Homemade Pasta

For Thanksgiving each year we head up to Ohio to visit Brent's family.  Since we stay with his Aunt and they host a beautiful Thanksgiving feast I always like to bring them something.  Last year it was a really neat candle that looked like an ornament.  This year I decided to bring them some dried homemade pasta.  Making pasta is super easy and taste exponentially better than dried pasta you get in the store.  I have always made pasta and then used it the same day so drying it to keep for a couple months was a new feat and worked out great!

Homemade Tagliatelle Pasta (original recipe from A16 Food and Wine Cookbook)

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups water
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour and salt.  On low speed drizzle in the water and egg.  Mix until just combined then knead on medium-low speed for 3 min.
2. Check the consistency, it should feel slightly tacky but not sticky.  If the dough sticks to your fingers add 1/4 cup more flour.  Continue to knead the dough for 10 min.  
3. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and let rest for about 30 min.  

1. Prepare a large amount of counter space and flour it.  If using a hand a crank pasta machine attach it to the counter next the flour area.  
2. Unwrap a piece of the dough and flatten dough into a rectangle no wider than will fit comfortably through the rollers.  Guide the dough through the first setting of the pasta machine, then through each setting until the second to last setting.  At this point guide it through the tagliatelle cutter (if too long then cut in half before putting through).
3. If cooking the pasta that day then coat the noodles lightly in flour then place on a baking sheet until ready to cook.  If drying the noodles hang each noodle over a broom placed between two chairs. 
4.  Once the pasta starts to dry (about 30 mi. to an hour) remove a couple pieces at a time to wrap in a next shape.  On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper place all the nests and let dry over the next 2 days.
5. After completely dry put pasta in an airtight container. Should last a couple months.
6. When cooking the pasta boil for about 5-7 min.