Sunday afternoon project: Homemade Pasta

Decided it was time to pull out my Atlas Pasta Machine and make some homemade pasta for our Sunday evening dinner. Of course pasta can be made without the machine—just use a rolling pin and sharp knife, but the machine (which happens to be imported from Italy) adds to the fun. 
I used to take my machine to school for a pasta unit and the students enjoyed rolling and cutting the dough.
 The biggest challenge—remembering to reset the dial after rolling a batch of pasta! Bet you'll do the same thing at least once!
One other caution — if you do purchase a pasta machine check the base material. Some of the machines from Italy cannot be immersed in water (they should just be wiped off and dried ).

Basic Pasta Dough   Makes about 1 lb.
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour (or 3/4 cup unbleached flour & 3/4 cup semolina flour -- semolina flour makes a more durable pasta)
2 ex-large eggs (if you have large eggs, add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to make up the difference)
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
Extra flour for rolling

1. Place flour in a low bowl and push to the sides to form a well.
   
2. Add eggs to flour and mix with a fork.
   
   
   
   
3. Add water to dry areas (a tablespoon at a time), stirring with a fork or use your hands, until dough stays together and begins to round into a ball.
   
4. Knead lightly about 5 times; dough should be soft.
   
5. Form into 5 balls and wrap 4 in plastic wrap.
6. Pat remaining ball of dough with flour.
   
7. To use the pasta machine: Run floured dough through the machine on setting 1; if it is a bit sticky, pat it with additional flour.

   

   Above: Running the dough through the machine -- setting 1.  Below: Dough after the first time through the machine on setting 1.

   
8. Then fold the dough into thirds and run through (still on setting 1) until it appears to not be stretchy, is kneaded well and the excess air is out (pat with more flour only if still sticky).

   

   Dough after several times through the pasta roller on setting 1.

9. Then run through on settings 2, 3, 4, and 5 -- run through once on each setting. (For lasagna noddles, do not go past setting 4 or you will not have a durable noodle.)
10. Lay pasta on tea towel to partially air dry until it no longer feels sticky -- about 10 or 15 minutes (but could be longer); turn half way through drying time.

    

    This is what the pasta looks like after going through the roller at settings 2-5.

11. Add the cutting section to the pasta machine and run sheets through the cutter -- I used the fettuccine sized section. 
    
12. Air dry, sprinkle with a little flour if it's a little sticky or cook immediately.
    
13. Store uncooked pasta in the refrigerator or freeze (no need to thaw frozen pasta, just throw it into boiling water).

To cook fresh pasta: bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir immediately to keep it from sticking together. Do not cover; maintain a steady boil until pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes for fresh fettuccine.

Pasta Two Ways . . . (recipes to be posted soon)

Above: Crimini-Coconut Pasta Sauce.
Below: Everyday Bolognese Sauce 

Recipe without photos . . .
Basic Pasta Dough   Makes about 1 lb.
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour (or 3/4 cup unbleached flour & 3/4 cup semolina flour -- semolina flour makes a more durable pasta)
2 ex-large eggs (if you have large eggs, add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to make up the difference)
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
Extra flour for rolling

1. Place flour in a low bowl and push to the sides to form a well.
2. Add eggs to flour and mix with a fork.
3. Add water to dry areas (a tablespoon at a time), stirring with a fork or use your hands, until dough stays together and begins to round into a ball.
4. Knead lightly about 5 times; dough should be soft.
5. Form into 5 balls and wrap 4 in plastic wrap.
6. Pat remaining ball of dough with flour.
7. To use the pasta machine: Run floured dough through the machine on setting 1; if it is a bit sticky, pat it with additional flour.
8. Then fold the dough into thirds and run through (still on setting 1) until it appears to not be stretchy, is kneaded well and the excess air is out (pat with more flour only if still sticky).
9. Then run through on settings 2, 3, 4, and 5 -- run through once on each setting. (For lasagna noddles, do not go past setting 4 or you will not have a durable noodle.)
10. Lay pasta on tea towel to partially air dry until it no longer feels sticky -- about 10 or 15 minutes (but could be longer); turn half way through drying time.
11. Add the cutting section to the pasta machine and run sheets through the cutter -- I used the fettuccine sized section. 
12. Air dry, sprinkle with a little flour if it's a little sticky or cook immediately.
13. Store uncooked pasta in the refrigerator or freeze (no need to thaw frozen pasta, just throw it into boiling water).

To cook fresh pasta: bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir immediately to keep it from sticking together. Do not cover; maintain a steady boil until pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes for fresh fettuccine.