Homemade Ricotta Cavatelli

My Grandmother would be proud. Every time I use her cavatelli maker I feel like she is there with me. I remember making them with her on her wood dining table. She let me turn the handle of the machine and I got a big kick out of watching the pasta turn into cavatelli. I wish we thought of taking pictures or videos then. When I use the machine and get stuck I think of her saying, "I told you, you have to you a lot of flour!" I try to remember that and flour it up really well.

Sometimes it makes me really sad because Nanny isn't around to see how she influences every meal I make.  Even when I make something I knew she really wouldn't like, I am still thinking about her.
She had no idea how much she meant to me.  Even if it seemed like she did, she just didn't.  Hopefully she's looking down at me and she's happy to see what I've been doing.

I can't believe it took me so long to post this but I actually lost the recipe and couldn't remember where I found it.  Well it finally occurred to me and this post was all set up and ready to go.  The credit for the recipe goes to Deborah Mele of Italianfoodforever.com.  Check out her website for some great authentic Italian recipes!

To make the dough for the Cavatelli:

Ingredients:

4 Cups All-purpose Flour (or 2 cups tipo "00" & 2 cups tipo "0")
1 Egg
1 Pound Full Fat Ricotta Cheese
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream

Directions:


Place your flour in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add your other ingredients into the well and stir until the dough comes together. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. You may also wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate it until needed. This rest period is necessary to obtain the right texture of the dough.

To form the Cavatelli:



When ready to cut the cavatelli, first cut the dough in half and place one half on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/3 of an inch thick and cut into strips about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick. Flour a strip well, and using one hand, pass it through the wooden rollers, turning the crank clockwise with the other hand. The cavatelli will drop onto the counter after they are cut. Place the cavatelli on a lightly floured baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to cook. Cook cavatelli in large pot of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. Like gnocchi, cavatelli will rise to the surface when cooked. Drain and top with your sauce of choice.

Pictures by Salvatore Corso.  Click here to see his amazing website. 

Homemade Ricotta Cavatelli

My Grandmother would be proud. Every time I use her cavatelli maker I feel like she is there with me. I remember making them with her on her wood dining table. She let me turn the handle of the machine and I got a big kick out of watching the pasta turn into cavatelli. I wish we thought of taking pictures or videos then. When I use the machine and get stuck I think of her saying, "I told you, you have to you a lot of flour!" I try to remember that and flour it up really well.

Sometimes it makes me really sad because Nanny isn't around to see how she influences every meal I make.  Even when I make something I knew she really wouldn't like, I am still thinking about her.
She had no idea how much she meant to me.  Even if it seemed like she did, she just didn't.  Hopefully she's looking down at me and she's happy to see what I've been doing.

I can't believe it took me so long to post this but I actually lost the recipe and couldn't remember where I found it.  Well it finally occurred to me and this post was all set up and ready to go.  The credit for the recipe goes to Deborah Mele of Italianfoodforever.com.  Check out her website for some great authentic Italian recipes!

To make the dough for the Cavatelli:

Ingredients:

4 Cups All-purpose Flour (or 2 cups tipo "00" & 2 cups tipo "0")
1 Egg
1 Pound Full Fat Ricotta Cheese
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream

Directions:


Place your flour in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add your other ingredients into the well and stir until the dough comes together. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. You may also wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate it until needed. This rest period is necessary to obtain the right texture of the dough.

To form the Cavatelli:



When ready to cut the cavatelli, first cut the dough in half and place one half on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/3 of an inch thick and cut into strips about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick. Flour a strip well, and using one hand, pass it through the wooden rollers, turning the crank clockwise with the other hand. The cavatelli will drop onto the counter after they are cut. Place the cavatelli on a lightly floured baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to cook. Cook cavatelli in large pot of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. Like gnocchi, cavatelli will rise to the surface when cooked. Drain and top with your sauce of choice.

Pictures by Salvatore Corso.  Click here to see his amazing website. 

Homemade Meat Ravioli

I love Valentine's Day and not because it's a commercial holiday for giving gifts and spending money. During our busy lives and schedules of work, family, friends, entertaining and all the little things that keep us on our toes, we tend to forget to make time with our partners. Sure we see them every day, we do things together but it's usually not without tv, cell phones, distractions, etc. Valentine's Day reminds us to take out that time for our sweethearts and that's just what we like to do. Steve and I don't exchange gifts, only cards and we don't spend a lot of money going out to dinner. We've done it but it just never felt like it was worth it. There was no meaning to spending twice the amount we'd usually spend at a restaurant with a limited menu, an overly crowded dining room and timed seating. I understand that some people may enjoy going out and that's great. It just hasn't worked for us. For the past two years Steve and I decided that it would be fun if we spent Valentine's Day preparing a special meal together. We want it to be something that we don't usually make at home, something that requires two people to make and takes a bit of time. I have to say it's worked out wonderfully and I am really proud of our accomplishments. Last year we made gnocchi with bolognese sauce. This year we made meat ravioli. If you're wondering why we chose meat...well, that's because Steve doesn't really like cheese ravioli. I can't say I understand it but that's okay, I like meat ravioli too. Believe it or not, I couldn't find a recipe for meat ravioli so I just followed my instincts and I'm proud to say that it really worked well for us. I used the recipe for the dough from an old cookbook that I have called Biba's Taste of Italy by Biba Caggiano. I am really looking forward to trying ravioli again with different fillings. I'm thinking a basil pesto would be fabulous! Any suggestions?

Meat Ravioli

Yield: Approx. 32 ravioli

Pasta Dough by Biba Caggiano

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
5 large eggs

Directions:

1.  In bowl of stand mixer beat eggs and salt. Attach dough hook and add flour a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase the speed and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, until smooth, soft and pliable.

2.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured wooden board of other work surface. Flour your hands lightly and knead the dough for a minute or two. If the dough seems too firm, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, then knead the dough again for about a minute.

Biba's tip: Making the dough with a machine requires a little less flour than making it by hand. Reserve 1/2 cup or so of the flour called for in the recipe. After the dough has been kneaded, touch it. If it is silky and slightly moist, it is ready; if it is too sticky, work in the reserved flour.

To roll out the dough with pasta attachment:

Set the rollers of the pasta machine at their widest setting (1 - for Kitchen Aid) Cut off a piece of dough about the size of a large egg and flatter in under the palm of your hand. Keep the rest of the dough wrapped in plastic wrap. Dust the flattened piece of dough lightly with flour and run it once through the machine. Fold the dough in half, pressing down on it with your fingertips, and run it through the machine again. Repeat this step four to five times, dusting the dough lightly with flour if needed, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky; the dough will become firmer since the machine is actually kneading the dough. Do not skimp on this step, or, as you think the pasta, it may stick to the rollers.

Adjust the rollers to the next setting and run the dough through once; do not fold the dough again. Adjust the rollers to the next setting and run the rollers once; continue to adjust the rollers and roll the pasta through the machine until it reaches desired thinness. (I ran the dough through the first setting twice and then once through each setting #'s 2-5, it was then thin enough but thick enough to hold the filling)

If you are making stuffed pasta, cut and stuff the dough immediately, before rolling out another piece. For string pasta or ribbon noodles, roll out the remaining dough and allow the sheets to dry before cutting them into noodles.

Meat Filling by Michele

1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small carrot, grated
1/2 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated

1/4 gup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated

1 tsp nutmeg (or to taste)
1/2 tsp allspice (or to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil
1 egg


Directions:

1.  Sweat onion, garlic, carrot and celery in oil.  Once vegetables soften add grown beef, using a potato masher to break up the meat.  Cook until browned and cooked through.  Drain fat from beef, once beef is cool discard fat drippings.  Add mixture to food processor, pulse until smooth.  Add egg and pulse until combined.

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cans Tuttorosa crushed tomatoes (use whatever brand you like)

1 medium onion, diced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
fresh basil, to taste (dried or frozen can also be used)
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (if you like more spice add more)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning and basil. Stir to combine.

2. Add crushed tomatoes and stir. Fill about 1/3 can with water and swish around to clean tomatoes from sides and then pour into next can and do the same thing. Add to pot. Stir and add sugar, salt and pepper.

3. Let sauce come to a boil, stir gently. Reduce heat and let sauce simmer for 1 hour stirring frequently. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. If using fresh basil add some more at the end right before serving.

Assembly

Lay the pasta sheet out on a floured surface.  Place meat mixture about  2 inches or so apart on one half of the sheet.  Biba says to use 1 tablespoon of filling for ravioli but I used a little less than that as you can see from the pictures. If you want to make bigger ravioli use more filling. Once you start making them you will know how much to put in.   Place the unused portion of the dough sheet over the half with the meat.  Press out all the air from around the meat and press down lightly on the dough to seal.  Cut with a round biscuit cutter or cut into squares. 

Make sure you save all your scraps of dough (cut them into strips - don't worry if they aren't uniform in size). Nanny always used the strips of dough in soup or served with sauce for lunch that day. Just cook it in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes or until tender.

 

To Freeze:

Sprinkle a baking sheet lightly with cornmeal.  Place ravioli on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Place in the freezer for about an hour or until frozen through.  Place in large freezer bags and lay flat.  The purpose of freezing them flat first is so you don't end up with all your ravioli stuck together.  Now you can take out as many as you'd like at a time.

To Cook:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Carefully add the ravioli (if they were frozen you do not need to defrost) to the pot and stir.  When ravioli float to the top they are ready. 

Serve with your favorite sauce.

Click here for a printable version of Homemade Meat Ravioli. 

Homemade Meat Ravioli

I love Valentine's Day and not because it's a commercial holiday for giving gifts and spending money. During our busy lives and schedules of work, family, friends, entertaining and all the little things that keep us on our toes, we tend to forget to make time with our partners. Sure we see them every day, we do things together but it's usually not without tv, cell phones, distractions, etc. Valentine's Day reminds us to take out that time for our sweethearts and that's just what we like to do. Steve and I don't exchange gifts, only cards and we don't spend a lot of money going out to dinner. We've done it but it just never felt like it was worth it. There was no meaning to spending twice the amount we'd usually spend at a restaurant with a limited menu, an overly crowded dining room and timed seating. I understand that some people may enjoy going out and that's great. It just hasn't worked for us. For the past two years Steve and I decided that it would be fun if we spent Valentine's Day preparing a special meal together. We want it to be something that we don't usually make at home, something that requires two people to make and takes a bit of time. I have to say it's worked out wonderfully and I am really proud of our accomplishments. Last year we made gnocchi with bolognese sauce. This year we made meat ravioli. If you're wondering why we chose meat...well, that's because Steve doesn't really like cheese ravioli. I can't say I understand it but that's okay, I like meat ravioli too. Believe it or not, I couldn't find a recipe for meat ravioli so I just followed my instincts and I'm proud to say that it really worked well for us. I used the recipe for the dough from an old cookbook that I have called Biba's Taste of Italy by Biba Caggiano. I am really looking forward to trying ravioli again with different fillings. I'm thinking a basil pesto would be fabulous! Any suggestions?

Meat Ravioli

Yield: Approx. 32 ravioli

Pasta Dough by Biba Caggiano

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
5 large eggs

Directions:

1.  In bowl of stand mixer beat eggs and salt. Attach dough hook and add flour a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase the speed and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, until smooth, soft and pliable.

2.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured wooden board of other work surface. Flour your hands lightly and knead the dough for a minute or two. If the dough seems too firm, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, then knead the dough again for about a minute.

Biba's tip: Making the dough with a machine requires a little less flour than making it by hand. Reserve 1/2 cup or so of the flour called for in the recipe. After the dough has been kneaded, touch it. If it is silky and slightly moist, it is ready; if it is too sticky, work in the reserved flour.

To roll out the dough with pasta attachment:

Set the rollers of the pasta machine at their widest setting (1 - for Kitchen Aid) Cut off a piece of dough about the size of a large egg and flatter in under the palm of your hand. Keep the rest of the dough wrapped in plastic wrap. Dust the flattened piece of dough lightly with flour and run it once through the machine. Fold the dough in half, pressing down on it with your fingertips, and run it through the machine again. Repeat this step four to five times, dusting the dough lightly with flour if needed, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky; the dough will become firmer since the machine is actually kneading the dough. Do not skimp on this step, or, as you think the pasta, it may stick to the rollers.

Adjust the rollers to the next setting and run the dough through once; do not fold the dough again. Adjust the rollers to the next setting and run the rollers once; continue to adjust the rollers and roll the pasta through the machine until it reaches desired thinness. (I ran the dough through the first setting twice and then once through each setting #'s 2-5, it was then thin enough but thick enough to hold the filling)

If you are making stuffed pasta, cut and stuff the dough immediately, before rolling out another piece. For string pasta or ribbon noodles, roll out the remaining dough and allow the sheets to dry before cutting them into noodles.

Meat Filling by Michele

1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small carrot, grated
1/2 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated

1/4 gup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated

1 tsp nutmeg (or to taste)
1/2 tsp allspice (or to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil
1 egg


Directions:

1.  Sweat onion, garlic, carrot and celery in oil.  Once vegetables soften add grown beef, using a potato masher to break up the meat.  Cook until browned and cooked through.  Drain fat from beef, once beef is cool discard fat drippings.  Add mixture to food processor, pulse until smooth.  Add egg and pulse until combined.

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cans Tuttorosa crushed tomatoes (use whatever brand you like)

1 medium onion, diced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
fresh basil, to taste (dried or frozen can also be used)
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (if you like more spice add more)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning and basil. Stir to combine.

2. Add crushed tomatoes and stir. Fill about 1/3 can with water and swish around to clean tomatoes from sides and then pour into next can and do the same thing. Add to pot. Stir and add sugar, salt and pepper.

3. Let sauce come to a boil, stir gently. Reduce heat and let sauce simmer for 1 hour stirring frequently. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. If using fresh basil add some more at the end right before serving.

Assembly

Lay the pasta sheet out on a floured surface.  Place meat mixture about  2 inches or so apart on one half of the sheet.  Biba says to use 1 tablespoon of filling for ravioli but I used a little less than that as you can see from the pictures. If you want to make bigger ravioli use more filling. Once you start making them you will know how much to put in.   Place the unused portion of the dough sheet over the half with the meat.  Press out all the air from around the meat and press down lightly on the dough to seal.  Cut with a round biscuit cutter or cut into squares. 

Make sure you save all your scraps of dough (cut them into strips - don't worry if they aren't uniform in size). Nanny always used the strips of dough in soup or served with sauce for lunch that day. Just cook it in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes or until tender.

 

To Freeze:

Sprinkle a baking sheet lightly with cornmeal.  Place ravioli on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Place in the freezer for about an hour or until frozen through.  Place in large freezer bags and lay flat.  The purpose of freezing them flat first is so you don't end up with all your ravioli stuck together.  Now you can take out as many as you'd like at a time.

To Cook:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Carefully add the ravioli (if they were frozen you do not need to defrost) to the pot and stir.  When ravioli float to the top they are ready. 

Serve with your favorite sauce.

Click here for a printable version of Homemade Meat Ravioli. 

Pasta with Pesto

I used to be afraid of pesto. I'm not sure why but I didn't grow up eating it. I had it once at a friend's house for the first time. It was over pasta and there were pieces of potato in it. I really liked it. Then as usual I wouldn't order it out because what if it didn't taste the same. What if I only liked it that way because the particular person who made it did something so unique and special? Not really. The older I get the more I have gotten over my fear of eating new things. I wouldn't be much of a foodie if I didn't try new food, would I? The next time I had Pesto was when Steve's mom made it. I was definitely nervous but I was in the stage of my relationship where if Steve liked it I would just eat it because I didn't want to seem difficult or picky. Turned out that again I loved it! I made sure I got my hands on the recipe and this is what I've been using ever since. It comes from an out of print James Beard Cookbook that I can't get my hands on. (It has since been reprinted AND CHANGED in the new cookbook and the measurements don't work for us.) This is a great dish to make when it's too hot to turn on the oven or when you simply want to use some of that beautiful summer basil.

Here's the James Beard Recipe - Thank You Lyn for sharing this with me!

1 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pinoli nuts
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (I always use Locatelli Romano)
½ tsp. salt

Place all ingredients in a blender and whirl until a thick uniform paste is formed, add more oil if paste is too thick. This amount is enough for 1 lb pasta. Pesto may be stored in refrigerator for several weeks or in the freezer for several months. Place in a jar or container and coat with a thin layer of olive oil, cover tightly.

Note: You can use chicken broth to thin out the paste if you don’t want to add more oil.

Pasta with Pesto

I used to be afraid of pesto. I'm not sure why but I didn't grow up eating it. I had it once at a friend's house for the first time. It was over pasta and there were pieces of potato in it. I really liked it. Then as usual I wouldn't order it out because what if it didn't taste the same. What if I only liked it that way because the particular person who made it did something so unique and special? Not really. The older I get the more I have gotten over my fear of eating new things. I wouldn't be much of a foodie if I didn't try new food, would I? The next time I had Pesto was when Steve's mom made it. I was definitely nervous but I was in the stage of my relationship where if Steve liked it I would just eat it because I didn't want to seem difficult or picky. Turned out that again I loved it! I made sure I got my hands on the recipe and this is what I've been using ever since. It comes from an out of print James Beard Cookbook that I can't get my hands on. (It has since been reprinted AND CHANGED in the new cookbook and the measurements don't work for us.) This is a great dish to make when it's too hot to turn on the oven or when you simply want to use some of that beautiful summer basil.

Here's the James Beard Recipe - Thank You Lyn for sharing this with me!

1 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pinoli nuts
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (I always use Locatelli Romano)
½ tsp. salt

Place all ingredients in a blender and whirl until a thick uniform paste is formed, add more oil if paste is too thick. This amount is enough for 1 lb pasta. Pesto may be stored in refrigerator for several weeks or in the freezer for several months. Place in a jar or container and coat with a thin layer of olive oil, cover tightly.

Note: You can use chicken broth to thin out the paste if you don’t want to add more oil.

Homemade Pasta in honor of my 100th Post!

When I started this blog I really didn't think that far ahead. I never thought of my 100th blog but now that I'm here I'm really excited! I wanted to make something special and decided homemade pasta would be perfect. I've tried making homemade pasta on my own in the past and was semi-happy with the results but that was a long time ago. I cannot begin to tell you how I felt trying it again this time. I don't know if it was that I felt more confidant this time, or if I was just thinking a lot about Nanny but I was really overcome with emotion. Once the dough was made I was constantly reminded of how it felt when I made it with Nanny. The smell of the took me back to that place about 20 years ago when I kneeled on her dining room chair and got my hands in the dough. When I asked Steve to smell it he couldn't really smell much but for me it was very familiar. I have to say I was filled with regret at never really having the patience to learn everything that Nanny knew about cooking. I watched and touched and tasted but never tried to do it on my own when she was around to help me and guide me. If you have someone in your life who you admire and want to learn from, whether it's cooking or baking or anything else, do it now. It may be hard to imagine but there will be a time when you wish you could ask a question or need their opinion and it's too late. Ask everything while they are still around.

Okay, now that I depressed you all (sorry!) let's get to the recipe and my results. I had a lot of fun making this and probably got a little carried away with making sure it was thin enough. When Nanny rolled it by hand and when I got impatient and wanted to cut it she always said it wasn't thin enough. So I think I made the pasta too thin. I used my pasta attachment for my kitchen aid mixer and put the pasta through twice through each setting 1-6 and then once through 7. I put it through twice because I remember watching Mario Batali doing that but the directions of the recipe I followed said NOT to do that. I loved using the attachment, it's so much quicker and easier than rolling it out by hand. However, if you can knead it and roll it out by hand go ahead and do it, I'm sure it's a very cathartic experience. You can also make the dough in a food processor.

Pasta Dough

Recipe from Biba's Taste of Italy

(makes a little over 1 lb of fettuccine)

Ingredients:

5 eggs
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt (I added this on my own - not sure if it makes a difference)


Directions:

In bowl of stand mixer beat eggs and salt. Attach dough hook and flour a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase the speed and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, until smooth, soft and pliable.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured wooden board of other work surface. Flour your hands lightly and knead the dough for a minute or two. If the dough seems too firm, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, then knead the dough again for about a minute.

Biba's tip: Making the dough with a machine requires a little less flour than making it by hand. Reserve 1/2 cup or so of the flour called for in the recipe. After the dough has been kneaded, touch it. If it is silky and slightly moist, it is ready; if it is too sticky, work in the reserved flour.

This tip was great. I did not need to use the 1/2 cup reserved flour. If I used it the dough would have been too dry.

To roll out the dough with pasta attachment:

Set the rollers of the pasta machine at their widest setting (1 - for Kitchen Aid) Cut off a piece of dough about the size of a large egg and flatter in under the palm of your hand. Keep the rest of the dough wrapped in plastic wrap. Dust the flattened piece of dough lightly with flour and run it once through the machine. Fold the dough in half, pressing down on it with your fingertips, and run it through the machine again. Repeat this step four to five times, dusting the dough lightly with flour if needed, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky; the dough will become firmer since the machine is actually kneading the dough. Do not skimp on this step, or, as you think the pasta, it may stick to the rollers.

Adjust the rollers to the next setting and run the dough through once; do not fold the dough again. Adjust the rollers to the next setting and run the rollers once; continue to adjust the rollers and roll the pasta through the machine until it reaches desired thinness.

If you are making stuffed pasta, cut and stuff the dough immediately, before rolling out another piece. For string pasta or ribbon noodles, roll out the remaining dough and allow the sheets to dry before cutting them into noodles.

Biba's Tip: If the sheet of dough sticks to the pasta machine, dust it lightly with flour. Be sure to run the sheet of dough once through each setting; don't skip a setting or the dough may tear.






To cut pasta using attachment:

Spread a clean tablecloth on a large work surface and lay out the rolled-out sheets of pasta on it. Let dry for 8-10 minutes, depending on the temperature of the room, until the sheets of pasta are no longer sticky and are beginning to curl up slightly at the edges.

Run the sheets of pasta through the widest setting for tagliatelle or the narrow setting for tagliolini. Arrange the noodles in bundles on a wooden board or tablecloth. They can be cooked immediately or allowed to dry, uncovered and cooked later; they an be kept at room temperature uncovered for several days.

Homemade Pasta in honor of my 100th Post!

When I started this blog I really didn't think that far ahead. I never thought of my 100th blog but now that I'm here I'm really excited! I wanted to make something special and decided homemade pasta would be perfect. I've tried making homemade pasta on my own in the past and was semi-happy with the results but that was a long time ago. I cannot begin to tell you how I felt trying it again this time. I don't know if it was that I felt more confidant this time, or if I was just thinking a lot about Nanny but I was really overcome with emotion. Once the dough was made I was constantly reminded of how it felt when I made it with Nanny. The smell of the took me back to that place about 20 years ago when I kneeled on her dining room chair and got my hands in the dough. When I asked Steve to smell it he couldn't really smell much but for me it was very familiar. I have to say I was filled with regret at never really having the patience to learn everything that Nanny knew about cooking. I watched and touched and tasted but never tried to do it on my own when she was around to help me and guide me. If you have someone in your life who you admire and want to learn from, whether it's cooking or baking or anything else, do it now. It may be hard to imagine but there will be a time when you wish you could ask a question or need their opinion and it's too late. Ask everything while they are still around.

Okay, now that I depressed you all (sorry!) let's get to the recipe and my results. I had a lot of fun making this and probably got a little carried away with making sure it was thin enough. When Nanny rolled it by hand and when I got impatient and wanted to cut it she always said it wasn't thin enough. So I think I made the pasta too thin. I used my pasta attachment for my kitchen aid mixer and put the pasta through twice through each setting 1-6 and then once through 7. I put it through twice because I remember watching Mario Batali doing that but the directions of the recipe I followed said NOT to do that. I loved using the attachment, it's so much quicker and easier than rolling it out by hand. However, if you can knead it and roll it out by hand go ahead and do it, I'm sure it's a very cathartic experience. You can also make the dough in a food processor.

Pasta Dough

Recipe from Biba's Taste of Italy

(makes a little over 1 lb of fettuccine)

Ingredients:

5 eggs
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt (I added this on my own - not sure if it makes a difference)


Directions:

In bowl of stand mixer beat eggs and salt. Attach dough hook and flour a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase the speed and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, until smooth, soft and pliable.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured wooden board of other work surface. Flour your hands lightly and knead the dough for a minute or two. If the dough seems too firm, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, then knead the dough again for about a minute.

Biba's tip: Making the dough with a machine requires a little less flour than making it by hand. Reserve 1/2 cup or so of the flour called for in the recipe. After the dough has been kneaded, touch it. If it is silky and slightly moist, it is ready; if it is too sticky, work in the reserved flour.

This tip was great. I did not need to use the 1/2 cup reserved flour. If I used it the dough would have been too dry.

To roll out the dough with pasta attachment:

Set the rollers of the pasta machine at their widest setting (1 - for Kitchen Aid) Cut off a piece of dough about the size of a large egg and flatter in under the palm of your hand. Keep the rest of the dough wrapped in plastic wrap. Dust the flattened piece of dough lightly with flour and run it once through the machine. Fold the dough in half, pressing down on it with your fingertips, and run it through the machine again. Repeat this step four to five times, dusting the dough lightly with flour if needed, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky; the dough will become firmer since the machine is actually kneading the dough. Do not skimp on this step, or, as you think the pasta, it may stick to the rollers.

Adjust the rollers to the next setting and run the dough through once; do not fold the dough again. Adjust the rollers to the next setting and run the rollers once; continue to adjust the rollers and roll the pasta through the machine until it reaches desired thinness.

If you are making stuffed pasta, cut and stuff the dough immediately, before rolling out another piece. For string pasta or ribbon noodles, roll out the remaining dough and allow the sheets to dry before cutting them into noodles.

Biba's Tip: If the sheet of dough sticks to the pasta machine, dust it lightly with flour. Be sure to run the sheet of dough once through each setting; don't skip a setting or the dough may tear.






To cut pasta using attachment:

Spread a clean tablecloth on a large work surface and lay out the rolled-out sheets of pasta on it. Let dry for 8-10 minutes, depending on the temperature of the room, until the sheets of pasta are no longer sticky and are beginning to curl up slightly at the edges.

Run the sheets of pasta through the widest setting for tagliatelle or the narrow setting for tagliolini. Arrange the noodles in bundles on a wooden board or tablecloth. They can be cooked immediately or allowed to dry, uncovered and cooked later; they an be kept at room temperature uncovered for several days.