Making Pasta: part 1

I got to work early one day and decided I would document my daily pasta prep, so that I could share with everyone. This is a basic Egg based pasta recipe, that can be used for all sorts of dishes. The last picture shown here is the pasta sheet that we will then cut and turn into papardelle.

Making pasta:

300 grams Semolina flour
125 grams "OO" flour
3     egg yolks
3     whole eggs

(This recipe should make enough pasta to feed at least 5 people very well)

Using a bowl,  combine the dry ingredients, then using the classic well method create a well in the center of the flour and put your eggs in the center.

                                      

incorporate all ingredients by gradually bringing the dry to the center

                                      

After you have incorporated as much as you could with your fork, bring the dough together with your hands. When you are finished, it should look like this. 

At this point its time to knead the pasta dough on a clean table with your hands for about 10-15 min. The goal is to just fully combine all the ingredients. Developing some structure but not too much.  Some say a good rule of thumb is to knead the pasta until it feels like the outside of an eggshell. Then let rest for at least half an hour. Making sure to wrap it up in plastic and store it in the refridgerator. 

After your pasta dough has had time to rest, knead it for another 5-10min. At this point begin to roll out your pasta into as much of a rectangle as possible (the width being that of the pasta machine, and the thickness of the largest setting on the pasta machine). Using your pasta machine on its largest setting (on mine its 1) pass your pasta dough at least twice, and continue to do so until you reach to the 7 where you would only pass it once.  

Finished sheet.

This takes some practice, but its worth it. I will post another blog on passing the pasta through the pasta machine very soon. As for now, I hope this post at least sparked interest into some to try to make homemade pasta.

Gardening Mistakes

Assumptions are indeed the mother of all F ups ...
                              I planted all my seedlings this year in the little black cells, but didn't label the individual seedlings because I made a an exact replica of where everything was at on paper....BIG MISTAKE....after having to switch and rotate my seedlings (because I only have two grow lights, and am too cheap to buy more) and having to transplant some of the seedlings that outgrew the cells. I have now completely confused myself as to the original placement of everything.
                               It was obvious which herbs were which and what not...but where i'm totally stumped is the peppers....I had cayenne, shishito, fatali, serrano, jalapeno, thai, and bell.....and can't seem to distinguish them. My other problem was the tomatoes...but was able to more or less figure it all out..
                                  Normally I would just take this and stride with it, plant it and be surprised, but because my intention was to sell/ give some of these away...I pretty much just shot myself in the foot...
                  Lesson learned here: ALWAYS LABEL YOUR SEEDLINGS

Wordless Wednesday

Wow.

While I was out in New York I came across this bike and said "wow" I've never seen anything like it, but it looks pretty cool. I thought for sure this was custom made, but I still went home and researched and apparently theres quite a market for them. All different shapes and sizes, pretty cool.

Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to a Good Life... Review Part 1

I have had this book for some time now, and have enjoyed it very much, but to be honest I never really have read it. You see, i've gotten into this bad habit of buying several cookbooks at the same time, so I often end up flipping through them all and then thoroughly reading one at a time. Well I'm glad that I bought this book, and wish I would have read it sooner.

This is more than just a cookbook, it is almost like a manual. Jamie Oliver did something pretty cool in this book, he not only shares his recipes, but also shares his secrets on how to grow the vegetables.

 He divides the book into seasons then chooses a specific vegetable or protein as subdivision within the season. One of the many things that I enjoyed about Jamie at Home is that it appeals to everyone, as opposed to just chefs or home cooks. It is a book that in my eyes will be frequently revisited and has rightfully deserved a place in my bookshelf.

I have yet to come across a recipe that  have not wanted to try.