Fresh Pasta

I have always wanted to do fresh pasta, now I finally took the time. It turns out that it's incredibly easy, but also incredibly messy. Flour goes everywhere.

It is basically a two stage process. First you make the dough, then you cut it. Done...it's as simple and as complicated as that. Unless of course you want flavored pasta, or God forbid, multi-colored pasta. Then it's gets a little more complicated.

Lets start simple.

Equipment:

You need some sort of pasta roller/cutter. I bought a KitchenAid mixer that gives me the option of pasta attachments. So I didn't need to buy a separate pasta maker, I just needed to purchase the appropriate pasta attachments for my mixer. One huge advantage of this is that unless you want to spend big bucks on a electric pasta maker, affordable ones are hand cranked. With the attachments on my mixer it's essentially electric. One of the reasons I opted for this mixer.

With the following attachment package, I can make Lasagna, Ravioli, fettuccine spaghetti and Angel Hair pasta:

3-piece pasta roller & Cutter set, item #KPRA

Left to right, spaghetti, fettuccine cutter and roller

Roller attached to mixer

Fettuccine cutter attached to mixer

Basic Pasta Dough:

4 Portions
TWF - 200g
Hydration - 56%

Semolina Flour - 100g
Durum Flour - 100g
Egg - 2 Large - (about 56g water per egg)
Salt - 1.5g
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1.5g


*All ingredients to be at room temperature

• Combine in a mixer with paddle 
• Both flours
• Salt
• Mix
• Add eggs and oil

• Mix on low (speed #2, my KitchenAid mixer) until crumbly

The mixture should be able to "clump"

• Change paddle out for dough hook
• Mix on low (speed #2) until smooth

• Remove to well floured bench
• Dust liberally on all sides, brush off excess
• Wrap in plastic wrap, rest for 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days...or more)
• If refrigerated, bring to room temperature prior to moving forward
• Divide in half
• Wrap 2nd half in plastic wrap and reserve
• With your palm, shape dough into a rough 3"W x 6" L x 11/2" H rectangle

• Slope one end of rectangle (11/2" down to 1/4"

• Place into pasta roller angled end first (Roller set on #1)

• Roll
• Fold in half, dust both sides liberally with flour

• Place back onto roller folded side first

• Roll
• Fold in half, dust both sides liberally with flour
• Place back into roller folded side first
• Roll

• Lay on bench, dust liberally on both sides
• Set pasta roller on #2

• Roll (now you must go the same direction into the roller every time)
• Roll again
• Set on bench, dust both sides liberally with flour
• Set roller on #3
• Roll
• Roll again (always going the same direction)
• Set on bench, allow to relax for 2 minutes
• Dust both sides liberally with flour
• Roll again
• Cut length in half, dust both sides very liberally with flour

• Change out pasta roller for appropriate pasta cutter (I used the spaghetti cutter)
• Cut posta, turn onto floured bench into "nests"

• Freeze, place into zip lock bags and store in freezer until ready to use

White Yeast Bread Modified

TWF - 652g
Hydration - 78%

Sponge:
King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour - 170.5g - 26%
King Arthur Whole Wheat Flout - 170.5g - 26% - (progressing towards a 100% whole wheat recipe)
Water - 90° - 508g - 78%
Honey - 45g
Instant Yeast - 4g - .6%

• Combine - Mix a full 2 minutes with a whip to incorporate air into the mixture. It will be like pancake batter.
• Ferment at 40° 8-24 hours - Sponge will more than double

At 12 hours of fermentation

Close up

Dough:

King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour - 155.5g - 24%
King Arthur Whole Wheat Flout - 155.5g - 24% - (progressing towards a 100% whole wheat recipe)

Instant Yeast - 4g - .6%
Vital Wheat Gluten - 2.8g - 4% - (because of the whole wheat flour and the large amount of butter, will help with the rise)

Lecithin Powder - 2g - .3%  - (for texture, shelf life)
Ascorbic Acid - .8g - .1% - (promotes acidic environment for yeast)
Butter - Unsalted - Softened - 128g - 20%

Salt - 15g - 2.3%

• Combine: Flour, Yeast, Gluten and Lecithin
• Add to mixer:
• Sponge 
• Flour mixture
• Mix on low until just combined
• Autolyse 30 minutes
• Add butter, Ascorbic Acid and Salt

Sponge just added to mixer

Finished dough

• Knead on medium 7-10 minutes (#4 on my KitchenAid) It will not come away from bowl until last minute. When finished dough should be smooth, shiny and stick to your fingers.
• With oiled spatula, scrape down sides of bowl. If not stiff, add flour. If not sticky add water.
• Rise to double at 75° - 80°.
•  Punch down very gently, don't push out all the air. 
• Two envelope fold.

• Rise to double

• Turn out onto lightly floured bench

• Divide in half for two loaves. I made two boule 

• Place into lightly greased loaf pans. I used a cloth lined Banneton to proof my boule

• Cover lightly with plastic wrap. I use a cotton towel
• Rise in 80° temperature and 80% humidity proofing environment until loaf is 1" above top of loaf pan, test with finger press that will very slowly fill in. I use a Banneton to form the loaf. Then I bake it "free form"

• Preheat oven for 15 minutes to 450°. Rack in middle of oven, use pizza stone and place a steam pan to heat on bottom of oven. I also use the "Roasting Pan Lid" method* of steaming my bread. 

Spray boule with water prior to baking, score with lame, 15 minutes under the lid, then the rest of the time no lid. Reduce oven temperature to 400° after removing steaming lid.

*See the following:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4PHUyRmpPc

This just came out of the oven, you can still see the steam coming off of it

Ready to place the boule onto the peel and spay with water 

• Bake until golden brown, a skewer comes out clean and internal temperature is 210°