Pasta From Scratch

With the popularization of the organic and slow food movement, the trend has been to be aware of where our food comes from.  Activities like canning and making your own preserves have come back into style.  I consider this as a great leap forward (even though some view it as backwards) because we are taking control of what goes into our mouths.  The slow food movement was started as a protest against the opening of McDonald’s in Rome.  It comes as no surprise that the Italians were making and serving fresh pasta in front of the Spanish Steps.

Every cook should know how to make fresh pasta.  It requires effort and time but the result is well worth it.  There is something nostalgic about making the dough, then kneading it, and in the end cutting and cooking the pasta.   Once you take your first bite, you immediately feel satisfied with your day’s work.  

You can make pasta 100% by hand but modern technology makes things easier.  The traditionalists may call me a heretic but I like to maximize my time and effort.  I find that a stand mixer is helpful but not essential.  On the other hand, a pasta roller and cutter are indispensible.  I found mine at a garage sale so keep an eye out when driving around your neighborhood or check second hand shops.  There are fancy wheel cutters that you may want to purchase if pasta making turns into an obsession.  Likewise, there are electric pasta roller and cutter attachments for your mixer that can be worth the investment.  The recipe provided is a standard egg pasta.  Once you have accomplished that I suggest moving on to flavored pastas such as spinach or lemon herb.

Fresh Pasta Dough

Ingredients:

3 extra-large eggs plus 2 egg yolks, beaten

3 cups of flour, plus extra for dusting the board

1 tsp salt