Paparadelle Pasta - Fresh and Handmade Because You Can

 

Fresh Paparadelle Egg Pasta

 

Paparadelle with basil-garlic chicken-tomato reduction and olive oil

 

Monday was pasta night at our home. Food enthusiasts are always willing to make something new, something never prepared in their repertoire of cooking experiences, not because we must but because we can. That was my mode of action that day. I had 2 cups of semolina flour, a fresh free range organic egg, and a little over 1/4 cup of cold filtered water. Those were all the ingredients needed to make a beautiful handmade fresh pasta, about a pound of it. I started my little culinary journey and mixed all 3 ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl by hand until a firm ball was formed. about a minute. Then I kneaded it for 5 minutes or so until just before I started to work up a sweat. Covered it with plastic film and rested it for at least 30 minutes at room temperature while I frantically searched the pantry for where I thought I had last seen the Kitchenaid pasta maker attachment. Nowhere to be found! With fresh inspiration still in my heart, I needed a finished pasta dish.

 

Roll out the Dough

I quartered the semolina dough ball, placed it onto a well floured cutting board and began to hand roll it, first by hand into a 1 inch log, then with a rolling pin into an oblong sheet.

 

 

 

 

 Instinct kicked in to roll lengthwise then alternating to widthwise until I had an evenly rolled sheet of 1/16 inch thick pasta. Be sure to keep it well floured.

 

 

 

A pasta machine would have spared me more than half the time for making this simple but time costly treat. Another practicality without the pasta cutter is making a cut that would be appropriate for the dish. Fettuccini would have been a "nice" choice of width but to hand cut it without a ruler would be next to impossible.  

 

Paparadelle! the obvious handmade choice!

Using a pizza cutter the pasta sheet is easily and quickly cut into strips. Using a pastry cutter it lifts off the board easily. I made sure to dust the cut pasta with more flour so as not to stick together prior to cooking. Refrigerate if not used immediately.



Even at only $25 an hour, this pasta dish was going to run $50 just for preparation time. So was the fresh egg pasta going to be worth the effort? For the food enthusiast, Absolutely yes! ...just for the experience of it alone! On a regular night a fresh pasta source is invaluable for that fresh pasta texture.

 

 

 



 

Cooks in 3 to 4 minuti, always in ample well salted water.

 

 

 

 Prego! Fresh Egg Pasta

 

 As a food enthusiast, I love to create something new and different that does not compromise on the taste and texture. I discovered that fresh handmade pasta is truly one of those main dish treats. Tender and forgivingly chewy, this pasta absorbs the perfect amount of flavour and is the star of the dish of a simple tomato reduction with olive oil, fresh basil, parsley and garlic with tender pan seared pieces of chicken breast.



 

Buono appetito.