Kitchen Challenge!

[Petra456]

Will surprised me by getting me some semolina! Now I just have to find some time to actually cook (crazy week)!

I haven't made pasta since high school, i'm sooo looking forward to this.

[Young Val]

I made pasta! It's pretty yummy, though I'm sure it'd be better with semolina flour, but I didn't feel like going to the store, so I used good old all purpose.

I used the countertop mixing method, I'm pretty familiar with it from some breads I've made in the past and it is always a great method when you aren't sure how much flour you really need, since it does the measuring for you.

I did watch the video, and loved the rolling and cutting tutorial (I only made a half batch with Mario's recipe, though) and tried to do the knife trick. It didn't work for me, oh well! Maybe with practice. (I also want that giant tree branch of a rolling pin, except I'd have to knock out walls to use it!)

I think I could have gone a bit thinner, but was running out of counter space and if I let the dough hang off it'll get caught on cabinet handles... and I should have sliced it thinner, but we learn from our mistakes, eh?

I served it with the last of the pesto (fresh made from my basil, with pecans instead of pine nuts since they are a) cheaper, b) local and c) yummy!) which means I need to make another batch! (I do have half this batch and another in the freezer, but I intend to keep doing that, freezing half a batch and using half a batch so I have pesto to use into the winter.)

So, yay! Thanks for the challenge, it made me do something pretty easy that I've been meaning to do for quite some time but just hadn't gotten around to!

No pictures, the only digital camera I have is on my phone and it only does well with good lighting, something my kitchen lacks very much.

AWESOME! I'm so glad you gave it a shot and even more glad it worked out well! And I am swooning over your homemade pesto! I have been struggling to get my basil to grow all summer.

[thoughtreader]

I mentioned the challenge to my husband and Mother in law today while we were at a farmers market and I found out that she has a pasta roller! I can't wait to try it later this week!!!

[Platypi007]

AWESOME! I'm so glad you gave it a shot and even more glad it worked out well! And I am swooning over your homemade pesto! I have been struggling to get my basil to grow all summer.

Really? Any idea why? I've never had trouble with basil. Is it just not producing a lot? Or does it seem to be weak? One thing with basil is that if you keep harvesting it then it grows more (and bushier) and won't bloom (if you let it bloom then you get pretty flowers and all, but the flavor of the leaves after the blooming won't be as strong.

I just grow mine in pots on my patio, they get a moderate amount of sun, and they do fine even if they start to wilt from drying out before I water them (happens on the really hot days when it hasn't rained).

Anyway, yeah.

[steph]

I made pasta just a few weeks ago, so I'm going to cheat and just post old pics.





We used it in lasagna that we made for my dad that featured homemade pasta, homemade sauce, homemade ricotta and local sausage from the farmer's market.

The first batch I rolled out dried too curly by the time I needed it, so I made another batch. I broke up the original batch into small pieces and ate it with garlic, butter and (I don't remember what kind of) cheese.

On the topic of stocking a kitchen, I much prefer my Santoku knife to a traditional chef's knife. It just fits with me better. I love it.

Other things I can't live without:
My Rachel Ray hard anodized pot set. I'm not the biggest fan of Rachel herself, but after lots of research, these pots had all the features I was desiring, were very affordable and have been one of my best kitchen purchases. Brian loves how easy they clean.[/url]

A Cast Iron Skillet. I use mine for cooking all ground meats, for pancakes, french toast, etc. Brian complains that every time he cleans it, I use it again.

I agree with a good silicone scraping spatula. I can't recommend one though, since I picked up my favorites in Hong Kong and I have no idea how to find them. They are great for all baking (of course) and they are the only way to go for scrambled eggs.

I also use silicone coated tongs every day.

Dry and wet measuring cups, measuring spoons, wooden spoons, a thin (but strong) flipping spatula, good baking sheets that won't warp in a hot oven, 8x8 (or 9x9) and 9x13 glass pans, a casserole dish (I mostly just use my biggest rachel ray pot, though it good to have back up, since I do a lot of baked dishes) and a digital-read thermometer.

The other things I use every day are for more hard-core baking, like my Kitchenaid, bread pans, rolling pins, pastry bags and tips, etc.[/url]

[Young Val]

Steph, you look absolutely fabulous in those pictures! (Your pasta looks good, too, but first things first).

[Platypi007]

Mine was too thick, for sure. I dried about half of it and tried to cook it but after 10 minutes it still wasn't done in the middle and the outside was overly done.

Will have to roll harder next time!

[VelvetElvis]

So assuming I lose my good sense and decide to make pasta... do I need a standard rolling pin or will my french one do?

[Platypi007]

I don't see why you couldn't use a french rolling pin, as long as you're good at making things flat with one. Have you made a pie crust with it before?

The guy in the video uses a telephone pole for a rolling pin. :D </hyperbole>

[VelvetElvis]

I don't eat pie. Ever. Under any circumstances.

(Except pizza pie!!)

[Platypi007]

Bad experience with a pie in the face as a child?

[mr_thebrain]

a pie killed her brother you insensitive ass.

and just because you don't eat pie doesn't mean you haven't made a pie crust...

i'm sure even the french have made things flat before. so you should be fine with a french rolling pin. assuming you can put up with it's pretentiousness and accent.

[Gravity Defier]

a pie killed her brother you insensitive ass.

Her name is Helen Berry Crunch, you killed her brother. Prepare to...bake?

[VelvetElvis]

a pie killed her brother you insensitive ass.

Her name is Helen Berry Crunch, you killed her brother. Prepare to...bake?

I think that is a spanish accent...


And also, he is not dead, but he is down an eye. Damn you, apple tart!!!

[VelvetElvis]

I made pasta. I tried the recipe and the dough just didn't look very noodle-ish so I added some olive oil, it didn't completely help, but I did manage to make decent pasta. It was a little tough, but I blame the fact that I had stirred to so much before I decided to throw recipe out the window.

[VelvetElvis]

Double post!

Here are some photos of my noodles post-boiling. I chose the round shape because they were less fragile and tore less when removing them from the pastry sheet. The thickness problem was quite easily solved when I rolled out just a bit of dough at a time in stead of the whole fat lump. I rolled out about a billiard-ball sized-lump at time. I initially tried to do the second recipe, but when that was a failure (I mean, seriously, the dough look like pieces of popcorn) I added 1/6 to 1/4 cup of olive oil. Things really got to moving better then!



An idea of the thinness, about 2mm when cooked:

[Platypi007]

The problem you had with the second try is one thing I like the "well method" (I think it is called that, make a pile of flour, form a well in it and pour in your wet ingredients and mix until it forms a dough) over mixing a prescribed amount of flour with the eggs in a bowl. Since you only use the flour in the pile that is needed to make the dough the right consistency you shouldn't have too little or too much flour in the end. You might end up with a big pile of unused flour, but it won't be in your dough.

It does take some practice to get it right, though. But it's sure better than actually measuring things, who measures anything? :p

[VelvetElvis]

I don't measure ANYTHING. That's why I long ago decided that baking isn't for me.

[locke]

I tend to weigh things when I bake rather than measure volume.

I measured the weight of the egg yolks the last time I made ice cream so that I'd have a better idea of how much was going in, since eggs vary so much.

[Platypi007]

Yeah, weighing is the way to go for baking, flour compacts so easily compared to other things so you can get huge differences depending on how you measure and what kind of flour you use.

[Young Val]

YAY HELEN!

I'm so excited that people are actually trying this!

[locke]

I haven't made pasta in years and years and I want to try the well method (note I looked into pasta rolling machines today and was saddened to see the price, outlet mall, maybe).

My problem is that the stupid kitchen counters are stupid six inch tile which makes rolling anything on those stupid tiles very frustrating. That means I have to clean off my kitchen table. scrub the hell out of it with soap and water, dry it, move it to the tiny kitchen floor space and do the pasta rolling there.

On second thought, maybe sixty isn't so bad for pasta rolling machine...

I may do this mid next week or next weekend, this weekend is booked.

Now to decide what I want to do with it. fettucini with midwestern alfredo sauce (milk/half&half/butter/green-can-cheese) or homemade pesto? Or a pesto alfredo combination? or spaghetti bolognose? or Lasagna? or fettucini tossed with butter and fresh grated parmesan cheese... hmmm decisions decisions.

[Platypi007]

You need a pastry mat!

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Silicone-P ... 068&sr=8-1


Cheaper than a pasta machine. :D


Ha, that looks just like the one in Helenberrycrunch's pictures

[Noodle]

For some reason I have this strange connection with the first challenge in this thread. Making Noodles... Noodles.... Noodles...

*ahem* sorry, drifted off there for a second. I will try this just as soon as I can. Never made real pasta, but it's been on my list to try.

[Luet]

You came back at the perfect time! Yay Noodle!

[VelvetElvis]

EVERYONE needs a pastry mat!! I use mine for biscuits and pizza dough, primarily. I believe you can get them at WalMart for about 8 bucks.

[locke]

WalMarts are not that common in these parts.

[Eaquae Legit]

I'm sad I haven't been able to participate in this challenge. Always wanted to make my own pasta! It just hasn't been feasible, though. I can catch up later, right?

[Young Val]

You can absolutely catch up later! There are no expiration dates for the challenges!

[Young Val]

Hey guys! Just a heads up that there's a new Kitchen Challenge in the works! It probably won't be posted for a week or two, but I wanted to rev up your anticipation now!

I'll be "hosting" a few more challenges myself while we get into the swing of things, and then I'll start featuring other members' submissions (REMINDER: keep submitting recipes!).

Remember, the pasta challenge is still open and will be, pretty much until forever. If there is something you've been dying to learn how to make, find a recipe for it and PM me, pronto!

[Petra456]

I've been holding off on this challenge because I have a birthday present on the way! The pasta roller for my KitchenAid!

So, i'll be late, but i'm gonna be ALL over this challenge!

[Platypi007]

I've been holding off on this challenge because I have a birthday present on the way! The pasta roller for my KitchenAid!

So, i'll be late, but i'm gonna be ALL over this challenge!

Sooooooooo jealous!!!

[Young Val]

I've been holding off on this challenge because I have a birthday present on the way! The pasta roller for my KitchenAid!

So, i'll be late, but i'm gonna be ALL over this challenge!

Yay Fred!

[VelvetElvis]

Do we have an expected date for the next challenge?

[Young Val]

We don't. I almost lied and made one up, because I know what the next challenge is, but I haven't had time to get the post together and it's going to be a big one. Soon, my friends! Soon! And after this next one, I'll start putting up challenges that have been submitted by others. Which means you should all PM me some recipes ASAP.