Activities -
General
Nonna’s Secret
Pasta Recipe
We all know how great
fresh, home made pasta tastes. Here is a recipe direct from the source
that of course is never written down. For your benefit, here it is, and
it’s very simple. You do need quite a large flat surface to work on and
it may look like it is snowing in your kitchen but the kids will love to
help out with this one.
You need:
1 kg plain flour
6 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
a little water if
required
This recipe makes quite
a large amount of pasta and could feed two families. For a quick and
simple family meal halve the recipe.
Beat the eggs. Pour
flour into a large bowl or directly onto a large flat surface. Make a well
in the middle and pour the eggs and olive oil in. Knead the mixture well.
If it is too dry add a little water. Keep kneading until you have a dense
ball of stretchy dough.
Most serious pasta
makers have a pasta machine but you can still make a great meal completely
by hand. It is probably a good idea to try the half sized recipe first
time round to see how it goes. Divide your dough into smaller sections.
Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough on a floured surface. Once the
dough is very thin cut it into thin strips to make thick spaghetti and
sprinkle lightly with flour. Repeat this for all the dough. Spread the
finished pasta out on a floured surface to dry a little.
When using a pasta
machine you divide the dough into smaller portions, flatten it and put it
through the machine. The machine has various settings and the dough is put
through a number of times, getting thinner and thinner each time. There is
also an attachment for spaghetti (thin) or fettuccine (thick) so once the
pasta sheets are thin enough, they are put through this and you have a
finished product. The pasta then needs to be spread out on a flat surface
and sprinkled lightly with flour to prevent it from sticking together.
Pasta machines are relatively inexpensive and can often be purchased at
continental stores so if you think you could get into making your own
pasta, it may be a worthwhile investment.
To cook
Fresh pasta cooks much
faster than the dry pasta you buy. Boil a large pot of boiling water and
cook for a few minutes. Serve immediately with your favourite sauce.
Fresh pasta should be
eaten the same day. You can freeze any leftover uncooked pasta.
Bellissimo!!
Buon appetite
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