First homemade pasta!

[Skittle68]

I was putting my lasagna together with my first attempt at home made pasta when I realized I had no idea if fresh pasta expands! I also am not sure how thin it should be (I rolled it out by hand), and why do some people use half semolina, while the recipe on the flour bag says to use all semolina? What recipe do you use? The one on the bag was:

1 1/2 c semolina flour
2 eggs
2 T water
2 T olive oil

 

[Skittle68]

Well the lasagna was so good I ate way too much of it, but I think I kneaded the dough a bit too long because the noodles were a little tough. They were also a little thick, but that's because I was using a rolling pin. I plan to get a pasta maker, but it won't be until after I move this summer. One less thing to worry about.

 

[taxlady]

My recipe for homemade pasta is: ~100 grams of flour per serving plus enough water to make a nice dough. Really. I put the flour in a bowl and then add water a bit at a time until it feels right. Then I knead it a little by hand and then run it through the pasta rollers, set at thickest, until it seems kneaded enough. Then I wrap it and let it rest for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

 

[Addie]

I use two to one ratio for pasta. Two parts AP flour to one part semolina. The semolina helps strengthen the pasta without making it too rubbery or tough.

 

[taxlady]

My recipe for homemade pasta is: ~100 grams of flour per serving plus enough water to make a nice dough. Really. I put the flour in a bowl and then add water a bit at a time until it feels right. Then I knead it a little by hand and then run it through the pasta rollers, set at thickest, until it seems kneaded enough. Then I wrap it and let it rest for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

I forgot to mention that I use hard, whole grain flour.

 

[Skittle68]

I understand what you mean about adding liquid til it feels right. I ended up adding more because the dough was way too stiff. It's nice to have a guideline for how much is enough tho so if you used 100% semolina the noodles would be tough/rubbery? I used 1/2 and 1/2 by weight (which is closer to 2:1 by volume since ap flour is fluffy).

Oh, and does fresh pasta expand much since it is already moist?

 

[Skittle68]

My recipe for homemade pasta is: ~100 grams of flour per serving plus enough water to make a nice dough. Really. I put the flour in a bowl and then add water a bit at a time until it feels right. Then I knead it a little by hand and then run it through the pasta rollers, set at thickest, until it seems kneaded enough. Then I wrap it and let it rest for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

No eggs?

 

[taxlady]

No eggs?

Nope. I looked at the ingredients on my whole grain pasta from Italy and it reads, "Ingredients: organic durum wholewheat semolina". So, I tried making it without the egg and it worked just fine.

 

[Skittle68]

Nope. I looked at the ingredients on my whole grain pasta from Italy and it reads, "Ingredients: organic durum wholewheat semolina". So, I tried making it without the egg and it worked just fine.

Huh... Who knew? Lol

 

[rubberhedgehog]

Yep, it's fine to make pasta with no eggs. This is how it's made in the traditionally poorer regions of Italy.
Today was my first foray into home made pasta, done with 100g plain flour, one egg and some olive oil (didn't measure, just added until it combined nicely).
I don't have a pasta roller so I used a rolling pin which wasn't too successful - managed to get it down to about 0.75cm but when cooked it felt thick. Still, rollers are on order

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I use thicker noodles for my chicken noodle soup, if I don't manage to make my pasta thin enough, I dry it for soup.

 

[Skittle68]

Mine were pretty dang thin, but I would have liked them thinner. A pasta roller will be my next kitchen gadget purchase

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Skittle 68,

Thanks for posting ... I make most of my Pasta from scratch, and thus, thought I would post a couple of my uncountable variations, as I am a pasta and cheese-oholic :

SIMPLE DOUGH PASTA

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tblsps. all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup Semolina flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 medium egg beaten to blend
1/3 cup dry Marsala
1 tblsp butter - unsalted

FRESH EGG PASTA

3 cups all purpose flour unbleached
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 tblsp butter unsalted
1 tblsp water ( optional and cautions )

My special Sunday Lasagne dough is alot more complicated and thus, I plan to post it along with a recipe, called Lasagne al Spinaci di Carlo.

Pleased to see that you are making Pasta from Scratch ... it is marvelous once you get the knack of it ! Practice makes perfect !!

Kind regards.
Margi Cintrano.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Skittle 68,

I had meant to ask you: do you make your dough in a Food Processor or via Hand ?

I have done both, and though alot more laborous, the hand done is better in my opinion.

Best regards.
Margi.

 

[Addie]

Yep, it's fine to make pasta with no eggs. This is how it's made in the traditionally poorer regions of Italy.
Today was my first foray into home made pasta, done with 100g plain flour, one egg and some olive oil (didn't measure, just added until it combined nicely).
I don't have a pasta roller so I used a rolling pin which wasn't too successful - managed to get it down to about 0.75cm but when cooked it felt thick. Still, rollers are on order

I would suggest if you are going to make it again before you get the pasta roller, that you cut the dough in half before rolling it out with a rolling pin. Roll out a half at a time. The second half will be easier as it has had a time to rest. Just keep it covered while resting.

 

[Claire]

No, in my experience (my husband uses all purpose flour and eggs) fresh pasta doesn't expand all that much. It might be different if you just use flour and water (which most commercial, dry pasta is).

In general I like fine/small pasta more than large or thick, and to get that texture you need to be a dedicated person or have the roller.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Good Morning Addie,

There are uncountable ways to prepare pasta dough ... and pasta ...

Correct; there is the dry type and there is the egg type ...

It is actually very easy, it just takes practice ... Then, there is the hand method and the food processor method ...

Personally, I prefer the Hand method even though it is slightly laborious.

Thanks for posting Addie.
Margi.

 

[Addie]

Good Morning Addie,

There are uncountable ways to prepare pasta dough ... and pasta ...

Correct; there is the dry type and there is the egg type ...

It is actually very easy, it just takes practice ... Then, there is the hand method and the food processor method ...

Personally, I prefer the Hand method even though it is slightly laborious.

Thanks for posting Addie.
Margi.

I agree with you Margi. I watch many Noni's using a guitar (?) growing up. And I also saw a lot of them cutting it by hand. But most of them would cut the ball in half and work with a half at a time. You do need a lot of space if you are going to roll it out by hand. I am fortunate. I have more than four feet for a single sheet. And I do have the pasta maker for my KA. My kids insist of homemade egg noodles for chicken soup. I use my KA dough hook for pasta making. The hands are getting old and don't work like they used.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Addie,

I too, cut the mound in half in Madrid ... I have a much larger kitchen in Puglia, than I do here in Madrid ...

Actually, I do not think I have ever met someone, who did not truly enjoy a wonderful home made pasta ... And if there are, obviously they are not in my immediate surroundings on a face to face basis.

Have a rainbow day.
Margi.

 

[Skittle68]

@Margi- thanks for your input! I kneaded mine by hand. I recently started making bread, which I knead by hand as well, so that's what gave me the idea to make my own pasta. I used to use my bread machine for the kneading and rising, but I like the added flavor from rising at a lower temp for a longer period of time. Anyway, that translated to hand kneading my pasta.

I have a tiny kitchen, and I actually split my pasta in 4 pieces to roll it out. Probably why I was able to get it so thin. It was much more labor intensive than I had anticipated tho, and wouldn't want to do it again without a pasta roller.

Oh, Margi, you put wine in pasta?? That's very interesting! Any particular recipe you use that type of pasta for?