subject: How To Use A Pasta Machine [print this page] When you think of pasta, you almost immediately think of Italian food. Pasta has been part of the Italian culture for centuries. Legend has it that Venetian merchant Marco Polo brought pasta back to Italy following one of his journeys to China. But reality is, pasta was a staple in the Italian diet long before that.
Making your own pasta at home can be fun as well as giving you the opportunity to include your own fresh, healthy ingredients. When you're really concerned about taste, fresh is always better, whether it's fresh produce or fresh pasta. The obvious tradeoff is the convenience of just dumping in a box of pre-packaged pasta. But if pasta is a regular part of your family diet, making your own can be rewarding as well as provide better nutrition and taste.
While a traditional hand-cranked model will do the job an electric pasta machine provides added options and convenience. If you plan to make pasta on a regular basis, consider an electric pasta maker that will knead the dough for you as well as shape the pasta to your desired preference.
Whether you choose a hand-cranked model or an electric model, your machine will come with different cutting blades to allow you to make different kinds of pasta. Look for a model that will allow you to add different accessories to vary the types of pasta you can make.
In terms of price, the hand-cranked variety will cost around $50 while you can expect to spend more than $100 for an electric model. But an added bonus with the electric model is ease of use and more accessories. If you're that serious about making your own pasta, you can look for a commercial model, but expect to spend more than $1000.
Look for these things when purchasing your pasta maker:
A good pasta machine is going to be sturdy. You want to purchase something that is both durable and will last a good, long time.
The better models will come with a guarantee of a minimum of one year. After all, if the manufacturer doesn't have confidence in their own product, why should you? Better models will come with guarantees of two to three years.
Make sure the pasta machine you purchase is versatile and comes with, or allows you to add various attachments for different shapes of pasta. When you get used to using your machine, you'll want to get creative. So you need options.
Likewise, you want options for the thickness of your pasta. A good machine will come with various settings for the dough and noodles.
Here are the basics in using your pasta machine.
Follow the instructions to put the right amount of flour into your machine. This will vary with your recipe and the type of pasta you wish to make. Turn the machine on and add liquid gradually as indicated. It should take about ten minutes for the ingredients to blend.
Check the consistency of the dough. It shouldn't be sticky, but it does need to be moist. If it's too sticky or too dry it won't feed correctly through your machine. Add more flour or liquid as necessary. Knead the dough for about another ten minutes.
Once the dough is needed, choose the disc that will give you the desired shape for your pasta. As the pasta comes out use a sharp knife to cut the pasta to the desired length for your recipe.
Put the fresh pasta into boiling water, keeping in mind that fresh pasta doesn't need to cook as long as packaged pasta. A little oil added to the water will keep the pasta from sticking.
Choosing the right pasta maker can give you and your family's years of enjoyable, delicious dining.
