Jan 17, 2009)

As promised, I'm reporting back on my 50-50 flour to semolina proportion experiment.  Honestly, there wasn't much difference between this and the 4:1 proportion.  Going forward, I'll probably use the 50-50 ratio unless I'm making ravioli for which I'll use 100% tippo 00 flour.


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