On Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:01:07 -0600, Andy > wrote:

>Giusi said...
>
>> "Alan Calan" ha scritto nel messaggio
>>>I bought one of those on Sunday in anticipation of the snow storm. I
>>> also wanted to use up a William Sonoma credit that I had. So, what>
>>> went wrong:
>>
>> Using a motorized pasta roller/cutter with no experience, that's all.
>>>
>>> I followed the recipe for egg pasta provided in the manual of the
>>> roller/cutters. It said 3.5 cups of flour (I used 125 grams x 3.5 or
>>> 437 grams), 3 eggs, 1/2 easpoon of salt and one tablespoon of water.
>>> It made very dry dough that would not come together.
>>
>> Yes, it certainly would. Unless making a regional specialty, I use 100
>> g of flour and one egg, pinch of salt. Period. You make up the
>> difference among eggs during the rolling when you flour the pasta to
>> keep it moving.
>>
>>>>So I started> adding water and I'd bet all in all I added close to a
>>>>1/2 a cup or> more.>
>>> The dough seemed better. I cut it into 4 pieces and let it sit for 20
>>> minutes. I then made the first batch of linguini. I ran it through
>>> the roller till I got to five, only folding on the #1 setting. What
>>> should I have done next? I took out the roller and put in the
>>> linguini cutter. It worked pretty well even though the linguini was
>>> much too long. I put the linguini in a twisted pile like they do in
>>> videos. I just remembered there might be some you tubes on this.
>>>
>>> I put the roller back and did the next piece of dough but this time
>>> cutting it in half again. So now what again? do I roll out all the
>>> dough and then cut? That is what I did but I did not lay out the
>>> rolled pasta dough straight, I folded it once crossing over the end>
>>> under it. I did that 6 times and then put in the cutter.
>>
>> I didn't really understand all that. For what it's worth I teach to
>> roll then cut, leaving a towel over the lumps of unused dough. Many
>> don't fold and roll anywhere near enough. Do that on number 1 until the
>> pasta sheet, which you have been dusting with flour, feels like damp
>> skin.
>>
>>> I could not separate the dough into a straight piece again and it
>>> became a nightmare.
>>
>> It dried because it was left too long. You can't possibly work fast
>> enough the first (100) time to leave pasta sheets around. Nobody cam,
>> it's not your fault.
>>
>> When I finished, everything stuck
>>> together.
>>
>> When your cut pasta exits the cutter, drop it on some flour and gently
>> swoosh with your fingers then arrange as you please. Alternatively,
>> have a clothes drying rack ready and lay the pasta strings on flour then
>> gently transfer onto the rack. They will at least be separate, although
>> they also dry quickly.
>>
>>> I'd appreciate any technique questions. The woman in William Sonoma>
>>> said she makes the dough on the counter, making a whole in the>
>>> mountain of flour and putting the eggs and water in the hole and>
>>> incorporating the flour. She said it makes for lighter pasta. I>
>>> wonder if I used too much water.
>>
>> I am sure you did. Don't add any at all and use her technique. You
>> will quickly find that you can't add too much flour, it won't let you.
>> The crumbly bits you begin with start to smooth out and become stretchy
>> as the egg takes up the flour. It is simply one of the most sensuous
>> kitchen chores there is. The more you feel your way through the work,
>> the better the pasta. Then refrigerate 30 mins or so in pieces wrapped
>> in plastic.
>
>
>Run a string across from one cabinet knob to another. Buy a set of plastic
>coat hangers, clean thoroughly.
>
>Make golfball size dough clumps. Work from 1 to 5 roller settings and then
>hang on a hanger. Repeat for all the dough. Then switch to a pasta cutter
>and feed each pasta sheet through and re-hang cut pasta. Repeat until done.
>
>Take a hanger of pasta and trim with scissors over the pot of boiling
>water.
>
>Suggestion: I add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric to the dough while mixing to
>golden it up a bit. More visually appealing, imho.
>
>Homemade pasta is the most fun mess I can make in the kitchen! ))

It sure is a mess! I have no knobs on my cabinets but I am getting
great ideas.
>
>Andy