More Pasta Recipes
We mentioned pasta machines and the entertainment they can provide in an earlier column. This week's column includes the pasta recipe we use with our hand-crank machine. Even though most pasta recipes say the dough can be mixed by hand, we find it much easier to toss the ingredients in the food processor (the recipe we've included is from Anne Willan's Perfect Pasta, Dorling Kindersley, 1992). Making pasta takes a certain amount of time, part of which is the drying process between steps, but the end result is delicious. However, finding the right place to hang the pasta during the drying process takes a little thought. One of the first times we used the pasta machine, we hung the pasta sheets a little too close to the floor. When we returned to check on them, we found our dog, Nutmeg, carefully licking one of the sheets.
Once the pasta is made, it can be used right away, refrigerated for up to 48 hours, or frozen. The consistency of freshly made pasta is so different from that of dried pasta that we prefer to use it in place of noodles in dishes such as stroganoff or goulash. We've included a couple of quick sauce recipes, both of which are from old issues of Bon Appetit magazine.
