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You are here: Home / Food & Recipes / Cooking / Homemade Pasta

Homemade Pasta

by John Cole|  June 13, 20119:16 pm| 91 Comments

This post is in: Cooking, Open Threads

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Going to be experimenting with this the next couple weeks while I have some time. I’m trying to think of ingredients that would be easy to add to the pasta. Basil is an obvious choice, but what else would you recommend? When in the process do you add it? After flour, pre-egg? How much does the recipe change depending on the addition of extras, if at all.

As usual, I am clueless while approaching this, but am going to give it 100%. Plus, I’m fat, so I will eat it anyway even if it sucks. But really, how do you screw up pasta? It’s egg and flour.

Also, I bought a machete today to clear some stuff, so I predict some interesting posts in the future.

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Reader Interactions

91Comments

  1. 1.

    JPL

    June 13, 2011 at 9:18 pm

    Diced summer squash is pretty tasty.

  2. 2.

    greennotGreen

    June 13, 2011 at 9:18 pm

    I predict a lot of Monty Python’s Holy Grail references in the future.

  3. 3.

    JPL

    June 13, 2011 at 9:20 pm

    Artichoke hearts are always a welcome addition but I was thinking about home grown gardens.

  4. 4.

    CaseyL

    June 13, 2011 at 9:20 pm

    Also, I bought a machete today to clear some stuff, so I predict some interesting posts in the future.

    Be afraid. Be very afraid.

    And the folks who live in W.VA. should start donating blood now, I’m thinkin’.

  5. 5.

    Anonymous At Work

    June 13, 2011 at 9:20 pm

    Rosemary, garlic, basil, ginger (if possible). I’d think anything you might infuse into olive oil would be a starting point.

  6. 6.

    jane from hell

    June 13, 2011 at 9:24 pm

    “Also, I bought a machete today to clear some stuff, so I predict some interesting posts in the future.”

    Bated breath and making popcorn. (Sorry.)

  7. 7.

    scav

    June 13, 2011 at 9:25 pm

    John, for your first swashbuckling task, you’ll probably need to separate the stuff you’re contemplating adding to the pasta while you’re making the actual noodley bits and the ingredients you’re adding to the post-prepared noodley stuff. Which are you aiming for and if the [former], do you have one of the machines?

  8. 8.

    Shoemaker-Levy 9

    June 13, 2011 at 9:28 pm

    Pasta is one of those few things in life where it makes more sense to buy it at the store than do it yourself, and I say this as something of an evangelist for home-prepared food. Unless you go to an excessive amount of trouble a noodle is just a friggin’ noodle. Your effort might be better spent on other comestibles.

  9. 9.

    superluminar

    June 13, 2011 at 9:28 pm

    Also, I bought a machete today to clear some stuff, so I predict some interesting posts in the future.

    You really hate Rosie, don’t you?

  10. 10.

    alwhite

    June 13, 2011 at 9:29 pm

    Squid ink pasta! I don’t have the recipe at hand but it its pretty standard pasta with 2 TBL of squid ink. I really like the flavor & it makes a great conversational meal with grilled squid on it.

  11. 11.

    Comrade Mary

    June 13, 2011 at 9:29 pm

    John, forget the machete. You need one of these. Or maybe one of these.

  12. 12.

    JPL

    June 13, 2011 at 9:30 pm

    Since this is an open thread..who is going to win the hockey game tonight?

  13. 13.

    jl

    June 13, 2011 at 9:30 pm

    I never do this home made pasta stuff, since it is too much work and I am lazy in the kitchen, compared to most on this blog.

    But, kindly family members who know showed me how to do this home made cooking stuff.

    My recollection is that when you want pasta with greens mixed in it, you cook the greens, squeeze dry, chop them up as fine as you can, squeeze dry again as much as possible. Put them in the pasta flour with the egg and mix all together at the same time. You keep some of the squeezed out greens liquid and some extra flour handy, since you usually have to add one or the other to get the right consistency.

    I don’t know how to make pasta with dried tomatoes or winter squash in it. I guess the same routine, except not sure what liquid you should use if the mix is too dry at first. Smashed up winter squash does not have much extra water lying around.

    As I remember, the amount of the veggies should be about the same size as the egg.

    BTW: “I’m fat, so I will eat it anyway even if it sucks” Cole might want to check out the logic in that statement.

    Anyway, if I got anything wrong, I am sure some helpful commenter will rescue Cole.

  14. 14.

    ruemara

    June 13, 2011 at 9:33 pm

    drained boiled potato mash, or potato flour. buckwheat, for a nutty, firm texture. Pepper and lemon zest with a bit of grated Parmesan. Those are 3 I’ve done that tasted pretty good. the pumpkin, not so much.

    OT

    Kitty is back from his 3rd surgery. He’s damned high, tweaking and stumbling all over the place. Plus he’s starved as hell because he couldn’t eat last night (surgery) and can’t eat until 7pm pst. Would you believe after 3 catheters up his peen, they still can’t figure out why he’s blocked? I can’t feed him, he’s too high to comfort, he’s annoyed, probably has a sore peen and is now convinced he has the worst mom in the entire history of cats and the universe. I feel horrible. I feel even worse when I consider I’m on the hook for nearly $800-$1k bucks worth of care and the damn hospital didn’t even do an x-ray to check for why he’s blocked. My regular vet did. And they also didn’t do a culture to check for infections. I want to smack someone until they bleed.

    John, machetes are fun. Can I borrow yours for a bit? srsly, be careful. my people know machetes.

  15. 15.

    jl

    June 13, 2011 at 9:35 pm

    Amplification, clarification! Special flash alert on pasta with stuff mixed inside it.

    I should have typed:
    As I remember, the amount of the SQUEEZED DRY veggies should be about the same size as the egg.

    Edit: and if you are making a big batch, one squeezed try lump of veggies the size of each egg going in (remember, Rosie and Tunch will be watching and will expect their reward)

  16. 16.

    jane from hell

    June 13, 2011 at 9:35 pm

    making pasta vs. buying pasta /= making cornbread vs. buying cornbread mix, it seems. You do have to choose your battles in life.

  17. 17.

    Southern Beale

    June 13, 2011 at 9:36 pm

    I dunno, someone gave me a pasta machine years ago and I returned it because it just sounded like too much work. But I guess if it were me I’d experiment with sun-dried tomatoes, different herbs, maybe red pepper, spinach or squash…

  18. 18.

    trollhattan

    June 13, 2011 at 9:36 pm

    @ruemara:

    be careful. my people know machetes

    Tshirt slogan of the month!

    No good can come of this, none.

  19. 19.

    andy

    June 13, 2011 at 9:37 pm

    Re the Machete thing, maybe “John Cole don’t text” could be a new tag.

    Sexytime with a pasta machine: http://ozersky.tv/2011/02/marco-canora-spaghetti-machine/

  20. 20.

    John Weiss

    June 13, 2011 at 9:38 pm

    John,

    If you’re going to much machet-ing, get a pair of anti-cut chaps. Be sure it’s very sharp. Wear thick shoes. Don’t swing it into the dirt. Or maybe hire someone.

    How’s the fence coming? Did I miss something? Is it finished?

    Good luck.

  21. 21.

    matt

    June 13, 2011 at 9:38 pm

    I’ve found recently that for pasta it helps to work from the dry side. Cut your liquids into the flour at about 30 baker’s percent; then gradually add enough water to hold it together. This way it doesn’t stick.

  22. 22.

    lahke

    June 13, 2011 at 9:41 pm

    I’m sorry, but aren’t you the guy who doesn’t want to put down pavers because you might trip on them and kill yourself, just from walking? And you’re nevertheless going to be actively swinging a LIVE BLADE? Jeez louise, you’re going to amputate something.

  23. 23.

    James E. Powell

    June 13, 2011 at 9:43 pm

    Just about any kind of pepper will do.

  24. 24.

    beltane

    June 13, 2011 at 9:43 pm

    I would make sure I was 100$ proficient at making plain pasta before starting with additions. Also, while I do like squid ink and spinach pasta, the addition of too much “stuff” to the pasta itself seems like overkill, but maybe this is because I am a purist.

  25. 25.

    jl

    June 13, 2011 at 9:46 pm

    I guess Cole should make one batch just plain old spaghetti so he can figure out what the consistency should be.

    I suggest spaghetti with pureed artichoke hearts.

    I have lived all my life close to artichoke country, so I know my artichokes, and I love artichokes.

    Maybe I will try to make pasta with stuff in it, if I can get some artichoke pasta when I finish.

    Or, if Balloon Juice could help out with airfare, I will gladly go to Cole’s house to judge it. I will flunk it, no matter how good it is, reject, revile, renounce, repudiate and refudiate it, confiscate it, and then as soon as I am out of sight, hog it all down myself.

    (OK, I tried to read some Ayn Rand again. Got one or two pages further this time, almost ten pages this time! Hope it has not influence my thinking.)

  26. 26.

    Martin

    June 13, 2011 at 9:48 pm

    Machete? I suggest wearing a backpack filled with ice while using it, to store the inevitable severed limb.

  27. 27.

    Steeplejack

    June 13, 2011 at 9:48 pm

    @JPL:

    Er, I think probably the Bruins. They have been playing like a swarm of hornets whose nest just got whacked.

    You know it’s 4-0, right?

    ETA: We don’t have the spoiler suppressor in effect for live sporting events, do we?

  28. 28.

    MAJeff

    June 13, 2011 at 9:48 pm

    A couple drops of truffle oil in the pasta dough are AMAZING, particularly if you’re doing a cream-based sauce with mushrooms. It really doesn’t take much oil.

  29. 29.

    Brian

    June 13, 2011 at 9:50 pm

    Who is going to start the pool on which body part (be specific) Cole cuts off first?

  30. 30.

    Martin

    June 13, 2011 at 9:50 pm

    @jl: Apparently it hasn’t since you tried to loot our productivity for airfare. When you decide to marry someone in order to raid their life savings in order to do that, you’ll have crossed that particular river.

  31. 31.

    Martin

    June 13, 2011 at 9:52 pm

    @Brian: Put me down for left forearm. Nearly seen that happen once.

  32. 32.

    map106

    June 13, 2011 at 9:53 pm

    Well this fad oughta last for about a week. My brother and his wife bought a manual pasta maker, they used it once during a family Christmas, and we’ve never had home-made pasta again. Of course, my brother also bought some souped-up panini maker, when of course all you need is some stolen bricks enveloped in aluminum foil.

    I assumed you were asking for what ingredients to include in the pasta, rather than what sauces to use to accompany it. Unless your making wide noodles, e.g., lasagna or ravioli, or you’re planning on using a simple garlic sauce, you’re not going to taste the flavor in the pasta. Squid ink might do something, but anything else is a waste of time.

  33. 33.

    jl

    June 13, 2011 at 9:54 pm

    @Martin:

    Damn. I guess Randthought is too subtle for me.

  34. 34.

    Hal

    June 13, 2011 at 9:56 pm

    So Bachmann is officially running. You might want to switch to beer making.

  35. 35.

    BruceFromOhio

    June 13, 2011 at 9:59 pm

    Have to agree that making it is a pain in the ass, having done both personal and commercial pasta-making.

    What’s the capacity here? Do you have one of those itty-bitty toy extruders, or a more-realistic rolling/cutting device? IMHO, if you aren’t making at least 5 lbs of the stuff, don’t bother.

    Get your basic egg recipe down first. You’ll find the amount of water can vary greatly depending on the size of egg and humidity of the day, and your cut. Angel hair behaves differently from the friendlier linguini, my personal preference is a slightly thicker linguini cut, as it doesn’t fall apart in the boiling water as easily.

    Once you got a basic recipe that you can produce consistently, start some simple experiments. A half-can of tomato paste mixed in the dry side can give nice color, but don’t expect much flavor. Same with squid ink, you’re going for visual effect, the flavor is very delicate, and disappears under a sauce. My best luck with basil is to pick or purchase fresh leaves, pick and clean, puree it with a small bit of olive oil, and mix it thoroughly with the dry ingredients first. Don’t be afraid to use a lot, the flour will suck it right up, but it will change your water balance, again depending on the size of eggs and humidity of the day, and capacity.

    Once you get to the egg(s), resist the temptation to overmix, the glutens start to adhere or bond or something, and suddenly it goes all rubbery and becomes unmanageable.

    My best luck was to really tighten down the basic recipe first, avoid overmixing, and don’t skimp on the added stuff: garlic, spinach, rosemary, lemon balm, we even tried a cinnamon pasta that weirded out the consistency, but came out looking and smelling great. Dry herbs will suck up the water, fresh herbs typically require less water, YMMV.

    I’ve heard tell of rasta pasta, but that was frowned upon due to court costs.

    It was also better when I had an extra pair of hands to help handle the cut. Mixing, cutting and bundling or hanging to dry went a hell of a lot more smoothly when I had someone to help, because it’s a lot of work for just one person. Plus its an excuse to drink and crank tunes.

    Have fun!

  36. 36.

    slag

    June 13, 2011 at 9:59 pm

    @ruemara: Wait a second. Your cat has FLUTD? Have you had an ultrasound done?

  37. 37.

    dmsilev

    June 13, 2011 at 10:01 pm

    Whatever you do, don’t use the machete to cut the pasta.

  38. 38.

    beergoggles

    June 13, 2011 at 10:01 pm

    Swiss chard, sundried tomatoes, cilantro, lemongrass also goes well in pasta but my favorite is to use them in gnocchi instead. Unlike pasta, flavored gnocchi is absolutely worth making. In addition you can make stuff like pumpkin gnocchi but make it sweet to snack on as a dessert. Cook and then roll them in brown sugar and cinnamon and then dip them in maple whipped cream or whipped butter before eating.

  39. 39.

    scav

    June 13, 2011 at 10:02 pm

    helphelphelphelp it’s so lucky I don’t have a machete nearby as I’d be rolling into it howling with laughter. They’re spreading! Second lesbian blogger exposed as a man

    Amina often “flirted” with Brooks, the paper said — with neither man apparently realising that the other was also a man pretending to be a lesbian.

    Being covered in home-made pasta after rolling around on the floor giggling is far far safer.

  40. 40.

    slag

    June 13, 2011 at 10:02 pm

    Gotta go with whole wheat when it comes to pasta.

  41. 41.

    kdaug

    June 13, 2011 at 10:02 pm

    Jeez, Cole, the next post will be “Look at my shiny new flamethrower”.

  42. 42.

    Alex S.

    June 13, 2011 at 10:03 pm

    @scav:

    Hahahaha…

  43. 43.

    Valdivia

    June 13, 2011 at 10:03 pm

    So I was walking around the Eatern Market area of DC after a painful I am breaking up with you conversation with my boyfriend when I saw Boehner having dinner and laughing it off with a bunch of guys. Man I so wanted to kick his ass you have no idea…

  44. 44.

    BruceFromOhio

    June 13, 2011 at 10:07 pm

    @scav:

    Linda LaVictoire, a contributor at LezGetReal.com who writes as Linda Carbonelli, told the Washington Post: “I was completely taken in. I have been completely taken in for three years.”

    Is any of it real? Nay, methinks. Pity the real people in the world who, apparently, just aren’t interesting or credible enough anymore.

  45. 45.

    sfguy

    June 13, 2011 at 10:07 pm

    I would do it differently, and concentrate first on just the fresh pasta.

    I love fresh pasta, but it is something of a pain to make. Are you making spaghetti, fettucine, linguine, etc., or are you making a sheet pasta like tortellini or ravioli?

    If the former, and you really want to add something to the pasta as opposed to the sauce or something to go with the pasta, then greens, peppers, or any pureed vegetable is reasonable. If the latter, then your imagination is the limit.

    If you have a kitchen aid mixer, the pasta rolling attachment is worth the investment over a hand crank.

  46. 46.

    Caz

    June 13, 2011 at 10:09 pm

    I’m not sure what kind of sauce you are making, but I usually just add everything to the sauce, then you just put the sauce over the pasta. I usually add the following for a basic tomato sauce: olive oil, basil, oregano, salt, garlic, onion, ceyanne pepper (if you want it spicy -otherwise, you don’t need to add any pepper at all).

    I usually don’t add sugar to my sauces, but most people do. I find that the tomatoes are sweet enough, so I don’t feel the need to sweeten my sauces with sugar.

    Another good couple of ingredients I use sometimes are: anchovies (chopped up finely), balsamic vinegar, lemon juice.

    If you want to add meat, add it to the sauce and cook it on low heat for several hours so the acid in the tomatoes breaks down the meat nicely and makes it really tender and gets the meat flavor all throughout the sauce.

    If you’re looking for something even easier, you can put the pasta in a pan with olive oil, a little bit of butter, lemon juice, basil, garlic, salt, and shrimp to make a nice, light pasta dish. This is a great choice for hot summer nights. If you want a little spice, add some chopped up peppers.

    Finally, I usually add a vegetable to the pasta towards the end, like brocolli, spinach, or asparagus. If you add vegies, don’t add them too early of they’ll cook down too much losing their nutritional value and flavor.

    Good luck. Like you said, it’s hard to screw up pasta, and I’ve alwasy found that experimenting with different ingredients is always a good idea, because even if it doesn’t work out, it’s still good enough to eat.

  47. 47.

    jl

    June 13, 2011 at 10:09 pm

    This blog page claims to be Italian recipes by real Italians.

    Basil Pasta Brilliant Color and Flavor!
    Amazing homemade Basil Pasta! A flavored pasta that adds beautiful color and taste to any Italian pasta recipe.

    http://www.pasta-recipes-by-italians.com/basil-pasta.html

  48. 48.

    jane from hell

    June 13, 2011 at 10:11 pm

    @dmsilev: @scav: lawlz

  49. 49.

    MikeJ

    June 13, 2011 at 10:11 pm

    @beergoggles: Cilantro? Cut out the middleman and just use soap. FUCK YOUR SOAP WEED AND ALL WHO WORSHIP IT!

    Oh sorry. Thought I was at rumproast for a minute. Carry on.

  50. 50.

    greylocks

    June 13, 2011 at 10:14 pm

    I never put anything in my pasta. I put it on my pasta.

    Flour is temperamental, tricky-ass shit. It’s hard enough to make a good pasta without complicating the chemistry.

  51. 51.

    The Main Gauche of Mild Reason

    June 13, 2011 at 10:14 pm

    Wait…John “Mopping Naked” Cole bought a machete? Better make sure your tetanus shots are up-to-date.

  52. 52.

    Nutella

    June 13, 2011 at 10:15 pm

    @BruceFromOhio:

    LezGetReal.com? C’mon, nobody took a site with that name seriously, did they? Did they?

  53. 53.

    beergoggles

    June 13, 2011 at 10:16 pm

    @MikeJ: Not my fault u were born with mutant taste buds :)

    But it’s not too late to salvage ur sense of taste – try roasted coriander – I’ve found people who taste the soapiness of cilantro can still very much enjoy the flavor of the seeds of the plant.

  54. 54.

    burnspbesq

    June 13, 2011 at 10:16 pm

    @Valdivia:

    So I was walking around the Eatern Market area of DC after a painful I am breaking up with you conversation with my boyfriend when I saw Boehner having dinner and laughing it off with a bunch of guys. Man I so wanted to kick his ass you have no idea…

    Sorry to hear that. Hope you rolled into Belga Cafe and drowned your sorrows in Belgian beer.

  55. 55.

    dmsilev

    June 13, 2011 at 10:17 pm

    Oh, and if you want to combine dangerously sharp objects and cooking, may I suggest getting an immersion blender? They’re great for making sauces and soups and the like, and that very sharp little blade spinning at umpteen rpm will provide endless amusing anecdotes for the rest of us.

  56. 56.

    jl

    June 13, 2011 at 10:18 pm

    If Cole follows through with this mad scheme, and survives, he should post pics of the result, no matter what happens.

    To do otherwise would create a blog cover up scandal that would dwarf Stwexting or male lesbian impostor gate.

  57. 57.

    metalgirl

    June 13, 2011 at 10:18 pm

    @Martin: Very practical!

  58. 58.

    Lavocat

    June 13, 2011 at 10:19 pm

    Wow. Here’s a perfect example of where you can substitute pot for oregano instead of the other way around.

    Dude! Killer pasta, dude!

  59. 59.

    Valdivia

    June 13, 2011 at 10:20 pm

    @burnspbesq:
    Thanks! that’s where we were, and after 3 glasses of wine I bit the bullet and told him it had to end. that was the hardest thing I’ve done in a long time. Seeing Boehnor afterwards made it even worse. I really wish I could go back and kick his ass!

  60. 60.

    Southern Beale

    June 13, 2011 at 10:21 pm

    @map106:

    Wait, I have some bricks but they aren’t stolen. Can I still make a panini with them? And by the way, how do you use bricks to make a panini? Just to squish the sandwich?

  61. 61.

    BruceFromOhio

    June 13, 2011 at 10:22 pm

    @dmsilev: …and that very sharp little blade spinning at umpteen rpm… makes me run out of the house every time she pulls it out. I don’t care that its handy, and works well, and is small: its a repurposed dentist drill, and precisely as evil.

  62. 62.

    TaMara (BHF)

    June 13, 2011 at 10:24 pm

    Well everyone should try homemade pasta once. Then go to the farmer’s market and buy it from the professionals, great flavor, much easier.

    As for the machete? Geez man, why not just get a chainsaw and get the amputation over with?

  63. 63.

    UncertaintyVicePrincipal

    June 13, 2011 at 10:24 pm

    Just clean off the machete before using it on the pasta.

  64. 64.

    Southern Beale

    June 13, 2011 at 10:26 pm

    Holy cow. Canucks may pull this one out of their collective ass after all.

  65. 65.

    kdaug

    June 13, 2011 at 10:26 pm

    @MikeJ: Waiiit – whatchu gotta against delicious soap? It’s delicious!

  66. 66.

    Southern Beale

    June 13, 2011 at 10:27 pm

    I take that back. Fucking refs waved the goal off.

  67. 67.

    jl

    June 13, 2011 at 10:29 pm

    I have no fear that Cole will cut himself, even if he does decide to chop the veggies with a machete or chainsaw.

    That is not his way: too pedestrian, too predictable.

    I will expect a post about how the dough got sticky, and he got stuck in it, and dislocated something. Whatever, it will be obscure, hard to visualize, and outlandish. It will get mixed up with something one of the pets did somehow or other, but I don’t want to imagine what that will be.

  68. 68.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    June 13, 2011 at 10:29 pm

    Shells, olive oil, garlic paste, diced cucumbers, diced tomatoes, feta cheese, sliced black olives, spring mix/spinach mix, more feta cheese.

  69. 69.

    Southern Beale

    June 13, 2011 at 10:31 pm

    Between the machete and the pasta recipe request, it’s possible Cole will be making Rosie Ribbons & sauce. Stranger things have happened …

  70. 70.

    kdaug

    June 13, 2011 at 10:35 pm

    @jl:

    Agreed.

    Suspect it will involve potassium nitrate, pancake mix, Tunch on the counter, and Rosie directly behind those (ahem) sturdy ankles.

  71. 71.

    scav

    June 13, 2011 at 10:38 pm

    @kdaug: gotta be an article of clothing or lack thereof involved somehow.

    (sorta a mix of Clue and MadLibs actually)

  72. 72.

    Skepticat

    June 13, 2011 at 10:38 pm

    Here in the Bahamas we call a machete a cutlass. As the only first-aid-trained person available most of the time on this little island, I’ve found that the combination of cut and ass is very apt when that particular weapon is in the hands (and flesh) of an inexperienced person. Please follow the advice of John Weiss @ 20. Better yet, get him to do the work for you.

  73. 73.

    Joe

    June 13, 2011 at 10:38 pm

    You can’t screw it up. Experiment. And you’re the gayest straight guy I’ve ever come across. That’s high praise.

  74. 74.

    Linda Featheringill

    June 13, 2011 at 10:44 pm

    Machete? Really? Do you really think that the wrist on your dominant hand is strong enough to control it? Do you know that those things ricochet like bullets in an old western movie?

    Unless you quite literally have Medicaid for your health insurance, it would be financially better for you to pay someone to get rid of the offending vegetation.

    How much did you pay out of pocket for your shoulder?

  75. 75.

    Gravenstone

    June 13, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    @kdaug: Lemme know when he works his way up to an artillery piece. Only then will it get truly interesting.

  76. 76.

    BO_Bill

    June 13, 2011 at 10:49 pm

    This is one example of what is wrong with Democrats today. The reason people like noodles is because they taste good. Now, if a person wants to make their own noodles, this is positive. It is an inexpensive, healthy, and flavorful meal. The process of mixing the egg and the flour, adding a small amount of salt, and then kneading the dough, is fun.

    But this time-tested activity is not good enough. Democrats, even before they know what the hell they are doing, feel the need to change things. My first recommendation would be to try following the basic recipe and see if you can pull it off [flour, eggs, salt]. If this is not good enough, perhaps adding dog crap would yield a teachable moment.

  77. 77.

    CynDee

    June 13, 2011 at 10:49 pm

    Also, I bought a machete today to clear some stuff, so I predict some interesting posts in the future.

    Hi, John. Nobody has said this so far, so here goes: when you use your machete, be sure to:
    1. Reconsider. Maybe it ain’t worth it.
    2. Put all the critters and other friends IN THE HOUSE
    3. Do all the machete work OUTSIDE
    4. Wear big leather HIP BOOTS
    5. Don’t stop with the boots; wear other clothes, too, and keep them ON.

  78. 78.

    Peter

    June 13, 2011 at 11:00 pm

    I love flavoring pasta. Beet juice makes bright pink noodles. Hijiki soaked in warm water until soft makes beautiful brown-flecked pasta that smells like earth and sea and is great for folding into wontons with Asian-flavored pork inside. Dijon mustard is another good flavor, as is saffron (soak it first, and use the water). Smoked paprika pasta with saffron is great like paella with shellfish. Curry, or any other dry spice is easy. Just remember that wet flavorings are going to change the amount of moisture you need to add to get the dough where you want it to be.

    I find that more egg yolks and fewer whites make for a silkier, less rubbery texture. Run it through each setting on the machine a few times to really help it get smooth. Sometimes I layer in parsley leaves (no stems) before the final roll-through; they break apart in nice tiger stripes that make for gorgeous ravioli.

  79. 79.

    Joshua Holland

    June 13, 2011 at 11:07 pm

    Tomato paste works great.

    Add a few tablespoons with the egg. You can add more as you see how the color goes. No need to worry about how it changes the recipe, as you should be judging that mix on a per-batch basis anyway, and adjusting by adding bits of flower or spoonfuls of water.

    Saffron’s great. Crush up a few strands and throw the result into a tablespoon of hot water, then add that with your egg.

  80. 80.

    WyldPirate

    June 13, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    @BruceFromOhio:

    I’ve heard tell of rasta pasta, but that was frowned upon due to court costs.

    Ah, tis a waste of fine herb in pasta. Save the sugar leaf trim from some good bud or just use some small popcorn bud. Kief it or grind in a food processor. Mix a cup of the ground weed/keif with 2-3 cups extra virgin olive oil. Heat for about 3-4 hours on high in a crock pot. Strain trough cheese cloth or one of the reusable coffee filters (though it won’t hurt to leave the herb in if you don’t mind eating it.)

    If you plan to save your cannaoil, it’s crucial that you stick it in the freezer (or sterilize in a pressure cooker. It will mold on you at room temp or in the fridge.

    A tablespoon full of oil will get most people comatose for hours. It’s great in all sorts of recipes and particularly good in spaghetti sauces.

    Beats the hell out of drinking…

  81. 81.

    Bruce S

    June 13, 2011 at 11:45 pm

    “Shoemaker-Levy 9 – June 13, 2011 | 9:28 pm · Link

    Pasta is one of those few things in life where it makes more sense to buy it at the store than do it yourself”

    And if we triple the Bush tax cuts it will create three times as many jobs…

    Don’t get me started!

  82. 82.

    J.W. Hamner

    June 13, 2011 at 11:46 pm

    I didn’t read all the comments, so I don’t know if this has been mentioned, but I recommend getting Marcella Hazan’s book out from the library before you get going. Neither my girlfriend or I had much experience with pasta making before reading her book and the handful of times we’ve done it since have come out great.

    To the homemade pasta naysayers: unless you are lucky enough to live near a place that makes fresh ravioli/tortellini daily (I am, in fact), there is really no comparison with what you can get in a store and what you can make.

  83. 83.

    Bruce S

    June 13, 2011 at 11:49 pm

    Caz: “I usually don’t add sugar to my sauces, but most people do. I find that the tomatoes are sweet enough, so I don’t feel the need to sweeten my sauces with sugar.”

    Yeah – “most people” do a lot of terrible things in the kitchen. Sugar is an abomination in pasta sauce. If you have acidic tomatoes and want to sweeten it a bit, chop up a carrot and add it early on. It’s all the sweetness one needs, and it thickens the sauce a bit.

  84. 84.

    Bruce S

    June 13, 2011 at 11:54 pm

    “BO-Bill – My first recommendation would be to try following the basic recipe and see if you can pull it off [flour, eggs, salt].”

    I wish the Republican Party would take it’s meds and embrace this kind of sensible conservatism. America needs you!

  85. 85.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    June 14, 2011 at 12:39 am

    John, I respect you all to pieces, but you do drink.

    The number of ideas that are “good” that involve use of a machete *after* drinking are distinctly *less* than 0. Technically, that’s impossible, but I’m sure you get the picture.

    On the other side, the number of ideas that can be good that involve pasta making and drinking are much, much higher.

    Nevertheless… no matter *how* good an idea it seems, pasta making, machete use, and alcohol do *not* mix. Not even if you promise not to cut the pasta with a machete.

  86. 86.

    rachel

    June 14, 2011 at 12:43 am

    Chocolate Pasta!

  87. 87.

    mclaren

    June 14, 2011 at 1:21 am

    Iodine-131 from Fukushima!

    Best of all, you needn’t add it–it’s already there.

  88. 88.

    pattonbt

    June 14, 2011 at 2:52 am

    I just noticed, I’m sure way late, that Mr Sullivan has been moved the “Blogs We Monitor And Mock As Needed” section. Kudos.

  89. 89.

    R-Jud

    June 14, 2011 at 4:09 am

    Way late to this thread, but Cole, I’ve been making pasta a few times of month for about a year now, because after clarifying stock from the chickens I roast I have lots of egg yolks left over (the recipe here works fine, even though the author calls them “egg yokes”; I use half white and half spelt flour).

    I don’t have a machine, so I can’t advise you there. I just use a rolling pin and a ruler to cut pappardelle-style ribbons, or to make ravioli or lasagne sheets. I’ve not tried adding greens to my pasta yet, but I’ve had success with mixing up the dough, sprinkling the working surface with dried herbs, peppercorns, etc., and kneading them in.

    Let it rest for at least half an hour in the fridge, then roll.

  90. 90.

    Danton

    June 14, 2011 at 10:16 am

    Make pasta from chestnut flour… if you can find it. Then make a light olive oil and minced parsley sauce (no garlic).

  91. 91.

    Mark Kolmar

    June 15, 2011 at 2:40 pm

    Noodles are beige-flavored canvas with specific qualities. As others have mentioned, the starch/fat/water equations are complicated enough at the start, and you can infuse or layer afterward to better effect. Machines (and single-minded artisans like the freaks that Bourdain et al document) can make a firm, uniform product better than anyone else will do. Someone nearby has noodles, so you don’t have the trouble. If not, someone else by mail-order also has noodles.

    Even so, I make flour and egg pasta sometimes by hand. If you want to bother with it on a small scale, then embrace the light, uneven texture and rustic quality that you just don’t get from the factory. That was your goal, so it turned out perfectly as expected. Or else have fun, go wild, and think of it like a chemistry lab. Cut loosely-shaped ribbons and rags from hand-rolled sheets. If you want precision and density, turn to heavy machines and factories.

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