Make or Buy fresh pasta? We say both. Without a doubt we highly recommend the Fresh Valicenti Homemade Pastas sold at the Farm for a delicious, convenient mid-week meal. No time to prep, 3 minutes to cook, and you have yourself a warm, nutritious locally made meal. But when you have the time, it’s a special treat and fun family activity to make your pasta dough from scratch. Toss in the fresh local eggs you just picked up at the Farm, add some high quality flour, and you’ll love the chewy, soft texture and amazing taste. Especially when you use this dough recipe from native Sicilian, Riccardo de Pasquale…enjoy.
Homemade Pasta Dough – Part I
3 cups of flour (King Arthur unbleached white preferred)
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1/4 c warm water - approximate
In a food processor, add flour, salt - pulse a few times to mix. With processor running, add eggs one at a time, mixing until mixture is course. With mixer running, add just enough water to bring mixture to a ball. Remove dough and knead until smooth. Wrap in a damp towel and let rest for at least 30-minutes.
Divide dough in quarters and feed though pasta machine - the specifics will depend upon what type of pasta you are making: ravioli, lasagna, spaghetti, etc.
Making the Lasagna - Part II
Lasagna noodles:
Cut dough into quarters. Feed dough into pasta machine on lowest setting, dusting with flour as required (#1). Feed through twice more cutting dough into a manageable section if it becomes too large. Feed dough through on setting # 2 three times continuing to feed and change settings until the second last setting. Cut dough into wide strips of approximately 5-inches (length will vary), trimming off the ends to make even. Lay out strips of dough on floured sheet pan separating layers with waxed paper.
Working in batches, cook sheets in boiling water which has been salted and oiled (to prevent strips from sticking). Cook until pasta strips float to the top, removing and placing them into iced water. Proceed with your favorite lasagna recipe.
Courtesy of Riccardo de Pasquale,friend of the Farm at Eastman’s Corner
