MAKE PASTA IN A STAND WON HAND

MAKE PASTA IN A STAND MIXER WON HAND

PASTA STAND MIXER WON HAND

START MIXER WON HAND

 

HOW TO MAKE PASTA IN A STAND MIXER WON HAND

Also a super-simple method (especially convenient if you are also going to be using a stand mixer roller attachment to roll out the pasta dough).  Just combine all of your ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Then using the dough hook, mix and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes on low speed until it is smooth and elastic.  (If the dough seems wet or sticky, just add in some extra flour.  You want it to be pretty dry.) Form the dough into a ball with your hands, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day.

HOW TO MAKE PASTA BY HAND MaCHIN

If you don’t have a food processor or stand mixer, no prob!  Place the flour in a mound on a large cutting board.  Then use your fingers or a spoon to create a good-sized well in the middle of the flour mound (kind of like a volcano).  Add the eggs in the center of the well.  Sprinkle the salt and drizzle the olive oil on top of the eggs.  Use a fork to begin whisking the eggs.  Then once they are combined, begin gradually whisking some of the surrounding flour into the egg mixture, adding more and more until the egg mixture is nice and thick.  (If some eggs accidentally spill out, no worries, just use your hands or a bench scraper to pull them back in.)  Then use your hands to fold the rest of the dough all together until combined.  Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic, sprinkling some extra flour on the cutting board if needed to prevent sticking or if the dough seems too wet or sticky.  (You want the dough to be pretty dry.)  Form the dough into a ball with your hands, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day.

HOW TO ROLL FRESH PASTA WITH A PASTA MAKER:

Once the dough has rested for 30 minutes and is ready to go, remove it from the plastic wrap and transfer it again to a cutting board.  Use a knife to cut the dough into four equal wedges (like you’re slicing a pie), then set one wedge aside and immediately wrap the remaining three in the plastic wrap again to prevent them from drying out.

Sprinkle the cutting board (or a large baking sheet) generously with flour, and set aside.

Using your hands, shape the dough wedge into a oval-shaped flat disc.  Feed the dough through the pasta maker on the widest setting.  (On my pasta maker, this is setting number 1.)  Once the sheet comes out, fold it into thirds, similar to how you would fold a piece of paper to fit in an envelope.  Feed it through the rollers 2 or 3 more times, still on the widest setting.  Then continue to feed the dough through the rollers as you gradually reduce the settings, one pass at a time, until the pasta reaches your desired thickness.  (I like setting 6 on my pasta maker.)  Whenever the dough starts to get a bit sticky as you pass it through the rollers, just pause and drape the dough onto the floured cutting board to re-flour, being sure to coat both sides of the dough.  Also, if your dough sheet starts to get too long to handle, just cut it in half with a knife.

Once your dough sheet is ready to go, sprinkle it with flour once more.  Then connect the cutter attachment to your pasta maker (and transfer the handle to the cutter attachment, if need be).  Feed the sheet through the connection to create your wished for shape of pasta.  Then transfer the cut pasta to a drying rack, or swirl it into little pasta “nests” and lay them on a floured surface to dry for 30 minutes.  Repeat with the remaining pasta dough.

HOW TO ROLL FRESH PASTA WITH A STAND MIXER:

The process for the stand mixer is basically the same as using a traditional pasta maker.  (It’s just easier because you don’t have to use one hand to crank the machine!)  Simply connect the pasta roller attachment to your stand mixer.  Set the adjustment knob to the widest setting.  Then shape and feed the pasta dough into the roller as directed above until it reaches your desired thinness, lightly flouring the pasta as you go to prevent sticking.

Once your sheet of pasta is ready to go, sprinkle it with flour once more.  Then remove the roller attachment and connect the cutter attachment of your choice.  Feed the dough through the cutter.  Then transfer the cut pasta to a drying rack, or swirl it into little pasta “nests” and lay them on a floured surface to dry for 30 minutes.  Repeat with the remaining pasta dough.

HOW TO ROLL FRESH PASTA BY HAND

To roll out your pasta by hand, shape one wedge into a oval-shaped flat disc, as directed above.  Transfer the disc to a cutting board, and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it reaches your desired level of thickness (generally between 1-2 mm thick), adding extra flour to the cutting board as needed to prevent sticking. In general, a good test for thickness is that you should be able to see your hand through the dough if you carefully lift it up.

Using a pizza cutter or a knife, slice the dough into 5-inch sections.  Sprinkle each section with a bit of extra flour.  Then, starting on the short side of the sections, roll them up into very loose, flat cylinders (see above).  Cut the cylinders cross-wise to create your desired width of noodles.  Then transfer the cut pasta to a drying rack, or swirl it into little pasta “nests” and lay them on a floured surface to dry for 30 minutes.  Repeat with the remaining pasta dough.