Home-made pasta

[Adam Balic]

Can you get "real" pumpkin in the UK? To date I have only seen butternut and American Jack-O'Lantern types readily availible. Neither are very good, especially from Supermarkets (infact is the latter type meant to be eaten at all?).

I also recently read a British food write comment "Pumpkin is tasteless, hence its popularity with Americans", all this would indicate that "Real" pumpkin isn't that common an experience in the UK?

Oh for the pumpkins of Australia, Southern France (I really like those strange pumpkin and apple desserts) and Italy.

edit: In terms of keeping properties there are many types much better (and better flavor) then Butternuts, but the supermarkets would have to cut them up into family friendly sizes (when they would start to degrade), and they may not get a high enough turn-over for this.

Edited January 19, 2004 by Adam Balic (log)

[Jonathan Day]

I'm no expert on the cucurbita but I have found pumpkins similar to those offered as "potirons" in France and "zucca" in Italy, for sale in the Northcote Road market in London and also at Borough Market. These are not the smooth-skinned, yellowish American pumpkins for jack o'lanterns; they are a deep orange, with vertical ridges that would make them difficult to carve for Halloween. The flesh is thick (again, making them almost impossible to carve for lanterns) and the squash itself very large.

I buy it by the slice -- the vendor wields a fearsome looking sabre, and cuts off as thick a slice as you want. The slices are then priced by weight. One slice (perhaps an eighth) of one of these pumpkins makes enough filling for a lot of ravioli, or for incorporating in gnocchi.

[Adam Balic]

Oh yes, in London, everything can be got in London. It's the poor buggers in the rest of the country that have to remain pumpkinless.

[sequim]

Okay pasta makers, I'm a newbie chiming in here.

So I was using the xmas present machine last night for the first time. Um, the resulting pasta needs work.... But it sure was fun to play.

I had a problem with the cutting and wonder how everybody does it. The pasta maker I have has the sheet side and then two cutting rollers. I put my sheet through until it was pretty thin (5 of 7). Then I sent each sheet through the cutter and let them lay in a pile until I was done with all the slices of dough. So I had about four little piles of cut pasta. However, when I put the pasta into the boiling water, the piles all kinda stayed clumped together as if they hadn't been fully cut, and I had to take a fork to them and try to break them apart. This wasn't too successful and the end result were some clumped pieces that I didn't like. The pasta could have been more tender too, and I wonder if I worked it too much. I used regular all-purpose flour, nothing special and one egg. I did let it rest before putting through the roller. Am I doing something wrong with the cutter - can the cutter be adjusted to fully cut through? Or do many people just cut their own? I'm doing a birthday dinner for my sister next week and I'd like to do clams linguine but my attempt last night makes me think I better try for something less ambitious. Maybe ravioli are easier? I like doing this though, as the dough is so easy to make.

Thanks for all advice and any good recipes...

[Adam Balic]

Don't pile the pasta together is a start. Lay them out flat or hang them. If the dough is to moist they can stick together, so you could cut back on the liquid to flour ratio and it sometimes helps to sprinkle with flour before putting them through the cutters and after they are cut. Shake off excess flour before putting them in the pot or you will make wall paper paste. But the best advise is to practice, as it really takes time to get it all to come together.

If this doesn't work, then make your sister ravioli.

[sequim]

Don't pile the pasta together is a start. Lay them out flat or hang them. If the dough is to moist they can stick together, so you could cut back on the liquid to flour ratio and it sometimes helps to sprinkle with flour before putting them through the cutters and after they are cut. Shake off excess flour before putting them in the pot or you will make wall paper paste. But the best advise is to practice, as it really takes time to get it all to come together.

If this doesn't work, then make your sister ravioli.

Thanks Adam, I was already thinking I should grab them out of the cutter and keep them flat. I did flour quite a bit as I noticed the dough is very sticky if not floured up.

The good thing about practising pasta is it's so cheap - eggs and flour. Better than practising over and over on roasts which I need to do also!

Hey, if anybody has a good pumpkin/squash recipe I wouldn't mind a link or the actual recipe here.

[Adam Balic]

Trying different flours will help too. All-purpose flour varies quite a bit in composition and some are not so great for pasta. How long to you knead the dough? If you don't knead it long enough, this can result in overly soft textured pasta. 10 minutes is a good length of time to aim for.

[Toliver]

So I had about four little piles of cut pasta. However, when I put the pasta into the boiling water, the piles all kinda stayed clumped together as if they hadn't been fully cut, and I had to take a fork to them and try to break them apart...

You need a Pasta Drying Rack.

[MobyP]

I have a stuffed pasta course coming out in the eGCI in a couple of weeks - including a butternut tortelli recipe, and pasta making. I hope it will help.

Adam's right though (as he usually is) - the best thing to do is keep working at it. It's not complicated, it just takes a little practice. Also - next time you're in a good Italian deli, look out for Type '00' flour (tipo '00' if it's imported), and semolina durum flour. The latter is fantastic for stopping pastas from sticking together - especially raviolis etc. Also, for moderating dampness in pasta as you role it which gives you some control.

What make of machine do you have? I know the Atlas Marcato goes to 9, and the Imperia goes to 8 - but I don't know one that goes to 7 (they're calibrated differently, so it's not an indication of anything useful).

[picaman]

You need a Pasta Drying Rack.

My broom is very insulted. Pasta rack indeed

I think this might be a bit different from what I've read here, and may be heresy, but my basic pasta recipe is semolina and water, with a tiny bit of olive oil.

Where does semolina fit into the flour hierarchy?

Jamie

[Adam Balic]

You need a Pasta Drying Rack.

My broom is very insulted. Pasta rack indeed

I think this might be a bit different from what I've read here, and may be heresy, but my basic pasta recipe is semolina and water, with a tiny bit of olive oil.

Where does semolina fit into the flour hierarchy?

Jamie

Userly it cause a God almighty row over the 'right type of flour to use'. For the record I use '00' Italian flour and egg and occasionally semolina flour, but this is purely because of the types of pasta dishes I make using fresh pasta.

Many US all-purpose flours actually contain semolina flour (I am not in the USA so I don't use it).

[slkinsey]

There are certainly parts of Italy that make fresh semolina pasta with water (usually not oil... fat inhibits the cross-linkang oe gluten strands). Orecchiette, for example. Semolina is not generally used, in my experience, in the soft strand pastas of Emilia-Romagna such as tagliatelle, etc. In general, I would not recommend semolina for fresh pasta because it produces a fairly grainy texture and I am normally going for something smooth.

Just for the record, because I think there is often confusion... semolina is a coarse, somewhat sandy-textured milling of Durum wheat. When this wheat is ground to a normal flour consistency, it is no longer semolina but simply Durum wheat flour.

[Toliver]

You need a Pasta Drying Rack.

My broom is very insulted. Pasta rack indeed

My apologies to your broom.

I felt bad about posting that after suddenly remembering my grandmother drying her homemade egg noodles laying flat on sheets of wax paper placed on top of the kitchen table.

[MUMBLES] something about Neccesity...Invention. [/MUMBLE]

[picaman]

In general, I would not recommend semolina for fresh pasta because it produces a fairly grainy texture and I am normally going for something smooth.

I'm going to have to have a "Pasta-Off"

I've made pasta with semolina and water for so long that perhaps I've lost perspective, but I've never found it grainy in the least. I make everything this way, from ravioli to various widths of "cranked" pasta (I have a few attachments for my Atlas) to papardelle. I let the dough rest for a while before cranking it, and seems to me to have a pleasantly chewy tooth to it.

I'll get some 00 flour and try that. It may be a revelation.

Jamie

P.S. Toliver: my broom accepts your apology

[Mottmott]

My doctor who has warned me off the white stuff specifically exempted semolina pasta. For me, that's reason enough to use semolina.

[MobyP]

Southern Italians, not being able to afford prolific amounts of eggs (so the story goes) and having access to the harder durum semolina flour, used water and a splash of oil instead. It certainly wouldn't be grainy if you kneed it sufficiently, developing the gluten, and the grains of flour absorbing the liquid.

So - as Sam says - Orchiette, some cassarecci (sp?), malloreddus, cavatelli, as well as all of the standard extruder-and-die pastas (spaghetti, linguini etc); and many of the pasta companies making northern style pastas like papardelle actually substitute semolina and water.

I've done the broom thing, and the rack, but I find a few floured trays do me well enough.

[Adam Balic]

Just for the record, because I think there is often confusion... semolina is a coarse, somewhat sandy-textured milling of Durum wheat.  When this wheat is ground to a normal flour consistency, it is no longer semolina but simply Durum wheat flour.

And to add to the confusion, Durum wheat flour for pasta is often refered to as 'Semolina' in Italy. I still think that it is worth refering to 'Semonlina' in the pasta context, as many people pass this product (fine grade) in the supermarket and don't relise that it can be used for making pasta.

Edited March 12, 2004 by Adam Balic (log)

[Adam Balic]

Southern Italians, not being able to afford prolific amounts of eggs (so the story goes) and having access to the harder durum semolina flour, used water and a splash of oil instead. It certainly wouldn't be grainy if you kneed it sufficiently, developing the gluten, and the grains of flour absorbing the liquid.

Semolina flour has been used in various regions to produce pasta for a few centuries at least. Genoa (not exactly south)was/is a famous area for pasta prodcution and the pasta for export was made (mostly) from semolina flour. It has much better keeping properties then soft wheat flour, so it is ideal for export and trade.

The egg story may have some element of truth, but at the end of the day semolina flour simply doesn't need egg to produce excallent pasta.

[ellencho]

Good suggestions and tips all. I made egg/semolina fettucine two nights ago and to keep my strands from sticking, I sprinkled and tossed my pasta with semolina flour and let it sit out on a tray while the remainder of my pasta rolled out. My pasta did not clump and was thoroughly enjoyed.

Oh, and while we're discussing pasta, can anyone recommend a good way to freeze fresh pasta? Do I have to have it sliced into the shape I plan to eat them in? Or can I just freeze the excess hunk of pasta dough that I have left over?

[mdt]

Ellen - I freeze my pasta in final 'form' and portioned so that all I have to do is put it into boiling water when I want it. Just remember to use good freezer bags and you should have no problems.

[ellencho]

Cool - thanks mdt!

[hathor]

...mmm...home made pasta. One of life's most sublime pleasures. Lately my college attending son has become the ravioli master in our house. We have a kitchen full of family all working on the ravioli, with much wine and laughter. What could be better?

One of our better fillings was roasted garlic potatoes and basil, with a very simple brown butter, sweated onion sauce. Also a sort of shrimp provencal filing: shrimp, tomato, parsley, garlic.

I have a question: there is a pasta in brodo dish in central Italy...the pasta seems to be extruded and has a distinct nutmeg flavor. Does anyone have a recipe for that? Grazie mille!

[sequim]

I have a stuffed pasta course coming out in the eGCI in a couple of weeks - including a butternut tortelli recipe, and pasta making. I hope it will help.

Adam's right though (as he usually is) - the best thing to do is keep working at it. It's not complicated, it just takes a little practice. Also - next time you're in a good Italian deli, look out for Type '00' flour (tipo '00' if it's imported), and semolina durum flour. The latter is fantastic for stopping pastas from sticking together - especially raviolis etc. Also, for moderating dampness in pasta as you role it which gives you some control.

What make of machine do you have? I know the Atlas Marcato goes to 9, and the Imperia goes to 8 - but I don't know one that goes to 7 (they're calibrated differently, so it's not an indication of anything useful).

MobyP, thanks, I'll be sure to look for your upcoming course.

Okay, here's Pasta Making Take 2:

I tried again last night and the results were much better. It's so gratifying what practise can do. This time I put less water in and kneaded the dough while it was dry and eventually it came together and was less sticky than the night before and quite easy to knead for about 5 minutes. I was afraid to overknead it as I thought that might toughen the dough. Maybe I'm wrong about that? I also added a dash of oil, so I'm not sure which thing might have caused this dough to be better. When I made my sheets, because the dough was less sticky, I could roll it through thinner and then when running them through the cutter, I very carefully gathered them up - they were the fettucine size - and placed them all around the counters (I'll keep the pasta drying rack in mind Toliver!). I also added salt this time and some ground pepper to the pasta which gave it a nice flecked appearance.

I made a cream sauce with bacon, peas, sour cream, whipping cream, shallots and butter and when the pasta was boiled about a minute, served it up and it was great! Very tender this time although some of the strands weren't fully cut through. I also could have used more sauce as the pasta did absorb alot of it.

This is so exciting to have finally made homemade pasta as I am such an Italian food freak. My sister has made raviolis by hand before and they always come out a bit thick so now I'm quite interested in making the perfect ravioli. And now I know what to get her for Christmas.

[picaman]

This is so exciting to have finally made homemade pasta as I am such an Italian food freak.

Congratulations...it is fun. I've several times made pasta with very young children--it's tremendous fun for them.

I think making pasta is a lot like baking bread. You start to get a good feel for it after you've made a few batches.

Jamie

[Toliver]

Sequim,

Go with picaman's suggestion about using a broom until you get an official rack (if you ever get one). It'll save using up your counterspace while drying your pasta.

I am sure picaman can give you more details on the "how" but I would imagine the broom could be propped across the tops of two chairs. Drape the pasta on the broomstick. You could lay wax paper or clean towels across the broomstick first before draping the pasta for drying.