A while ago (hell - it's a year) I posted a question
about pasta making.

I'm still failing.

Has anyone been to Northern Italy (e.g. Florence,
but I imagine Tuscany in general) enjoyed the local
soft-textured pasta, then returned to dear old
Blighty, and

*successfully reproduced the pasta at home* ?

I have one of these:
http://www.sharpknives.com/gourmets_...ta_machine.htm
Which should help with part of the processs.

Yours in hungry anticipation...

BugBear

"bugbear" ha scritto nel messaggio
...
A while ago (hell - it's a year) I posted a question
about pasta making.

I'm still failing.

Has anyone been to Northern Italy (e.g. Florence,
but I imagine Tuscany in general) enjoyed the local
soft-textured pasta, then returned to dear old
Blighty, and

*successfully reproduced the pasta at home* ?

I have one of these:
http://www.sharpknives.com/gourmets_...ta_machine.htm
Which should help with part of the processs.

Yours in hungry anticipation...

BugBear

I have reproduced successfully. But I Am italian

Pandora wrote:

I have reproduced successfully. But I Am italian


Yes. But what about making pasta ;-)

BugBear

In article ,
bugbear wrote:

Pandora wrote:

I have reproduced successfully. But I Am italian


Yes. But what about making pasta ;-)

BugBear

lol I thought the same thing, but restrained myself.....
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

"bugbear" wrote in message
...
Pandora wrote:

I have reproduced successfully. But I Am italian

Yes. But what about making pasta ;-)

Bugbear, if you have had success making it in Italy but not in UK may I
suggest the flour is the difference. You can buy 00 flour in UK in
supermarkets

Greetings That s my vote also, it`s about the flour. I have to add
gluten to the flour available here. From there is learning to adjust
the ratio of flour to egg to get a firm silky dough with water or flour
after kneading. Regards, Don in Mexico

Ophelia wrote:
"bugbear" wrote in message
...

Pandora wrote:

I have reproduced successfully. But I Am italian

Yes. But what about making pasta ;-)


Bugbear, if you have had success making it in Italy

I have had success only in EATING the pasta
in Italy (and a great deal of pleasure, I might add)

but not in UK may I
suggest the flour is the difference. You can buy 00 flour in UK in
supermarkets

I have used both '0' and '00' flour
with no improvement; indeed, with no detectable
change.

Whatever I'm doing wrong, it's a strong enough
factor to outweigh other factors :-(

BugBear

bugbear wrote:
A while ago (hell - it's a year) I posted a question
about pasta making.

OOps. Forgot the link.

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.f...6ebb9a358d44a0

BugBear

"bugbear" wrote in message
...
Ophelia wrote:
"bugbear" wrote in message
...

Pandora wrote:

I have reproduced successfully. But I Am italian

Yes. But what about making pasta ;-)


Bugbear, if you have had success making it in Italy

I have had success only in EATING the pasta
in Italy (and a great deal of pleasure, I might add)

but not in UK may I
suggest the flour is the difference. You can buy 00 flour in UK in
supermarkets

I have used both '0' and '00' flour
with no improvement; indeed, with no detectable
change.

Whatever I'm doing wrong, it's a strong enough
factor to outweigh other factors :-(

BugBear

Try buying semolina pasta flour and following the recipes on the packet.
From there you can experiment to get where you wish to be.
I made pasta at home for years before moving to Italy.
You don't really say what your malfunction is....

Judith go wrote:
"bugbear" wrote in message

Try buying semolina pasta flour and following the recipes on the packet.
From there you can experiment to get where you wish to be.
I made pasta at home for years before moving to Italy.
You don't really say what your malfunction is....

Because I don't know :-(

The only constant is the texture of my result;
the pasta is dense, and the surface very smooth.

In the mouth it has a texture I would describe
as "slimy leather".

Not good!

I have had this same result with 3 types of flour.
(bread, type '0' and type '00')

BugBear

"bugbear" wrote in message
...
Judith go wrote:
"bugbear" wrote in message

Try buying semolina pasta flour and following the recipes on the
packet.
From there you can experiment to get where you wish to be.
I made pasta at home for years before moving to Italy.
You don't really say what your malfunction is....

Because I don't know :-(

The only constant is the texture of my result;
the pasta is dense, and the surface very smooth.

In the mouth it has a texture I would describe
as "slimy leather".

Not good!

I have had this same result with 3 types of flour.
(bread, type '0' and type '00')

then the only other thing is, as Judith says, fine semolina flour

Good luck

"bugbear" wrote in message
...
Judith go wrote:
"bugbear" wrote in message

Try buying semolina pasta flour and following the recipes on the packet.
From there you can experiment to get where you wish to be.
I made pasta at home for years before moving to Italy.
You don't really say what your malfunction is....

Because I don't know :-(

The only constant is the texture of my result;
the pasta is dense, and the surface very smooth.

In the mouth it has a texture I would describe
as "slimy leather".

Funny, this is the apt description of how most restaurant home-made raviolis
I've tasted in New Haven, CT: smooth surface, dense, slimy leather -- but
good.
Dee Dee

"Dee Randall" wrote


"bugbear" wrote in
message
...
Judith go wrote:
"bugbear" wrote in
message

Try buying semolina pasta flour and following the recipes
on the
packet. From there you can experiment to get where you
wish to be.
I made pasta at home for years before moving to Italy.
You don't really say what your malfunction is....

Because I don't know :-(

The only constant is the texture of my result;
the pasta is dense, and the surface very smooth.

In the mouth it has a texture I would describe
as "slimy leather".

Funny, this is the apt description of how most restaurant
home-made
raviolis I've tasted in New Haven, CT: smooth surface,
dense, slimy
leather -- but good.
Dee Dee


I make my homemade pasta (and a FUN mess) with semolina flour.

I usually add tumeric to golden up on the color appeal.

Andy

"Andy" q wrote in message ...
"Dee Randall" wrote


"bugbear" wrote in
message
...
Judith go wrote:
"bugbear" wrote in
message

Try buying semolina pasta flour and following the recipes
on the
packet. From there you can experiment to get where you
wish to be.
I made pasta at home for years before moving to Italy.
You don't really say what your malfunction is....

Because I don't know :-(

The only constant is the texture of my result;
the pasta is dense, and the surface very smooth.

In the mouth it has a texture I would describe
as "slimy leather".

Funny, this is the apt description of how most restaurant
home-made
raviolis I've tasted in New Haven, CT: smooth surface,
dense, slimy
leather -- but good.
Dee Dee


I make my homemade pasta (and a FUN mess) with semolina flour.

I usually add tumeric to golden up on the color appeal.

Andy


I've noticed in markets now "pasta flour" which is probably 1/2-1/2
semolina. But I can't say for sure. I have some in my freezer, but haven't
tried it yet.

But THANK YOU for the tumeric suggestion. I'm always looking for another
way to use tumeric. It's so good for you. Not only that, I like the funky
taste.
Dee Dee

Unfortunately, I've never tasted pasta in Italy so I cannot make a
comparison with my home made pasta. However, I've used both semolina and
regular flour (US flour - I use Canadian flour for bread making) and have
had success with both. I don't have the slimy leather texture, which I
would think was a good thing (perhaps I need to visit New Haven, CT ;o).
When I make pasta I use only one type of flour. I've always understood
pasta to be made with semolina until I recently read the Cook's Illustrated
book on pasta and tried the flour type (his semolina pasta has a combination
of both flours). I prefer the semolina but it's a close call. Perhaps if
you elaborate, the recipe you use, how long do you knead, do you let it sit
etc..? As for the appliance, I use the KitchenAid pasta attachments. It's
great having both hands free to manipulate the sheets.

Carole



"bugbear" wrote in message
...
A while ago (hell - it's a year) I posted a question
about pasta making.

I'm still failing.

Has anyone been to Northern Italy (e.g. Florence,
but I imagine Tuscany in general) enjoyed the local
soft-textured pasta, then returned to dear old
Blighty, and

*successfully reproduced the pasta at home* ?

I have one of these:

http://www.sharpknives.com/gourmets_...ta_machine.htm
Which should help with part of the processs.

Yours in hungry anticipation...

BugBear