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Little Strips of Heaven

2 November 2009 24 Comments

Dry the pasta

Welcome to my little kitchen! I wanted to share with you my adventure last night! I made homemade fettuccine, and the only casualty happened while I was slicing the Cheesecake for dessert, NOT while making the pasta! (I’m fine, just a small stab from the carving knife, a small amount of pain, a bizarre amount of blood, but nothing serious.)

Before I go further, I must tell you, there is NOTHING in this world that tastes better than fresh, homemade pasta. Nothing.

Beyond the insanely amazing taste, making pasta can be an amazingly messy process! (So that means your kids will LOVE to help you with it! Wuzzle had a blast watching, and I can’t wait until she’s old enough to help!)

Pasta Ingredients

The best part is that you have all the ingredients already. Really, you do. I promise. For 6-8 servings of pasta all you need is 2 cups of flour, 4 eggs and a pinch of salt. It’s that simple. (I think next time I will use whole wheat flour, but since I had sent my Hubby to the store, I had to do with what he brought home. )

Adding Egg

You start out by making a big mess! Pile the flour on your kitchen table (or countertop)! (Please, make sure you cleaned the surface well before dumping your food on it. I know that should go without saying, but I know my sister reads this…)

Make a well in the center of your pile-o-flour. Then add your eggs into that well. Top it off with a pinch of salt.

Mixing

Now the fun begins! You mix up the eggs and the flour.

You can use your hands. I started with a fork though, hoping to avoid the mess. It didn’t work. In hindsight? I’d just use your hands, it’s much more fun that way!

kneading the dough

Just keep on working with the “dough” until it’s absorbed as much of the flour as it possibly can.

Dough ball

Once the dough is done absorbing flour, you end up with a nice little dough ball. It’s pretty similar to what you get when you start to knead a loaf of bread. However, you must be sure that the dough isn’t tacky. You need to keep kneading until it’s nice and smooth.

Pasta Roller

Now here is where we spit into two groups.

Those of us with a pasta roller. And those without.

Now, if you don’t have a roller you can still make your pasta! In fact you have several options. (Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures because I used a roller.)

You can go the simple route and roll it out, slice into long thin strips (using the kitchen knife of your choice) and then fill with yummy filling, fold the strips over each other and seal with butter. Viola! Ravioli!

Or, you can take your same knife and cut the long thin strips into more long thin strips. (If this is what you choose, skip ahead and see my section on drying and cooking below.)

Cutting Pasta

If you’re using a pasta roller, run the dough through at each setting, starting with the widest setting getting smaller with each pass until you’ve reached your desired thickness. (I ran it through the roller until I was at the next to the smallest setting. )

Then switch to the cutting portion of your machine. (BTW, the machines are cheap! We got ours for $25 at Bed, Bath & Beyond!)

Simply pass the pasta through one last time, slicing it into strips. (Be careful to support the dough so it doesn’t tear before it gets to the rollers! We had to re-roll several sets of dough because my husband kept forgetting to support the dough!)

Drying

After cutting your dough into strips, simply separate them and lay the strips to dry! Wait at least 15 minutes before you cook the pasta. (Really, it only takes about 15 minutes to dry enough!)

At this point if you made extra pasta, simply lay the strips onto a cookie sheet and stick it in the freezer! After an hour or two, remove the cookie sheet and pair the pasta into the storage container of your choice and freeze until you’re ready to use it.

Boiling Water

Cooking your fresh pasta (or frozen fresh) is much quicker than cooking store-bought pasta. Ours was ready in about 15 seconds!

Just drop it into the boiling water, let it boil for a few seconds, stir it around to be sure it’s not sticking. Then drain it.

Really, 30 seconds max. (Which makes it a great option if you’ve frozen some, a real quick dinner!)

The Sauce

We topped our fresh fettuccine with a simple Prosciutto and cream sauce. (Melt butter, add in the trimmed fat from the prosciutto and 2 green onions. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Toss in 4 oz of Prosciutto and 3/4 cup of heavy cream, and a handful of fresh grated parmesan. Let simmer for 5 more minutes.)

Toss it all together in a mixing bowl, and then serve. (Topped with more fresh grated Parmesan cheese!)

The whole dish from flour to plate took about an hour. If I’d had frozen (fresh) pasta, it would have taken 15 minutes max!

Fettucini with Ham and Cream

I promise you. There is nothing yummier than fresh, homemade pasta. NOTHING.

24 Comments »

Taylor said:

Yum! I have never even thought about making my own pasta before. But seems pretty easy! Thanks for visiting my site today!
Taylor´s last blog ..Oh, to be young again . . .

Jac Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 2:06 pm

Taylor, Thanks for popping by!

I’d never really thought about it either; it was my husbands idea! But wow, am I ever glad we did it! It’s super easy and it tastes so much better than store bought.

# 2 November 2009 at 2:04 pm

Beth (A Mom's Life) said:

My grandmother used to make the best noodles from scratch. She cut hers into slivers though and made some sort of clear gravy for them. They were THE BEST! My mom tried to make some a while back but they didn’t turn out. She didn’t get them cut small enough. I wonder if having one of those rollers would help?

Jac Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:04 pm

Beth, the rollers really do help! (At least I’ve heard…) I think it’s difficult to get them the right thickness and the right width… The rollers are so cheap that it’s great anyway! (Plus, you can use them for cookie dough, fondant and all kinds of things!)

# 2 November 2009 at 2:26 pm

megan said:

This looks great! My Italian grandmother has a really old pasta machine. We’ve made ravioli and various types of pasta. You’re right – it’s messy and wonderful! Did you see my post on making gnocchi? Another messy one, but so worth it!
megan´s last blog ..Pumpkin Spice Scones

Jac Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:06 pm

Megan, I’m on my way to check out your gnocchi post!! I was looking at our Italian cookbook thinking that would be my next attempt! (My daughter would LOVE them I think; and there was a recipe for Spinach Gnocchi!) I love the mess, it is definitely worth it!!

# 2 November 2009 at 2:31 pm

simply feather said:

thanks so much for stopping by Simply Feather! i appreciated your comments and support.

ahhh, homemade pasta. my italian grandmother made her own, of course. there is not other taste like it in the world. thank you for reminding me of her today. i may have to bust her pasta machine out!

Jac Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:09 pm

Simply Feather, Thanks for stopping by!! I love new visitors

While my grandmother was not Italian, she was sort of a jack of all trades in the kitchen. (In fact, I have her photo hanging in my kitchen because I think she helps me cook better ) So I loved making the pasta because I know how much she used to love making it!

# 2 November 2009 at 2:45 pm

Sally said:

Look how smart you guys are! I never even thought about making my own; but, now you’ve got me to thinking how good it is!!
Sally´s last blog ..Happy Halloween!!

Jac Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:10 pm

Sally, Go for it!! I promise, you won’t regret it.

# 2 November 2009 at 3:49 pm

Alicia said:

Oh my gosh, I totally believe you, and I want to come over for dinner! LOL
Alicia´s last blog ..GIRLS NIGHT OUT

Jac Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:12 pm

Alicia, You are welcome to stop whenever (Tonight we’re having homemade beef stew!)

# 2 November 2009 at 6:08 pm

Tricia and Haylee said:

Oh those look super yummy. I mean super yummy. I can almost taste them. Thank you so much for sharing all your hard work with us.
Tricia and Haylee´s last blog ..Haylee Meets Cadence

Jac Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:12 am

Tricia and Haylee, Thanks It was really, REALLY yummy!! As leftovers too

# 2 November 2009 at 9:24 pm

Marge said:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Stop by again! And I have to tell you that I agree about homemade pasta being so good! I made my own a few weeks ago, and will do so again. It is very easy and so good!

Jac Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:13 am

Marge, I was shocked at how easy it is, especially for how yummy it tastes!!

# 2 November 2009 at 10:22 pm

Andrea@WellnessNotes said:

You are right, homemade pasta is amazing. I haven’t made any in a very long time. And I love your sauce; it’s so simple yet so delicious!

Jac Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:15 am

Andrea, Thanks The sauce was KILLER!! Sure, not the healthiest… but oh man was it yummy! And as simple as it was, I was pretty shocked at how full of flavor it really was.

# 2 November 2009 at 11:44 pm

Kid Sister said:

I have so many comments for this, but I shall leave it to two:

1) in my dorm, I do not have flower, four eggs, or salt. So BOO. I can’t make homemade pasta.

2) You are so mean. And I quote:

I’M NOT OKAY WITH THIS!

Anyway, I’m jealous. Hope it was yummy
Kid Sister´s last blog ..it’s about empowering through body and spirit

Jac Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 4:18 pm

@Kid Sister, I love you. You know I do.

You make me giggle.

# 4 November 2009 at 4:08 pm

Cindi said:

I’ve made homemade pasta several times. It’s definitely not difficult, but rather messy! You’re absolutely right in that it’s SOOOOOOOOOO good! My grandmother used to make “homemades” every Sunday, so I grew up with it. Occasionally she’d make ravioli too. Oh how I wish I had gotten her recipe for the meat stuffing for the ravioli!

Not many people go to the trouble of making homemade pasta these days, so good for you!!!
Cindi´s last blog ..Ride ‘Em Cowboy

Jac Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 7:14 pm

Cindi, My grandmother made a heavenly meat stuffing for ravioli too; and I also don’t have the recipe That’s my one regret was that I never got that from her!