La Cuillerèe: pasta pasta

I've finally put together a pasta-making tutorial (as promised)! I really wanted to share this because making fresh pasta is one of my very favorite things --- maybe I'm just wacky, but I find it sort of therapeutic...

Before diving into the how-to, I need to start with the pasta machine. I use the Marcato Atlas150 -- this is a really great model (used in professional kitchens) -- you can purchase one on Amazon for around $80. I bought it a few months ago and have gotten a lot of use out of it...totally worth it!

Recipe for pasta dough --

3 cups bread flour

5 eggs

1 tbl salt

semolina flour, as needed

To start out, measure the flour and salt onto a clean work surface -- a wood chop block works great (if you're lucky enough to have one) -- and mix together. I'd advise having a metal bench scraper handy. Crack eggs into a bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour + salt and slowly pour in 3 eggs (pooled eggs will naturally separate from one another). With your hands, incorporate eggs into the flour (you will be very sticky and gooey at this point). Reform well and add 2 remaining eggs - incorporate.

Wash hands to remove any large globs and bring dough together to form a ball. If needed, wash hands again. Flour work surface with semolina flour and knead dough until it starts to develop a gluten structure (this takes roughly 10 minutes) -- the dough should look a bit shinny when it has been kneaded adequately. Cover dough with plastic wrap and rest -- 10-15 min. Dough is ready to roll!

Set up pasta machine on a stable work table -- using clamp to fasten.

It is easiest to work with roughly 1/2 of the dough at a time. Begin by setting the dial to 1. Flatten out dough (so it's around half the width of the roller) and flour with the semolina (don't be afraid to use lots of semolina!). Position end of dough in center of roller. With one hand, support the back end of the dough, guiding it so that it stays straight as it enters the roller -- stop periodically to stretch out the flattened dough as it comes through the other end. Repeat these steps, increasing the dial by one each roll -- you will go all the way up to setting "6".

Tip: If the pasta becomes too long and difficult to handle, cut in half and work sections individually...this usually happens around setting "3". Just be sure to remember where you left off...

If you want to make pasta noodles, fasten attachment and roll sheet through chosen setting (depends on the width of the noodle you want). Toss cut noodles with the semolina to keep from sticking together and cover with plastic until ready to boil -- they will dry out quickly.

For ravioli you'll need 2 sheets of rolled out pasta, approximately the same length and width. You'll also need to have round or square cutters on hand. Flour work surface with semolina and lay out one sheet of pasta.

Recipe for three cheese filling --

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbl fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbl fresh basil, chopped

Before adding the filling, I like to use a cutter to "mark" where each ravioli will be. Mound a small amount of filling in center of each marked ravioli. Lightly dab water around the filling (this will help the sheets stick) and drape the second sheet of pasta over the filling. Working with one mound at a time, use finger tips to press sheets and seal -- being careful not to lock in any air bubbles. Cut each ravioli with your selected cutter and toss with the semolina flour.