How to Use a Pasta Machine

Spaghetti, fettuccine, capellini, and many other types of pasta can be made at home using a pasta machine. Once you master the technique, you would love to try making fresh pasta yourself.

A pasta machine has many adjustable settings. You get various types of cutting blades to prepare different kinds of pasta. The two types of machines are electronic pasta machines and the hand-operated ones.

Once you have bought a pasta maker after your long research in the market, it is time to use it. The machine used here is the hand-operated one. You need the following ingredients to make a serving of pasta for 4.

Ingredients

• 1¼ cup flour
• 2 eggs
• A pinch of salt

Method

• Put the flour directly on the cooking surface. Create a pit in the flour, break eggs, and pour them in it along with the salt.
• Mix it with a fork or with your hands. Try to avoid spilling the eggs out of the flour.

• Once the mixture becomes manageable, knead the dough. If it is too sticky, add a little flour. You must knead it enough to make it homogeneous.
• When the dough becomes soft, flatten it, and make equal parts out of it. Flatten these parts with your hands.

• Now set up the pasta machine in wide settings. Put one rectangular sheet in it and crank the machine. When the sheet comes out, fold it in three parts just like you fold a letter.

• Open the folded parts and put the sheet into the machine again. Continue this process for a couple of times.
• Now change the setting of the machine to narrow and put the sheet in it. The sheet will become thinner.
• Once you get the necessary thickness of the sheet, use the required cutting blades, and put the sheet in the machine again.

• Collect the cut pasta with one hand. You can even take the help of another person to collect the pasta while you crank.
• Set the pasta to dry in a pasta tray for 10-15 minutes. But do not let it over-dry as it can crack.

In case of the electronic machines, you just need to put the flour and eggs into the machine and it manages the rest. Your homemade pasta is ready to use for your favorite recipe!

As the machine is made of stainless steel, it is easier to clean. You can use a damp cloth, a toothbrush, or a pastry brush. You must not put the machine directly in water or even in a dishwasher as it can start rusting from within. If it is possible, try to dismantle the machine, clean it, dry thoroughly, and assemble it again. But, you must do it only if you are aware of the machine's mechanism.

Once you get used to the technique, you can try making different types of pasta at home. With this, you will definitely not want to buy pasta from the supermarket anymore.