Adventures in Pasta Making

Another thing checked off my #funemployment bucket list!

I did make some Asian-style noodles last year, but that was a pretty rough first try and I’ve been wanting to attempt an Italian dish with my own homemade pasta. I spent a LONG time looking through recipes and eventually decided that David Lebovitz would never let me down, so I went with his. I started the dough in my stand mixer then kneaded it on the counter until it was smooth. Quite an arm workout.

After a good long rest (for me and the dough), it was time to stretch it out! I don’t own a pasta roller so I was a little worried about this part. Everything I read said it was going to be quite challenging to roll the dough into sheets that are thin enough by hand. Honestly though, it was a little time consuming but not hard. The initial kneading of the dough was the hardest part. With my good heavy rolling pin I could easily roll nice thin sheets of pasta dough. In fact, some of them got too thin!

Bottom line, you DEFINITELY don’t need a special machine to make pasta!

I was going for fetuccini sized pasta, which was easy to cut with a sharp knife. Then I just dusted all the pieces in semolina and hung them on hangers on our kitchen cabinets to dry for a few hours.

The drying step isn’t necessary, but I read in several places that the drying is traditional so I went with it. The pasta hung up there for the rest of the afternoon, then by dinnertime it was just as dry as the pasta you buy in the store!

I prepared it with pesto trapanese from Mollie Katzen’s cookbook The Heart of the Plate. I felt so accomplished eating a bowl of pasta that I made with my own two hands!

I’m not sure what to take on next, but I’m feeling like homemade tortillas would make mexican night pretty epic. I’ve applied to some promising job positions lately, so I think my days of endless kitchen exploration might be numbered!

-Lauren

P.S.-There’s a giveaway going on RIGHT NOW on my Facebook page, check it out!