When I have a little more time to make a meal it’s fun to get the whole family involved in pasta making. If you’ve never made your own pasta there is a knack to it but once mastered you will never look back. The finished product is so unlike any store bought fresh pasta that it really shouldn’t be called by the same name. I have been making my own pasta on and off for quite a long time. Obviously not for a quick week night meal when I will use a good dried pasta but certainly for a special occasion.
I have tried making pasta with high grade flour but it really is worth it to search out what they call “ Tipo 00 Flour “ which is specifically designed for pasta making. The other thing you really need is a pasta machine. Once you have these two items the rest just comes down to practice.
Ingredients
500g (allow 100g per person) Tipo 00 flour
5 large eggs, preferably organic
Take the flour and place in a pile on your bench top. Make a well in the centre into which you crack the eggs. Mix the dough together with your hands. As the dough comes together start kneading. As soon as the dough feels silky and elastic cover it with clingfilm and allow it to rest for 1/2 an hour in the fridge before you start rolling it.
Take 1/3 of the dough and start rolling it through the pasta machine on the widest setting. Keep rolling the pasta through the machine and each time take the setting down a knotch until you end up with a beautiful sheet of pasta.
Once you have these sheets of pasta you are able to turn them into whatever you like but in this instance we made ravioli filled with the following mixture:
Ingredients
250g fresh ricotta
250g fresh spinach, blanched and drained
150g skinned, cubed and cooked pumpkin
1 egg
100g parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g butter
A handful of mint leaves
Grated parmesan for serving
Take the ricotta, spinach, pumpkin, egg, parmesan and salt and pepper and mix together. Take a sheet of pasta and lay a tablespoon of the mixture onto the pasta with about 6cm between each tablespoon. When you reach halfway, stop and take the other end of the sheet of pasta and lay it back over the top of the tablespoons of mixture. Make sure you go along and seal the pasta around the mixture taking care to press all the air out around them. When they are sealed cut into ravioli squares – you can see I’ve made mine quite rustic.
Meanwhile, get a large stock pot of water and bring to the boil. When it gets to the boil add a generous amount of salt. I usually add about 1/4 cup. Boil the ravioli for approx. 3-4 minutes. They won’t take very long. Remove from the pan and drain. In a fry pan melt the butter, add the ravioli and the handful of mint. Toss and then serve with another grating of parmesan on top.
My children like pasta anyway and I think when you help make something it is tastier but they devoured this dish!
1 Comment
July 30, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Hey, great blog!! Are they Tony’s hands I see making pasta? We’ll have to arrange a taste test holiday one day. We’d love to visit you guys.
LP