Scratch vs.store bought pasta??

BabyJane Hudson said:

Is the difference between store-bought dried pasta and that made by scratch significant enough to
go through all that trouble? If so, what are the basic things a beginner would need? Name of a good
(and inexpensive)manual machine? What else? Also, could someone explain to me how involved the
process is? I've never made anything from scratch.

Making pasta from scratch is not worth the monetary investment in the equiptment, effort, or time,
IMO. Even if I wasn't low-carbing it.

Anybody wanna buy my Atlas with three attachments (including Ravioli-maker). Never used.

-sw

"BabyJane Hudson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Is the difference between store-bought dried pasta and that made by scratch significant enough to
go through all that trouble? If so, what are the basic things a beginner would need? Name of a
good (and inexpensive)manual machine? What else? Also, could someone explain to me how involved
the process is? I've never made anything from scratch.

Thanks in advance for your answers/help!

Miss BabyJane Hudson

In my experience,home made pasta is always egg pasta - like the gg noodles you get in the store. It
is really delicious but as to whether it is worth the trouble - you need to decide for yourself. You
do not need a machine to get started - just a rolling pin. If you decide you like it and will make
it regularly, then invest in a machine.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

I think it's kinda fun to make your own fresh pasta; if you like you can make it in colors by adding
pureed veggies (eg, spinach, bell peppers) to the dough or with tasty flecks like black pepper or
parsley. Various leftovers can also be turned into ravioli if you like.

Fresh pasta does have a different taste and texture than dried.

Does it make sense economically to make your own fresh pasta - almost certainly not, especially if
your time has value.

The traditional way of making fresh pasta involves just flour, egg (1 egg per 100 gm flour per
serving), a surface to work the beaten egg into the flour and knead the dough, a rolling pin, and a
knife (roll the pasta out to a very thin sheet, roll it up, and cut into noodles). Most people today
use a pasta machine (or attachment to a stand mixer) to roll the dough out.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Louis Cohen Living la vida loca at N37° 43' 7.9" W122° 8' 42.8"

Bah! Humbug!

"BabyJane Hudson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Is the difference between store-bought dried pasta and that made by scratch significant enough to
go through all that trouble? If so, what are the basic things a beginner would need? Name of a
good (and inexpensive)manual machine? What else? Also, could someone explain to me how involved
the process is? I've never made anything from scratch.

Thanks in advance for your answers/help!

Miss BabyJane Hudson

BabyJane Hudson said:

Is the difference between store-bought dried pasta and that made by scratch significant enough to
go through all that trouble? If so, what are the basic things a beginner would need? Name of a
good (and inexpensive)manual machine? What else? Also, could someone explain to me how involved
the process is? I've never made anything from scratch.

Thanks in advance for your answers/help!

Miss BabyJane Hudson

there is a considerable difference in texture and taste. if you never try can't understand the
difference. see here: annamariavolpi.compage28.htmlOpen ↗ there are all the explanations. best
way to go is the hand cranck machine to save time, even if i prefer to do it by hand.

ciao, anna maria

www.annamariavolpi.com

"BabyJane Hudson" wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Is the difference between store-bought dried pasta and that made by scratch significant enough to
go through all that trouble?

Yes, and it's not much trouble at all. Assumming you have the ingredients on hand you could
probably make and cook homemade pasta faster than you could go out, buy and cook store-bought
dried. Store bought dried pasta is usually just semolina flour and water (no eggs). When I make
pasta at home I use eggs.

Quoted message said:

If so, what are the basic things a beginner would need?

A rolling pin is the probably the bare minimum you'd want. An Italian friend of mine told me that
her grandmother used to make pasta with just her hands.

Quoted message said:

Name of a good (and inexpensive)manual machine?

I believe mine is an Atlas. The hand cranked pasta machines you'll see at any cooking store are just
fine. They aren't all that expensive. I think mine was twenty something dollars when I got it a
number of years ago. I doubt you'd end up paying over fifty dolars probably less.

Quoted message said:

What else? Also, could someone explain to me how involved the process is?

Simple, first you mix up the dough. You may already have a cookbook with a recipe, if not you can
google one up pretty easily. Once you have the dough you run it through the pasta machine (it will
have different thickness settings) or roll it out until it is the desired thickness. From there you
cut it for it's intended purpose. It ususally a good idea to refrigerate the dough a bit before
rolling it out, but it's not alway necessary.

Obviously, I'm not giving you detailed instructions just an overview.

Quoted message said:

I've never made anything from scratch.

In that case you may want to try something easier like maybe a grilled cheese sandwich.

Seriously, I work with dough/flour a lot. I make bread once or twice a week so making the jump over
to pasta dough is not that big of a deal. Working with dough of any kind involves a certain amount
of 'feel' which only comes from experience. Don't get discouraged if you don't get the best results
right away.

-Mike

"BabyJane Hudson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Is the difference between store-bought dried pasta and that made by scratch significant enough to
go through all that trouble? If so, what are the basic things a beginner would need? Name of a
good (and inexpensive)manual machine? What else? Also, could someone explain to me how involved
the process is? I've never made anything from scratch.

Thanks in advance for your answers/help!

Miss BabyJane Hudson

I feel that the quality as good or better than dried, but no better than "fresh" pasta that's
readily available. I own an Atlas and still make pasta for the fun of it. However, quality is not
that much better unless you want to make some specialty (spinach, pepper) pasta.

Quoted message said:

Is the difference between store-bought dried pasta and that made by scratch significant enough to
go through all that trouble?

Homemade is cheaper; a pound of pasta goes for about 50 cents on sale; a pound of flour can be had
for as little as 15 cents; I've never priced semolina.

Quoted message said:

Name of a good (and inexpensive)manual machine?

. . . so obviously, you can recover your investment very quickly. (I use an Atlas.)

Neil

BabyJane Hudson said:

Thanks in advance for your answers/help!

Homemade pasta made from old, tasteless wheat is not worth it. I use a duram/semolina combo and it
was worth it. If you plan to use supermarket flour, go with a good dry pasta instead. I use De
Cecco, as it is available nearby. blacksalt

BabyJane Hudson said:

Is the difference between store-bought dried pasta and that made by scratch significant enough to
go through all that trouble? If so, what are the basic things a beginner would need? Name of a good
(and inexpensive)manual machine? What else? Also, could someone explain to me how involved the
process is? I've never made anything from scratch.

Thanks in advance for your answers/help!

I have not done home made pasta, but I probably will. I have some durum semolina for that purpose.

But, for regular use, there are really good dried pastas available in Manhattan at least. I take the
14 bus to Buonitalia at Chelsea Market for dried pasta. Funky looking stuff made in old bronze dies
that are quite rough.

Home made lets you put an egg in it, and roll it to whatever thicknes you want.

Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC J36 Gjo/a

The sound of a Great Blue Heron's wingbeats going by your head

I have made pasta a few times from scratch. It was difficult to get it perfect. A consideration is
to consider making the dough in a bread machine. Perfect every time. No question that fresh pasta is
the best but for the amount of times I make pasta, I use store bought dry. But then my favourite are
spaghetti and elbows.

Steve Wertz said:

Anybody wanna buy my Atlas with three attachments (including Ravioli-maker). Never used.

How much? You can email me.

nancy

On Sat, 6 Dec 2003 16:34:41 -0600, "TNTYZ" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"BabyJane Hudson" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is the difference between store-bought dried pasta and that made by scratch significant enough to
go through all that trouble? If so, what are the basic things a beginner would need? Name of a
good (and inexpensive)manual machine? What else? Also, could someone explain to me how involved
the process is? I've never made anything from scratch.

I feel that the quality as good or better than dried, but no better than "fresh" pasta that's
readily available. I own an Atlas and still make pasta for the fun of it. However, quality is not
that much better unless you want to make some specialty (spinach, pepper) pasta.

There's no real economic advantage (unless you make pounds and pounds every day), but it *is* fun.
"Readily available" 'fresh' pasta hasn't reached my corner of the world. Homemade cooks quickly, and
is (disasters excepted) tender and, well, fresh. eBay has Atlas and Atlas-type machines starting at
around $10. I didn't check the final price of recent 'sold' items. Other than that, you need flour,
eggs, water and salt. And a way to dry the noodles -- as I mentioned, I've been using a broomstick
suspended between 2 chair backs. Just got a sort of clothes-pole arrangement I'm eager to try.

From 'Julia Child & Company'

Makes enough for 8 servings or 2 boxes of commercial egg noodles

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 (US Grade) "Large" eggs 2 to 4 Tblsp cold water

Put flour in a bowl. Make a well in the center and break in the eggs; blend then with 2 Tblsp of the
water and gradudally mix in the surrounding flour. Blend vigorously to make a stiff dough; turn out
onto a work surface and knead vigorously with the heel of your hand, adding droplets more water to
unblended bits.

OR

Put flour, eggs, & 2 Tblsp water in a food processor. Blend (with metal cutting blade) until the
dough forms a ball or until it can be pressed together in a mass (or sprinkle a little bit water).
Remove from machine and knead to blend. Dough should be firm. If soft or sticky, knead in a
sprinkling of flour.

JC's Remarks: "...your own experience will guide you, eventually, but don't be afraid of the dough.
Not much can go wrong as long as it is stiff and dry enough to pass through the kneading and cutting
rollers of your machine. Tenderness and exquisiteness of texture can come later and will be part of
your own particular secret genius with the noodle."

Dough can rest for half an hour, but cover with plastic wrap to prevent a crust forming. Cut dough
in half (cover remaining half with plastic wrap). Flatten dough into a hand-size cake and pinch one
end to feed through rollers at widest opening. Crank it through; fold it in half; and repeat several
times 'til dough is smooth and fairly rectangular. Brush dough lightly with flour if it looks like
it might be thinking about sticking. Now try the next lower setting and crank it through; lower
setting and crank; etc. Julia says setting #4 is usually good for noodles. By this time, you will
have had to cut the dough in half and crank in separate pieces. Hang dough on a broom handle to dry
*briefly* -- 4-5 minutes. Then crank dough through cutters. Cook in a large amount of boiling,
salted water for a very brief time -- 2-3 minutes -- fresh noodles cook quickly.

As Julia says, don't be afraid of it and don't expect it to be perfect at first. It's really a lot
easier to do than describe. If course, it's a *lot* easier if you have a helper or 3 hands.

I usually halve all ingredients, which seems to work fine for a smaller amount.

You can let the noodles dry thoroughly (several hours, depending on the humidity) and then freeze
them. They will take somewhat longer to cook, but still less time than boxed pasta.

In article <XpoAb.82990$xV6.58609@lakeread04>, "Mike Pearce"

Quoted message said:

Assumming you have the ingredients on hand you could probably make and cook homemade pasta faster
than you could go out, buy and cook store-bought dried.

At some point one must've gone out to buy those ingredients for homemade pasta, just "assumming".

Quoted message said:

Store bought dried pasta is usually just semolina flour and water (no eggs).

Well, the store bought dried pasta with eggs is called egg noodles, duh... and many of the more
popular pasta brands sell the same dago shapes in an egg version... Barrila even uses a different
color box to distinguish the egg versions... but more often than not I don't want egg
pasta/noodle... in fact for most all dishes with a red sauce or fish sauce I couldn't stomach the
egg version... can you imagine a linguini with clam sauce with an egg pasta... BLECH... almost as
rotten as sprinkling that dish with grated cheese... VOMIT!

Quoted message said:

When I make pasta at home I use eggs.

You're making egg noodles... but there's absolutely no reason one couldn't omit the egg. Many of the
store bought "fresh" pastas do not contain any egg. And store bought dried pasta is not really dry,
it contains about 15% water by weight.

Other than a few minutes cooking time I honestly don't find any difference between fresh or dried. I
wouldn't consider making my own pasta unless it was for stuffing, ie. ravioli, kreplach, wonton, and
such, so that I'd know for sure what/who is in it... and these days I no longer bother with rollling
out my own noodles, what with fresh wrapper noodles so readily available.

---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =--- ---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =--- Sheldon
```````````` "Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

In article <[email hidden]>, kalanamak <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

BabyJane Hudson said:

Thanks in advance for your answers/help!

Homemade pasta made from old, tasteless wheat is not worth it. I use a duram/semolina combo

Combo? Semolina IS duram wheat. duh

semolina [seh-muh-LEE-nuh]
1. Durum wheat that is more coarsely ground than normal wheat flours, a result that is often
obtained by sifting out the finer flour. Most good PASTA is made from semolina. It is also used
to make GNOCCHI, puddings and soups and in various confections.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd
edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =--- ---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =--- Sheldon
```````````` "Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

"PENMART01" wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike Pearce said:

Assumming you have the ingredients on hand you could probably make and cook homemade pasta faster
than you

could

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

go out, buy and cook store-bought dried.

At some point one must've gone out to buy those ingredients for homemade

pasta,

Quoted message said:

just "assumming".

Yup, you are right. I'm more likely to have the ingredients on hand than the store-bought pasta so I
was "assumming" that for everyone. Probably a bad assumption.

Yeah, and I can't spell or type for [censored].

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Store bought dried pasta is usually just semolina flour and water (no

eggs).

Quoted message said:

Well, the store bought dried pasta with eggs is called egg noodles, duh...

Then I guess I was fairly accurate with my description.

Quoted message said:

for most all dishes with a red sauce or fish sauce I couldn't stomach the

egg

Quoted message said:

version... can you imagine a linguini with clam sauce with an egg pasta... BLECH... almost as
rotten as sprinkling that dish with grated cheese...

VOMIT!

I've noticed that you seem to be not too fond of seafood/dairy combinations. In most cases I agree
with you, but I don't get as worked up about it. <g>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

When I make pasta at home I use eggs.

You're making egg noodles... but there's absolutely no reason one couldn't

omit

Quoted message said:

the egg. Many of the store bought "fresh" pastas do not contain any egg.

And

Quoted message said:

store bought dried pasta is not really dry, it contains about 15% water by weight.

I've made it without egg. I really don't eat pasta/noodles all that much. Almost every time I make
pasta/noodles at home it is for some sort of stuffed dish like ravioli.

Quoted message said:

I wouldn't consider making my own pasta unless it was for stuffing, ie. ravioli, kreplach,
wonton, and such, so that I'd know

for

Quoted message said:

sure what/who is in it... and these days I no longer bother with rollling

out

Quoted message said:

my own noodles, what with fresh wrapper noodles so readily available.

One of my main motivations for making pasta/noodles from scratch is that I like to make things from
scratch. An added benefit is that I get to control what goes into the food. I think the pasta it
tastes better, but that could all be in my head and that's fine with me.

-Mike

(PENMART01) said:

store bought dried pasta is not really dry, it contains about 15% water by weight.

As packaged? Somebody has bumped their head again.

Where do you come up with this [censored], anyway?

-sw

PENMART01 said:

In article said:

BabyJane Hudson said:

Thanks in advance for your answers/help!

Homemade pasta made from old, tasteless wheat is not worth it. I use a duram/semolina combo

Combo? Semolina IS duram wheat. duh

Duh, I know that, and I suspect you've been around long enough to know I know that, but the Italian
markets (all three of them) that I have haunted over the last few years have a flour that is
fine...called duram flour, and something very slightly more grainy, called semolina. Make the pasta
from all semolina and it is a little harder to handle....works, but you have to fuss a bit more.
BTW, semolina makes a nice bread, although, for some reason, it doesn't keep that well. A wheat
product of unknown type of wheat ( but I suspect soft wheat) ground to the same texture is called
semolina in Indian markets, and is used in the mini-pooris for pani poori, and in a cooked, pudding-
like dessert my IL's called halwa. It had no sesame in it. I therefore conclude that "semolina" has
an accepted reference to texture/grind in its meaning. Your quote (from the first source a googling
of "semolina" comes up with) supports my opinion. blacksalt

(PENMART01) said:

Other than a few minutes cooking time I honestly don't find any difference between fresh or dried.

Perhaps you know something about cooking and kitchen-cleaning but, I'm afraid, "good taste" (in
every sense) isn't your forte...

"Steve Wertz" wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(PENMART01) said:

store bought dried pasta is not really dry, it contains about 15% water

by

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

weight.

As packaged? Somebody has bumped their head again.

Where do you come up with this [censored], anyway?

I read recently that flour is about 14% water by weight. Fifteen percent doesn't sound out of the
realm of possibility to me, not that I care enough to research it.

-Mike