Pasta

[Kyle Weiss]

I've been revisiting making pasta by hand a lot lately. My better half keeps buying dozens of eggs, thinking we need them. So, I knead them.

I've had an old Italian-made pasta wringer with cutters for a while, and haven't touched the thing in years. Before that, I was madly mashing dough with rolling pins, painstakingly cutting noodles with sharp knives and...what a painstaking process. Fortunately, it's like riding a bike. The only problem nowadays is not finding La Pina flour any more, which is what I used to put about 30% into the mixture for a particularly delicate batch. So I've had to move on. Ain't quite traditional, but finding double-aught durum is tough. Meh. Considering I would meld French noodle recipies with Mexican flour and Italian techniques. What'ev.

Anyway, King Aurthur's White (hard) Wheat flour has been a good base lately. It darkens like crazy after a batch rests in the fridge for more than a day or two, but with an extra yolk to four eggs per two cups (or thereabouts) it is easy to work with and has enough oomph to hold together ravioli nicely, and keep paper-thin fettuccine from blowing apart when boiling.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. Pasta-making is good therapy. Plus, you need something to do when taking the time to reduce fresh tomatoes for a sauce, anyway. :heart:

8)

 

[Harlock999]

Sounds amazing!
Can you mix up some chow fun?
I'll bring my chopsticks!

 

[Kyle Weiss]

A lot of Chinese noodles require a different approach than anything European (shocking, I know...).  I have followed at least a dozen recipes trying to get that perfectly "jelly like" (but still strong) noodle one might find at a good Chinese place, but they all came out pretty mediocre.  Or I've become accustomed to the store-bought dough or pre-packaged stuff used in a majority of restaurants.   One place here in Reno I know makes their own (C)Ho(w) Fun noodles and giggled in my general direction when I asked for the noodle recipe.  

Then comes the right wok.  The right temperature.  The right ingredients at the right time...I'm damned with a sh*tty electric stove and a great wok that's collecting dust.  :fpalm:

Sorry, my friend.

8)

 

[scotties22]

You can send that wok my way ....I promise to put her to good use. I have a burner on my stove that has some rediculous number of BTUs that will heat up a cast iron dutch oven in about a minute.

You can't go wrong with King Arthur's flour...it's good stuff. I make bread for my therapy (and pipes too, but bread tastes better). Matter of fact, I'm working on some right now. I do cheat and pull out my stand mixer to do the kneading.

 

[Anonymous]

Scottie's better half had her bring home brewed artisan beer to go with the nice pasta.

The guys really enjoyed the gourmet meal she prepared for al fresco dining in their new picnic area.

 

[scotties22]

I don't bring home no stinking beer!!!!!....................I make it myself!!

He has looked like that poor lad a few times though:lol!: 

 

[Anonymous]

I don't bring home no stinking beer!!!!!....................I make it myself!!

He has looked like that poor lad a few times though:lol!: 

My sincerest apology. I have corrected the gross misstatement. Truly a women for all seasons.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

You can send that wok my way ....I promise to put her to good use.  I have a burner on my stove that has some rediculous number of BTUs that will heat up a cast iron dutch oven in about a minute.  

You can't go wrong with King Arthur's flour...it's good stuff.  I make bread for my therapy (and pipes too, but bread tastes better).  Matter of fact, I'm working on some right now.  I do cheat and pull out my stand mixer to do the kneading.

Scotties, you're up-there on my list of "awesome," but ya ain't that awesome, sister. :lol: I have two woks, actually, one is a stainless steel "round-eye" model that does well on more conventional stoves, but isn't the same as the 15" iron model I got for cheap in SF's Chinatown from a reputable vendor. I require gas for that one...thinking about getting a propane free-standing burner for my porch. I'm spoiled...once you know what "breath of the Dragon" is with wok cooking, you realize it's an important ingredient.

King Arthur Flour is tops. I never used to use it much, but more recently it's been going into rouxs, soups, the few baking experiments I attempt (I'm no baker by a long shot) and now pasta, with some frequency. The price is decent and the quality is excellent. If it weren't for habit, I don't believe I even need to sift the stuff unless I intend on mixing in other flour or dry ingredients.

8)

 

[scotties22]

What you need to do is go buy a turkey frier.  Get one with a really solid heavy duty base/burner.  Don't get one of the cheap ones with legs that are removeable....you want it to be one big piece.  Then you can use it for all types of stuff.  I fry one turkey a year, but use the hell out of that burner.  Brewing beer....... cooking with the wok......boiling water to do my laundry....the list is endless.  (and yes, I'm joking about the laundry bit....I ain't that much of a hillbilly.....I have a washer :lol!: )

What is sifting???  I just give the bag a few shakes as I carry it across the kitchen.  I will warn you, though.....make sure the bag is closed first :lol:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

...that's exactly what I'm after...sort of. What I find locally are two things...the "Mexican" type outdoor propane stand burners, pretty damn large (and look like they'd be great for paella), or the turkey fryer kits you speak of...but the kits come with a huge, aluminum pots. I'll never use the massive pot (or fry a turkey, honestly...yeah, I know its good, but...I can cook a turkey to perfection in a dozen different ways as it is... :lol: ).

My real problem with both is they aren't super great at keeping a round-bottom wok from rolling on the flat surface. I'd probably have to find a pretty large "wok ring" to keep it from rolling around, and that might require a trip to a major metropolis with measurements and dimensions in mind to find the right one. Or luck out and find a burner that will accommodate a wok easily. <img class="emojione" alt="?" title=":shrug:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/1f937.png?v=2.2.7"/>

I fear ordering from the Internet such metal rings only because I can't check out the actual sizes, angles and metal quality...but, the good news is, I think I can head to the Latino flea markets and buy a pretty damn good propane stand-burner for pretty cheap. I'll have to ask around. I am not easily defeated, especially in matters of food. :heart:

 

[huffelpuff]

Kyle the solution to your Asian noodle problem is that most recipes don't include sodium carbonate, or lye water. These 2 are essential to make hand pulled noodles correctly. The easiest source for sodium carbonate is to heat sodium bicarbonate in your oven at 200* for about 2 hours. The lye water should be obtainable at an Asian or Mexican market. Oh and use the highest gluten bread flour you can find for this usually the stuff for bread machines is the highest. Hope this helps and let us know how it works out for you.

Jim

Duh it might help if I told you how much! For every cup of flour you need to add 2 grams of sodium carbonate and 1 gram of lye water. Add water to get to play-doh type consistency (about 1/2 cup)

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Kyle the solution to your Asian noodle problem is that most recipes don't include sodium carbonate, or lye water. These 2 are essential to make hand pulled noodles correctly. The easiest source for sodium carbonate is to heat sodium bicarbonate in your oven at 200* for about 2 hours. The lye water should be obtainable at an Asian or Mexican market. Oh and use the highest gluten bread flour you can find for this usually the stuff for bread machines is the highest. Hope this helps and let us know how it works out for you.

Jim

Duh it might help if I told you how much! For every cup of flour you need to add 2 grams of sodium carbonate and 1 gram of lye water. Add water to get to play-doh type consistency (about 1/2 cup)

Now that there is some handy info! Don't be surprised if I message you with questions!!!! Thanks!

 

[huffelpuff]

Anytime. I worked for a BBQ joint for years that was next to a Noodle Shop. They don't give out the recipe to anybody. Oh and lye water is from the Asian markets if all you have are Mexican markets you want "cal" lime powder it will work in a pinch.

Jim

 

[scotties22]

Excellent......I'm going shopping!! Then I'm gonna make me some noodles. Pictures of the distater area to follow......I'm a messy cook :lol!: 

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Scotties if you come across any pitfalls or "hallelujah" moments in your noodle adventures please post them here.   (...is there such a thing as a "clean" cook?--I wouldn't trust them if they exist... :tongue: )

We have some Asian markets here, but they aren't as well-stocked as I like.  Think Asian convenience store with a good selection of rice.  

Also, I have to take a pause and mention how cool it is to have fellow professionals, home- and restaurant-sharpened alike, around BoB.   :cheers:   Food creation and preparation is some of the purest forms of expression and love!

8)

 

[huffelpuff]

Sounds like someone is going to have entirely too much fun!

 

[scotties22]

There is a huge Asian Market about 5 minutes from my house.  I just might have to cruise down there tomorrow and pick up what I need to make some noodles.  My husband is a great taste tester......he'll eat anything once:lol!: I'll let you know how they turn out.

And I gotta say.....I LOVE to cook and always cook with LOVE :heart:

And, one day, when I grow up I want to open my own restaurant

 

[Kyle Weiss]

And, one day, when I grow up I want to open my own restaurant

Hoo-boy, good luck with that. :lol: I've seen restaurants break perfectly good men and women. I like working in the business, but the tempting dreams of running one...? Egad. That's where I like to be "XO" and not the Commander, for sure. In the galley, of course.

8)

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I'm looking for a "zigzag" pasta cutter wheel. I see them on the Internet but I fear they're cheap pieces of crap, and they're impossible to find at junk stores. Same thing with ravioli cutters, the round kind that look like ring molds with the same "zigzag" edges. Does anyone even make the wood "pattern boards" for rolling out textured pasta?

If any of you happen to come across a good one, let me know. :mrgreen: Makes doing pretty ravioli or farfalle easier.

Plus, this book intrigues me...

http://www.amazon.com/The-Geometry-Pasta-Caz-Hildebrand/dp/1594744955

...looks like a good pasta-nerd tome. Might have to go pick it up.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Picked up a cheapie pastry wheel (not as jagged as a proper pasta cutter) for $5 at a restaurant supply store...should work, but we shall see.