Homemade Pasta

Although I made homemade pasta in Chicago with Will, I figured I would never be so inclined as to buy my own pasta machine and make my own pasta on a regular basis. And then, I went to visit Sunny and Nana who had gone to a cooking class of their own. As Sunny and I rolled out the pasta, it was more fun than I remembered it being. And once I tasted the fresh noodles, I was in for the long haul. So I now have a pasta machine, several attachments, and a drying rack. What’s great about the pasta is it freezes well in smaller portions and still tastes better than anything store bought. We use King Arthur’s Perfect Pasta flour blend, a blend of semolina, durum, and all-purpose flours, with an easy to remember 1-2-3 recipe. If making for lasagna, the noodles need to be a little thicker than the smallest setting.

King Arthur Pasta Blend

Setting 1

Setting 3

Final Cut

Drying Rack

Will at the Chopping Block Chicago

1 T olive oil

2 cups King Arthur’s Perfect Pasta blend*

3 eggs

*More flour for dusting

OR

2 cups AP flour sifted

3 eggs

1 egg yolk

2 T olive oil

1 T water

~ Sunny mixes all three ingredients in the food processor. I use a cutting board and incorporate it all

slowly pretending that I’m in the old country. (Sunny’s is better.)

~ Dough should be slightly tacky.

~ Roll into a ball and let rest for 30 minutes.

~ Cut off into chunks and smooth into flat rectangles.

~ Feed through each setting on the pasta machine, dusting with flour as the dough needs it.

~ Hang on drying rack or bundle in small nests with flour.

~ Boil in salted water and 1 tsp olive oil for 3 - 5 minutes.

~ Freeze remaining dough or nests.

“Life is a combination of magic and pasta.”

~ Federico Fellini