yet more homemade pasta

I've written about homemade pasta (whole wheat and whole wheat carrot) before, but I can't resist at least one more post.  Because homemade pasta is so incredibly superior to store bought.  The taste and texture of your basic dry pasta is nothing the taste or texture of homemade pasta.  Seriously, they are two completely different foods.  And one is just so much better than the other.

Don't get me wrong, we eat our fair share of dry pasta.  But I also make homemade pasta pretty frequently, and it just isn't that hard or time consuming.  And you can make it, dry it completely, and freeze it.  That will make a meal more quickly than storebought because, even frozen, homemade pasta cooks in minutes.

I usually make my pasta in the food processor and then use my pasta machine to roll and cut the dough.  And, while those things save a little time, they aren't at all necessary.  

Whole Wheat Pasta

Mix dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  Make a well in the center.  Crack one egg into the well and add olive oil.  Using a fork beat the egg, this will gradually add in the flour mixture.  Mix in the two other eggs in the same way.  Once you've got your eggs incorporated, use your fingers to finish mixing.  When dough is a cohesive mass turn it out onto a floured board and knead for a few minutes.  The dough should not be wet or too sticky, if it is either kneed in a little more flour.  If it is too dry and won't form a ball add a little bit of water.

After kneeding, form a ball and cut into quarters.  Place on a plate and cover with a bowl.  Let rest for at least twenty minutes.

When you are ready to roll out your dough, dust cutting board (or countertop or whathaveyou) liberally with flour.  Roll out one piece at a time.  Dust with flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.  If your dough springs back as you're rolling, try rolling in just one direction instead of back and forth (if you ever make homemade pizza try this…a miracle of a difference!).  You don't want the dough paper thin, but you do want it pretty thin.  

Once your sheet of dough is rolled out, dust both sides with a lot of flour.  Fold into thirds, and cut into strips with a knife, pizza cutter or pasta cutter.

Toss the strips with a bit more flour and they should unfold themselves as you do.  If necessary, unfold strips.  Place on a floured tray.  Repeat for each piece of dough.  

When you have all of the strips together on a tray, toss with yet more flour (this will keep your pieces from sticking together).  If you are going to cook it within a few hours, you can leave it on the tray until you do.

If you want to dry and freeze it, it is best to hang it up.  I run a string across part of my kitchen (picture in the whole wheat carrot pasta post) and hang the pasta on that, but you can also cover the back of a chair with a flour-sack dish cloth and drape the pasta over that (this is the way my mom does it, I've had to change to the string idea if I want the pasta to stay out of the hands of the littles).  

To cook:  Bring 4 qts of water to a boil, add pasta quickly, cover with a lid just long enough for the water to return to a boil.  Remove lid and stir occasionally.  Pasta can cook in as little as one minute!  But I think I usually cook it for about three minutes.  To test for doneness, pull one piece out and taste it.  If you are satisfied with the taste & texture, drain and serve.  

I usually mix in a some garlic butter (I always have a jar in the fridge: butter, lots of minced garlic, a bit of fresh, chopped parsley, dash of salt, dash of paprika) and serve with freshly grated parmesan.  So, so yummy.  And also tasty**.

** I tend to say things are "yummy" and Junah always asks, "And is it also tasty?"