The Princess makes pasta
10 years ago
OK, so we broke my last pasta machine. It was a cheap one from Bed, Bath and Beyond which just fell apart and so I broke down and bought a good one, an Atlas. Not top of the line, but a lot better than BB&B!
I also bought a ravioli "press".....
The Princess went to work making the pasta dough. I finally told her she's gonna have to get in there with her hands to mix it well enough, so she did.
We ran the dough through the pasta machine on "0" a couple of times, then started making it thinner. We got to "6" before she decided it was thin enough and put it onto the press. Half was filled with ricotta and the other half with a mix of ricotta and roasted cherry tomatoes with onion, garlic and basil. Yummy by itself and yummy in ravioli!
Making pasta is messy business, but the pasta dough is well floured and didn't stick in the rollers, LOL. And close my cupboard doors. Sheesh.
Roll over the form and it cuts and seals the ravioli, then just cut them apart and you're good to go, or at least good enough to let them dry a little before cooking.
Somehow, I didn't get a picture of the ravioli after it was cooked, but it all got eaten promptly. I even made sauce, and I'm not Italian at all, but I had fresh tomatoes and fresh basil and fresh garlic and it turned out OK. At least everyone ate it except the Princess and I, who had our pasta with a sprinkle of parmesan and a little butter because she doesn't like sauce either. We had fresh green beans from the garden, pasta, garlic bread, meatballs. Nope, no pictures of that either, but you can see a purple bowl on the counter in one of those pictures, that is the meat mixture for Mama's Meatballs, which I made while the Princess was making ravioli.
I wonder what she'll want to make next, she thinks I have the best kitchen "toys" and she wants to use 'em all!
Annie
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10 years agoRelated Discussions
How far ahead can I make a seafood pasta salad?
Comments (16)No need to apologize, sands. I totally knew that you were referring to your own facetious comment, not mine. My reading skills are much more advanced than my cooking skills, I promise. :) But thank you for being concerned that you not hurt feelings unintentionally. The nature of the internet is such that it can really cause some awful misunderstandings... Linda, what you're saying certainly makes sense *in theory*. I guess what I'm saying, though, is that I haven't found it to make a significant difference *in practice*. For instance, is there ever liquid in the bottom of the bowl of leftover tuna/chicken salad? Yep. If there's a good bit, I drain it off; if just a little, I mix it in. Either way, I've never thought it tasted waterlogged or that the texture was compromised. Another example is our very favorite pasta salad. No seafood in that one. Just pasta, raw veggies (including most of the ones you listed above, like cucumbers and tomatoes and onions), seasonings and an Italian dressing-style marinade. The original recipe calls for it to be refrigerated for 24 hours before serving. I actually like to hold it for 48 hours, because that's when the flavor is at its' peak. In theory, it should be so mushy and watery by then that nobody would want it. In practice, it actually holds up well for another day or two before the texture of the vegetables finally starts to deteriorate. Maybe y'all are more sensitive to the watery thing than we are. Maybe every pasta salad is different in this respect. Whatever the case, I'm gonna stick to my method this time, guys. lol But I do want to add that it's a pleasure to have a (civil) debate with people who are so knowledgeable and experienced. In the short time I've been hanging around this forum, I've learned an incredible amount. Thanks for sharing! sm...See MoreFreezing pasta in make ahead lasagna, etc.
Comments (3)I use the ronzoni no-bake pasta for our lasagna. Comes out great. However, I always freeze already cooked lasagna (leftovers), thaw, and reheat. BTW, here the traditional family recipe we use. I also have a recipe for gravy (sauce) and meatballs if anyone would like it. Sue LASAGNA Either roll home-made lasagna sheets, use the no-boil lasagna from the store, or boil up a bunch of lasagna noodles and use those. Filling: 4 to 5 pounds of ricotta (fresh is awesome and sooo creamy) 4 Eggs (you may only need 3) 1.5 C. grated Romano (Locatelli is best) or Parmesan-Reggiano 1/2 C. Chopped fresh parsley (or 1/4 C dried) 12 oz + 1 Cup Mozzarella - grated -Batch of small meatballs (use your favorite meatball recipe, just make them tiny (1/2") - 4 to 5 C. Gravy (sauce) Mix ricotta, 3 eggs, grated Romano (or Parmesan), parsley, and 12 oz grated mozzarella. If mixture looks dry, add the 4th egg. It shouldn't be runny, but should be very thick. Fold in meatballs. Boil and drain the lasagna noodles (if using) In high-sided baking pan spoon in a cup of sauce and spread over bottom of pan. Add one layer of pasta. Spoon some sauce and spread to cover pasta. Add half of the ricotta/meatball mixture. Spoon some sauce to cover lightly. Layer another layer of pasta. Spoon sauce over to cover lightly. Spread remaining ricotta mixture. Cover with last layer of pasta. Spoon on some sauce. Cover with foil (make venting holes in top). Bake in oven @ 350° for 50 minutes. Check if its done by inserting a knife in the middle. If it comes out piping hot, it's done. Remove foil, sprinkle 1 Cup of mozzarella over top. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes more. Let sit for 15 minutes before cutting otherwise it will ooze all over the place....See MoreMaking Fresh Pasta - Cavatelli
Comments (3)Before going wheat-free, I used to mill my own whole grain flour for pasta and noodles from durum wheat, which is the high-protein wheat variety high in gliadins, and makes the best pasta. Hard wheat varieties are also high in protein with the dominant protein being glutenins, and best used for bread. There are two types of protein that make up the "gluten group" we usually refer to as "gluten" and they are both present in wheat flours. Glutenins provide the elastic quality that allows bread dough to expand, and gliadins, which contribute a secondary roll in bread with the viscosity and extensibility. Gliadins are what give pasta it's strength and is the dominant protein in durum wheat. I milled a coarse grind similar to semolina for making pasta and a fine flour for making noodles. The fine flour is like "00" flour. Most "00" flour that we see in the United States is ground from durum wheat and has a mid-range protein content of about 11-12%. This kind of flour is about how fine it's milled - nearly like talcum powder, compared to the coarse semilina. You can actually make pasta/noodles from nearly any kind of flour, and it's fun to try different ones. I also liked using Triticale which is a hybrid of rye and durum wheat, which had some of the same characteristics as durum. Kamut (an ancient variety of wheat) was the "granddaddy" of durum wheat, and makes good pasta, but a little more delicate. For noodles I made pelâÂÂmeni dough (a sourdough method) and a traditional Russian dough, so try pasta/noodles from other countries as you find recipes. The protein from eggs in pasta dough provides some strength and gives some richness to the flavor. It's a little like using a pastry recipe that contains an egg when you want a stronger crust to hold a hearty meat filling. The egg protein will reinforce the structure helping it be strong enough to hold the filling, and it does the same thing in a pasta or noodle recipe. -Grainlady...See Moresecret to make ahead pasta casserole?
Comments (3)Make sure the pasta is very al denté when you add it to the other ingredients, that way the liquid it will absorb while sitting won't harm it much. You also might need to add a bit more liquid the next day before baking....See More- 10 years ago
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