Homemade pasta…why not?

I have so many fond memories of making pasta with my mom growing up. It was always about the experience: getting our hands covered in flour, rolling it out and having pasta hung all over the kitchen and backs of chairs (yes i know, I'm cringing inside too).

What you will need:
A pasta machine. These range from fairly cheap to expensive, I recommend getting a cheap one, then if you like it and you think you will be using it a lot, then you could look into an upgrade.
You will also need a drying rack (or you can get inventive like my mom and hang it all over the house).

3.5 cups UNBLEACHED all purpose flour 
4 eggs
1 teaspoon (Extra Virgin) Olive oil
salt/pepper optional



Pile your flour into a large bowl, make a hole in the middle of your flour pile and add your eggs, oil and seasoning. 
If you wanted to make an herb pasta, you could chop up some fresh basil, thyme, parsley, oregano, or whatever you wanted and add to this mix.

Then, with a fork, vigorously start whisking the wet ingredients and let the dry wall gradually start falling inward as you continue to whisk. 

When it becomes hard to whisk, then move it onto a clean work surface and start kneading your dough.



Until it looks like this, it's going to seem dry, use your judgment though and if you feel like it too dry just simply wet your hands and continue working into the dough.  The size of your eggs or the humidity will determine how wet it is at this point. So, you may need to add more flour or water depending on whether it is to sticky or too dry.

Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest AT LEAST 30 minutes. This allows the gluten in the flour to rest and prevents your pasta from being rubbery. If you rush it and don't let it rest, when you go to roll it out it will spring back. That's why you let it rest and why it's important. 

While you are waiting, you can set up your pasta machine, making sure it's secure.

Then slice the dough into two inch slices. You may need to press it a little with your palm or a rolling pin to get it to go through your machine. 
Start with the widest option, usually number one. 
Now what you want to do here is fold and refold till you get nice even lines, don't be afraid to roll it though a few times on each number to achieve a nice clean rectangle shape.
Try not to use anymore flour at this point, it will mess with the consistency, but feel free to use semolina instead.



I usually don't take mine down to the thinnest number, but play around with your machine and the thickness you like, then add the cutter attachment.



Now, I should have cut my pasta sheet in half since it got this long, nobody wants pasta that long. But you get the idea.

Hang it out to dry. 

Once dry, then plunge in boiling salted water, but remember that homemade pasta doesn't take but a few minutes to cook. 

You have so many options when making your own pasta - you can make ravioli with the dough, you can use the sheets for lasagna. You can add spinach or herbs and make any kind of pasta you wish.