Weeknight Cooking

We've tried to make our own pasta from scratch in the past – the process is long, delicate and takes a considerable amount of time to maintain.  Once you make your dough, in that case, you press it through your pasta machine, then handle it to shape, hang it to dry, maybe freeze it, then cook, usually a small batch.  The interesting part of making your own pasta from scratch is that if you do take the time to make your own, it's 200-times better than packaged, which leaves you in the 'pasta dilemma' whether to devote hours to making it yourself or not.

We had skipped this process for a long time, but recently bought a nice pasta machine on somewhat of a whim.  The process here is simple, but the results very nearly the same as the more high maintenance old way: dump into the pasta box a combination of semolina high-quality and regular flour, any other additives you might want (a hint of seasoning, spinach for example), turn the machine on, then

Fresh chopped spinach could be a pasta addition

add an egg and water combination through a sifter at the top.  The extrusion (think Thomas Jefferson's old imported macaroni machine) spindle mixes the powder and the liquid on its own for a mere three minutes, reverses itself, then begins to push through a chosen pasta dial well-formed strand-like pasta.  The pasta gathers in a nest on a plate and then you can either cook it immediately, depending on its consistency, or freeze it in order to firm its shape before boiling.  Five to six minutes later, pasta that is really nothing like the firm green box stuff, but inherently soft, tender and more lively in flavor, is yours. Add onto the boiled nest a homemade batch of pureed tomato sauce, and side with bruschetta toast covered in tomatoes and fresh spinach from the garden pots, and you have a great way to celebrate the new season.