Time-Out: Homemade Pasta

A few months ago one of my favorite bloggersKaren made homemade Pappardelle. She made it look so incredibly easy that I vowed to John we would have to try it. Well, months have come and gone and I have yet to make it. I have even made the trip to Whole Foods and bought Semolina Flour, but it has just sat in the cabinet.

That is, until, I read the novel “Lunch in Paris” by Elizabeth Bard. Lately, I am all about novels with recipes. Part recipe-book, part chick-lit, all around a great time! Anyway, Elizabeth Bard’s memoir details her love affair and marriage to a French man. Most of her memories also revolve around food (hmm, sounds like we’d be good friends).

Anyway, she made a delicious and reallyinteresting pasta dish in the first chapter of her book. In fact, the sauce looked so good, it inspired me to FINALLY make homemade pasta. So thank you Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Bard, John and I have had a delicious dinner thanks to both of you!

Homemade Pasta (from Eat Drink Wash Up)
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semolina flour
6 large eggs
4 teaspoons olive oil
kosher salt

Combine the flours and then sift them onto a large work surface. Form a well with the flour. In a small bowl, add eggs, olive oil, and salt. Do not mix it. Just add them all together. Slowly add it into the well making sure the eggs do not escape! Carefully break the egg yolks with a fork. Then slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones. Form into two sticky balls. Then, dust the work surface with all-purpose flour. Place some flour on your hands and carefully knead each ball 5 minutes (should be very smooth and elastic). Make each dough into a ball and flatten it out slightly. Place the balls in plastic wrap and into the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Then, dust the work surface with more flour and dust the dough with flour as well. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. It should be paper thin and add more flour to prevent ANY sticking. Then, slowly roll the dough into a cylinder. Cut 1/4 inch strips and then unroll the strips carefully. This took John and I both to do it. Dust with some semolina flour to prevent from sticking. Boil a large pot of water and place the pasta in carefully. It took my fettucini style pasta about 5 minutes to cook. Serve with your favorite pasta, orFriday’s delicious sauce!!

This was SO easier said than done. First of all, my eggs escaped. Eek! That caused a kitchen scream or two. Also, you have to use a lot of flour so when the pasta is rolled out (it gets very thin) and it doesn’t stick to the counter. It’s happened to me and it ripped, a lot. Took some fancy maneuvering to get it back! It was VERY well worth it, but it definitely takes a delicate hand!!

Until the next time my oven is on…