Tips for making pasta?

[Tonyk]

Hi

Amongst other things I got a pasta machine as one of
my birthday presents. Always wanted to have a go a
making pasta.

Anyone got any tips? I assume you work as quickly as you can
moving down the thicknessess as you go etc. What about
mixes, ie. flour to egg ratio etc?

TIA

Tony

[Peter Aitken]

"TonyK" <Aenuff@bobsplace.org> wrote in message
news:2kl01jF3hikaU1@uni-berlin.de...
> Hi
>
> Amongst other things I got a pasta machine as one of
> my birthday presents. Always wanted to have a go a
> making pasta.
>
> Anyone got any tips? I assume you work as quickly as you
> can moving down
the
> thicknessess as you go etc. What about mixes, ie. flour to
> egg ratio etc?
>
> TIA
>
> Tony
>
>

I assume it came with instructions - that's the best
place to start.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

[Frogleg]

On Fri, 2 Jul 2004 12:41:46 +0100, "TonyK" <Aenuff@bobsplace.org>
wrote:

>Amongst other things I got a pasta machine as one of
>my birthday presents. Always wanted to have a go a
>making pasta.

From 'Julia Child & Company'

Makes enough for 8 servings or 2 boxes of commercial
egg noodles

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 (US Grade) "Large" eggs 2 to
4 Tblsp cold water

Put flour in a bowl. Make a well in the center and break in
the eggs; blend then with 2 Tblsp of the water and
gradudally mix in the surrounding flour. Blend vigorously to
make a stiff dough; turn out onto a work surface and knead
vigorously with the heel of your hand, adding droplets more
water to unblended bits.

OR

Put flour, eggs, & 2 Tblsp water in a food processor. Blend
(with metal cutting blade) until the dough forms a ball or
until it can be pressed together in a mass (or sprinkle a
little bit water). Remove from machine and knead to blend.
Dough should be firm. If soft or sticky, knead in a
sprinkling of flour.

JC's Remarks: "...your own experience will guide you,
eventually, but don't be afraid of the dough. Not much
can go wrong as long as it is stiff and dry enough to
pass through the kneading and cutting rollers of your
machine. Tenderness and exquisiteness of texture can come
later and will be part of your own particular secret
genius with the noodle."

Dough can rest for half an hour, but cover with plastic wrap
to prevent a crust forming. Cut dough in half (cover
remaining half with plastic wrap). Flatten dough into a hand-
size cake and pinch one end to feed through rollers at
widest opening. Crank it through; fold it in half; and
repeat several times 'til dough is smooth and fairly
rectangular. Brush dough lightly with flour if it looks like
it might be thinking about sticking. Now try the next lower
setting and crank it through; lower setting and crank; etc.
Julia says setting #4 is usually good for noodles. By this
time, you will have had to cut the dough in half and crank
in separate pieces. Hang dough on a broom handle to dry
*briefly* -- 4-5 minutes. Then crank dough through cutters.
Cook in a large amount of boiling, salted water for a very
brief time -- 2-3 minutes -- fresh noodles cook quickly.

As Julia says, don't be afraid of it and don't expect it to
be perfect at first. It's really a lot easier to do than
describe. If course, it's a *lot* easier if you have a
helper or 3 hands.

>I assume you work as quickly as you can

Why?

[Tonyk]

"Peter Aitken" <paitken@CRAPnc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:dydFc.93158$wH4.5034086@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> "TonyK" <Aenuff@bobsplace.org> wrote in message news:2kl01jF3hikaU1@uni-
> berlin.de...
> > Hi
> >
> > Amongst other things I got a pasta machine as one of my
> > birthday
presents.
> > Always wanted to have a go a making pasta.
> >
> > Anyone got any tips? I assume you work as quickly as you
> > can moving down
> the
> > thicknessess as you go etc. What about mixes, ie. flour
> > to egg ratio
etc?
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > Tony
> >
> >
>
> I assume it came with instructions - that's the best place
> to start.
>
>

Actually, no. Hence the post ;-)