Pasta! Pasta! and More PASTA!

Pin It Most everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE homemade pasta!
You can make so many Different dishes with simple Flour, Water and Eggs.


I am going to share with all of you the recipes I have tried and LOVE for Pasta.
As well as some pasta sauces and fillers.

(I am using my husbands computer today and it is throwing me all off, the keys are all in different places and I keep having to correct my mistakes. So bare with me if you find some errors beyond the normal Sherrie typos.)

PASTA DOUGH! 

There are 2 basic recipes that I start with and adjust based on what I am making.  These are both the Weston Brand Pasta basic recipes. The seafood is my own recipe.

Egg Dough - With a fork beat the eggs until well blended then add to flour all at once. Mix well with a fork then knead the dough 10-12 times until well blended.  Cover with a damp towel and let rest for at least 20 mins.
3 Eggs
2 1/2 Cups All purpose Flour

Non Egg Dough - Combine wet ingredients and mix well then add to flour all at once. Mix well with a fork then knead the dough 10-12 times until well blended.  Cover with a damp towel and let rest for at least 20 mins.
3 Cups all purpose Flour
1 Cup warm water
2 TBLS Olive Oil



Seafood Pasta Dough -  For seafood Pasta, Follow the EGG DOUGH recipe above and however use 1 less egg yolk (use the white only)  then add.
1 Teaspoon Lime Juice Fresh
1 1/2  TBLS Finley Grated Lime Zest



Divide your dough in half and cover one half with a damp towel.

If using a Pasta Roller-  Using a nice rolling pin, Roll out the dough just slightly to prepare it to use in your pasta roller. Using the pasta roller Roll through the sheet side first several times until well packed and at desired thickness. (see pasta roller instructions)


If using a Rolling Pin only - Roll out the dough to desired thickness, Fold the dough in half and then roll out again. Repeat this step 5 times before cutting your dough. 

Cutting your Dough

Once your dough is all rolled out it is time to cut your dough. If you are making Ravioli it is best to cut your dough immediately. If making any other non filled pasta then you should let your pasta dry for about 20 mins before cutting to get the best results.

Cutting - Cut your pasta as desired. Most pasta rollers come with the basic cuts, Sheet , Round Noodle and Fettuccine. This making your cutting processes much easier. Otherwise I find that a basic pastry cutter helps a ton. Rolls nice and cleanly cuts the pasta (the one I use is Pampered Chef however I'm sure most would do)

On the Ravioli  you will cut into basic squares of desired size for the ravioli you are making. Keep in mind they do swell as you cook  Be sure the pasta is rolled thin for this.


*For seafood Pasta I have done both Spaghetti and Fettuccine, However I do prefer the Fettuccine pasta cut for this. Or even a stuffed Seafood pasta is Delicious!

Fillings for your Stuffed Pasta

Lasagna is one of my favorite fillers.
For this you will use:

1/2 lb Ground Beef.
1/4 C Ricotta Cheese
1/4 C Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Jar/can Your Favorite Spaghetti Sauce.

Cook and brown your Beef. Drain the Beef then add the Cheeses and 1/4 Cup sauce.
Mix and continue to cook on your stove top an additional 5 minutes or until cheese are well melted and the sauce is all soaked into the mixture. (the thicker the mixture the easier to keep the pasta from breaking)

 Cooking your Pasta

Ravioli - Fill your pasta but be sure to not fill to much as you do not want your pasta to open while cooking.
Seal the ends of the pasta either using a fork to press down or a pastry cutter to press the ends together. I like to wet the ends first. Sometimes using Eggs whites to ensure it is well sealed.

  Let the pasta dry now for about 15 minutes on one side then turn and let dry on the other side for an additional 15 minutes.

For all PASTAS - 


  Start a LARGE pot of boiling water and add 1 tsp salt to prevent sticking.
Add the pasta a handful at a time to ensure they do not stick together. Cook on a boil for about 5-10 minutes or until pasta is cooked. (do not overcook, Test every 3-5 minutes)
Drain the water from the pasta then add to the sauce. Heat the sauce to a simmer before adding pasta or spoon the sauce over the pasta.  Serve and Enjoy!