Though I never included homemade pasta dough in my original list, I definitely should have. It's relatively simple to make, though time-consuming, but should be worth the wait!
MISE EN PLACE
You will need:
*Flour, 2 cups
*Eggs, 3 and possibly an extra yolk/egg
*Extra virgin olive oil (about 2-3 tsps)
*Pinch of salt
*Surface to make the dough (large cutting board, etc.)
*Bowls- mixing, small
*Lightly damp sheet of paper towel
*Rolling pin
*Drying rack(s)
RECIPE
1. Form a mound of flour with a well "big enough" to hold the eggs. (See my reflection on this recipe.) In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs together and add a pinch of salt (sort of like preparing scrambled eggs).
2. Slowly pull in the flour to mix with the eggs. Do not rush, or else you may have an eggy mess on your surface. Mix the eggs and flour together. When the dough has begun to form, knead the dough--adding additional ingredients as necessary--until the dough is firm, not sticky, and not falling apart. Allow the dough to rest in a bowl, covered with a lightly damp sheet of paper towel, for about an hour.
PREPARATION
3a. Flat pasta: Roll out the dough thin (or use a pasta machine) and lay the dough on drying racks for about an hour, or until the dough is at least dry to the touch. When dry, roll up the pasta and cut it to the desired thickness (sort of like chiffonading the dough).
NB: Continue rolling out the sheets of dough as they continue to dry to make the most of the homemade pasta dough.
3b. For shaped pasta: Prepare the same way as for flat pasta, making sure to roll out the dough large enough to cut the appropriate shape. However, be sure to cut the shapes out quickly enough so that the extra dough can be re-rolled for further cutting. Then, fill the pasta with the desired filling (I practiced with a mix of shredded mozzarella and garlic-herb ground beef; make sure to cook the meat ahead of time) and crimping the edges with the tines of a fork. If the pasta gets too dry, lightly wet the edges of the pasta, otherwise the edges won't seal. Dry pasta will also make it more difficult to fold over.
COOKING
4. Place in a pot of boiling water for about 4-5 minutes, or until the pasta rises to the surface.
Yield: With my first batch of dough, 9 (3" diameter) circles and about 50 long pieces of pasta
You will need:
*Flour, 2 cups
*Eggs, 3 and possibly an extra yolk/egg
*Extra virgin olive oil (about 2-3 tsps)
*Pinch of salt
*Surface to make the dough (large cutting board, etc.)
*Bowls- mixing, small
*Lightly damp sheet of paper towel
*Rolling pin
*Drying rack(s)
RECIPE
1. Form a mound of flour with a well "big enough" to hold the eggs. (See my reflection on this recipe.) In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs together and add a pinch of salt (sort of like preparing scrambled eggs).
2. Slowly pull in the flour to mix with the eggs. Do not rush, or else you may have an eggy mess on your surface. Mix the eggs and flour together. When the dough has begun to form, knead the dough--adding additional ingredients as necessary--until the dough is firm, not sticky, and not falling apart. Allow the dough to rest in a bowl, covered with a lightly damp sheet of paper towel, for about an hour.
PREPARATION
3a. Flat pasta: Roll out the dough thin (or use a pasta machine) and lay the dough on drying racks for about an hour, or until the dough is at least dry to the touch. When dry, roll up the pasta and cut it to the desired thickness (sort of like chiffonading the dough).
NB: Continue rolling out the sheets of dough as they continue to dry to make the most of the homemade pasta dough.
3b. For shaped pasta: Prepare the same way as for flat pasta, making sure to roll out the dough large enough to cut the appropriate shape. However, be sure to cut the shapes out quickly enough so that the extra dough can be re-rolled for further cutting. Then, fill the pasta with the desired filling (I practiced with a mix of shredded mozzarella and garlic-herb ground beef; make sure to cook the meat ahead of time) and crimping the edges with the tines of a fork. If the pasta gets too dry, lightly wet the edges of the pasta, otherwise the edges won't seal. Dry pasta will also make it more difficult to fold over.
COOKING
4. Place in a pot of boiling water for about 4-5 minutes, or until the pasta rises to the surface.
Yield: With my first batch of dough, 9 (3" diameter) circles and about 50 long pieces of pasta
For more photos like this from culinary bootcamp, day 1:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2054523&id=36203035&l=6477c95c0f
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2054523&id=36203035&l=6477c95c0f
REFLECTION
Exercises completed
1. Eyeballing measurements II, dry- 1 cup (flour, about 4 tight fist-fulls)
3. Eggs I- cracking an egg with one hand
What went well
1. Eventually, the dough did form. Be sure to have an extra egg, the olive oil bottle open, and flour readily available, if needed. You will need to add ingredients on the spot depending on how wet or dry the initial dough is. For my first batch, I added about 2 tsps olive oil.
What went wrong... and how to possibly fix it
1. My wall of flour collapsed! There are a couple alternatives to making the dough:
A. Have a mixing bowl ready to transfer all the ingredients. It's just as easy to mix the dough together in the bowl than it is on the table... that is, once you master the technique.
B. Add the eggs a little at a time until incorporated.
C. Alternatively, you could make the dough in a standard electric mixer or food processor.
Exercises completed
1. Eyeballing measurements II, dry- 1 cup (flour, about 4 tight fist-fulls)
3. Eggs I- cracking an egg with one hand
What went well
1. Eventually, the dough did form. Be sure to have an extra egg, the olive oil bottle open, and flour readily available, if needed. You will need to add ingredients on the spot depending on how wet or dry the initial dough is. For my first batch, I added about 2 tsps olive oil.
What went wrong... and how to possibly fix it
1. My wall of flour collapsed! There are a couple alternatives to making the dough:
A. Have a mixing bowl ready to transfer all the ingredients. It's just as easy to mix the dough together in the bowl than it is on the table... that is, once you master the technique.
B. Add the eggs a little at a time until incorporated.
C. Alternatively, you could make the dough in a standard electric mixer or food processor.