Recipe: Homemade Pasta

I've written before about how dried pasta is my go-to meal when I'm too tired to put anything else together, but fresh pasta is a whole new level of kitchen mastery. Ever since I first made gnocchi and marveled in amazement at how potato and flour could form a concoction of legitimate shape and texture, a pasta machine has been on my wish list. In awe, I would watch shows like Top Chef Masters where someone whips out a pasta machine and, moments, later, fresh ravioli emerges. I couldn't wait to try it myself.

Last week, I finally got my wish! Check out this beautiful machine obtained at a deep discount...

So, so pretty.

Like any new kitchen appliance, the pasta maker took a little getting used to. Eventually, I worked out a good system where Charlie cranked the machine while I used both hands to feed the dough through the rollers. How do people do this by themselves? Oh well, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it eventually.

This is me, pretending I can work the machine with just my own two hands.

The recipe below worked pretty well, though the dough was a little delicate (and a lot sticky). I might switch out one of the eggs for another egg yolk the next time I make it, just to cut down on all that stickiness imparted by the egg whites. If you have other suggestions or a dough recipe that works for you, let me know in the comments. After all, I'm new at this!

Fresh Pasta

2 cups semolina flour with durum
3 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 tsp salt

Extra flour for work surface

Pulse flour with salt briefly in food processor. Add eggs and yolk; process until a ball begins to form, about 3o seconds. Add a few drops of water if dough is too grainy.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and let stand, covered with an inverted bowl, at least thirty minutes and up to an hour.

Divide dough into three sections; keep the extra sections covered while you are working.

Using your hands, flatten the dough until it's roughly the width of your pasta maker. With pasta maker on the widest setting, run the dough through. Move pasta maker one setting tighter and run dough through one more time.

Lay out the dough on a floured surface and cover; repeat with the remaining two sections.

At this point, you can cut the pasta however you like depending on how you plan to use it - into ribbons for fettucine, squares for ravioli, etc. I happened to be making ravioli this time.

Check out my final ravioli recipe here: Caramelized Onion, Shiitake, & Goat Cheese Ravioli

Though it takes some prep time, most of it involves resting the dough; it really isn't that hard to run the pasta machine once you get the hang of it. I'm sure I'll still turn to dried pasta when I'm in a time crunch or lacking energy, but I'm excited to try my hand at different pasta noodles and fillings. I can't wait to see what else I can whip up with my new machine!