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Making your own pasta
PatboyX
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I have recently decided I should start making my own pasta. And have successfully done so without any special equipment.
However, I would like to make the process a little easier by using a pasta press. I checked Amazon reviews but each one I look up has pretty bad low points - mostly that they die after a couple of uses and are cheaply made.
Since I am still pretty new to all this, I feel like I would have a hard time purchasing a $100+ dollar unit without feeling like it will last or knowing the quality.
Does anyone have any experience with a particularly good (or bad) pasta press?
However, I would like to make the process a little easier by using a pasta press. I checked Amazon reviews but each one I look up has pretty bad low points - mostly that they die after a couple of uses and are cheaply made.
Since I am still pretty new to all this, I feel like I would have a hard time purchasing a $100+ dollar unit without feeling like it will last or knowing the quality.
Does anyone have any experience with a particularly good (or bad) pasta press?
"lenny bruce is not afraid..."
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My dad has one of those metal manual ones, it's been good for almost 20 years (I'm not sure of the brand though). Even if you're lazy, I think you can usually get an attachable motor.
Just make sure the mechanism for anchoring it to the counter is solid. Those little clamp dealies aren't the greatest; I think they make some with the big cranked suction cups instead, haven't tried them but they seem like an improvement.
But... you gotta buy a $200+ mixer and buy a $60+ attachment, minimum. And that's when they're on sale. (I have the mixer because I got that in the divorce. I didn't even want it, but it was a spite item. [Hah hah, b****]. Unfortunately, I tried using it and it gave me the cooking disease, and now it gets a lot of use.)
Yeah, my mother has this attachment and it's pretty great. Plus, if you cook at all you should probably have a Kitchen Aid anyway!
A Kitchen Aid stand mixer isn't the best thing to have unless you are seriously into cooking/baking. $200 is on the low end and they're pretty big if you're cooking for one/two once in awhile. As much as I love mine I would not recommend one to everyone.
Without knowing much else about the OP I'd suggest getting on of the metal, manual pasta makers.
Hehe, I know. I was being pretty facetious about how necessary they are but there's no denying that they're pretty handy if you are into cooking. If money is tight I would definitely not recommend getting one as it definitely is a luxury cooking good.
If you're interested in a recipe, here's mine, which uses a mix of semolina and all purpose flours.
http://www.clintonhillfoodie.com/2008/02/fresh-pasta.html
So are the clamps really not the preferred method of holding it down? It seems like it would be much better than any other way.
The little rubber feet provided very little traction, the whole device would tend to pivot around the clamp point. So I started using a slightly moistened non slip pad under the machine, and a crank on the clamp really tightly to get it to stay. I haven't had a problem yet. Probably make a decent load of pasta every other month or so for the past 6 or 7 years. It still works really well.
Part of the reason the KitchenAid works is that not only is the machine powered by the KitchenAid motor, but the mixer body is so heavy that it's going to be a stable platform.
My goal would be to one day have a nice Kitchen Aid unit for myself but I really don't see that happening anytime soon.
Ironing board with a sheet+flour over it. Double clamp that sucker down and you've got a whole lot of room to make whatever, especially raviolis. Of course we were probably making a lot more than you would be...so...a smaller...ironing board?
@post below-
That must be where my bud got the idea from.
That's the method I learned from Alton Brown. Works fantastically. OP should check out his video demonstrating how its done.
This is the best suggestion in this thread, or the alton brown method.
Resturaunt supply stores have sick deals on all kinds of used equipment, but manual equipment is, I find, an incredible deal. No finicky, smelly, and loud motors to worry about, just give 'er a crank for a good 30 seconds and if it doesn't catch, buy it.
Yes, and mine is too. I really love it. I used the Alton Brown method the first time I did it and loved it.
Link
I moved on to using my rolling chopping block. But if I only had my marble counter top, I'd be breaking out the ironing board every time.
EDIT: For correct "Use Your Noodle II" Link