HOW TO USE KITCHEN TOOLS TO MAKE FRESH PASTA
OMG YOU GUYS HAVE TO TRY THIS OUT!
Inspired by @miyukiadachi, a Japanese pasta chef in Toronto who creates beautiful pasta with self-made pasta boards or even vegetable grater! It made me wonder what kind of pasta shapes I could potentially create in my own home without spending an extra dime, and after testing with what I have in my kitchen drawer, I’m amazed at how many different and beautiful fresh pasta shapes that came out from simple kitchen tools like tongs! Like rice spatula! Or even from making my own pasta board simply with wooden skewers!
Here, three types of fresh pasta doughs that could be used interchangeably with each different method. Really!? Do you really want to hear me say another word at this point?! Go! Run! Make it now!
MUSHROOM WATER PASTA DOUGH:
Yields 2 servings
- 1 1/2 cup (195 grams) tipo 00 flour, or all-purpose flour
- 2 large egg yolk
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp mushroom water (the water you use to soak dry mushrooms)
Mix flour, egg yolk, salt and mushroom water in a large bowl with a fork until it come into a shaggy dough. Transfer onto a working surface and knead vigorously for at least 5~6 min, until the dough is very smooth and silky. The dough should feel soft but not sticky. If it feels sticky, knead in a bit more flour. If it feels crackly and dry, wet your hands with water and knead it into the dough. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 1 hour. Shape into fresh pasta according to video instruction.
*NOTE: DO NOT add egg whites into this type of chubby pasta, or else it would become really tough!
FRESH BASIL PASTA DOUGH:
Yields 2 servings
- 2 large handfuls of fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup (195 grams) tipo 00 flour, or all-purpose flour
- 2 large egg yolk
- 4 1/2 tbsp water
In a mortar, grind fresh basil leaves and salt together until it become a fine paste. Mix the basil paste, flour, egg yolk and water in a large bowl with a fork until it come into a shaggy dough. Transfer onto a working surface and knead vigorously for at least 5~6 min, until the dough is very smooth and silky. The dough should feel soft but not sticky. If it feels sticky, knead in a bit more flour. If it feels crackly and dry, wet your hands with water and knead it into the dough. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 1 hour. Shape into fresh pasta according to video instruction.
*NOTE: DO NOT add egg whites into this type of chubby pasta, or else it would become really tough!
WOODEN SKEWER PASTA BOARD:
Find a small rectangle of a sturdy material as your foundation (I used a cork pad, but you can use wood board or anything you have on hand). Cut the wooden skewers into the same length as your board, then line them on top of the board using all-purpose glue (don’t use too much! just enough to stick!). Leave wider gap between each skewer if you want a deeper ridge. After you’re done, press the board down with something heavy (like cast-iron skillet) until it’s completely dried. Clean the ridges on the board with a toothpick if they are stuck with excess flour after using.
PAPRIKA PASTA DOUGH:
Yields 2 servings
- 1 1/2 cup (195 grams) tipo 00 flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp paprika powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 large egg yolk
- 5 tbsp water
Mix the flour, paprika powder, salt, egg yolk and water in a large bowl with a fork until it come into a shaggy dough. Transfer onto a working surface and knead vigorously for at least 5~6 min, until the dough is very smooth and silky. The dough should feel soft but not sticky. If it feels sticky, knead in a bit more flour. If it feels crackly and dry, wet your hands with water and knead it into the dough. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 1 hour. Shape into fresh pasta according to video instruction.
*NOTE: DO NOT add egg whites into this type of chubby pasta, or else it would become really tough!
Betty
07.26.2016at5:47 PMOh my goodness, Mandy you are amazing. This is delightful, and those “chubby pasta” looks SO GOOD. I’d imagine they would cling to any sauce incredibly well!!!!!!
Monica @woklikeme
07.26.2016at7:39 PMDamn. As simple and innovative as ever. Would love a cream sauce with the mushroom dough.
Carina Simeon
07.26.2016at9:50 PMNamaskaram – OmG Mandy – I meet you here for the first time and ……… I can not take my eyes off this post. What an incredible “secret” you are sharing here with us – with all my love Italian, and the many many many visits for decades now to this beautiful country I have never seen anything like this – and the Chef is Japanese!!?? Do you happen to know the name of his Restaurant in Toronto?? Please help me here :) :)
I simply will have to try one of the above Pasta doughs out – wish me luck.
Also with pleasure I follow you now – cant wait to see more of your sharing here :) :) :) Ciao, Carina
Ursula | LilVienna.com
07.26.2016at11:11 PMThose look amazing! Thanks Mandy for this great tutorial. As a hobby hoarder of all kinds of things (especially kitchen gadgets), I a sure that I will find something to make past a with ;-)
g-tsak@icookstuff
07.26.2016at11:18 PMOMG OMG OMG Mandy you sorceress ! I’ve been dying to remake pasta and this just may “clinch it” for me and push me into that wonderful abyss…. i’ve got my special ingredients for experimentation just waiting !!! xo
Dawn Barnhart
07.27.2016at12:14 AMLove the videos – especially the “cheering crowd” … so creative. :)
Joyce @ Sun Diego Eats
07.27.2016at12:48 AMTHIS IS AWESOME. I always get a bit discouraged when I see posts for cool pasta shapes that you need very specific equipment for – I don’t really want to have a tool that only for shaping cavatelli, that I will use maybe 11 times total in the course of my lifetime.
Ellie | from scratch mostly
07.27.2016at1:28 AMWhat….???!!! Do you know how amazing you are?!! Okay I probably wouldn’t answer that if I were you–I just hope you know it in your heart of hearts. This is so fun and therapeutic and clever, my friend! You have a knack for riling me up to make things and create out of my comfort zone…..this definitely has me fantasizing about my next homemade pasta dish.
Yen
07.27.2016at3:18 AMHi Mandy,
I love your blog. Your recipes are so unique and interesting and your photos are absolutely stunning. I just have a question…. How long can these pasta be kept in the refrigerator or freezer after making them?
mandy@ladyandpups
07.27.2016at3:48 AMYen, I would recommend freezing instead of refrigerating. Spread pastas on a sheet and freeze until hard, then transfer to an air-tight bag. Should keep more than a month.
Eva
07.27.2016at3:32 AMHey,
this is so crazy genius, need to try this RIGHT now !!!!
Love love LOVE you blog and especially love your really unique style..
ps. if you ever consider teaching food photography workshops … :D
claudia
07.29.2016at6:52 PMHola ! es muy bueno tu blog y hoy mas que nunca!!!! En la primera receta dice 5 cucharadas de agua de setas , no lleva setas? o la traduccion se hizo mal.Perdon pero no se hablar, ni escribie en ingles.Gracias!
Ellie | from scratch mostly
07.30.2016at4:12 AMHola Claudia! Mandy dice que el agua de seta es solamente agua con sabor de seta. La seta fue remojada en el agua antes de hecharlos en la mezcla. :)
mandy@ladyandpups
07.30.2016at5:57 PMClaudia, Ellie is right! Thanks, Ellie!
claudia
08.02.2016at3:17 AMEllie gracias por tu respuesta! entonces entendi bien ? pongo a remojar setas pero solo pongo el agua ,las setas no van en la masa.Perdon pero uso traductores para leer las paginas y no siempre lo traducen bien
Soe | limeandcilantro
08.01.2016at4:26 AMMandy, this recipe looks so awesome. I am totally making this. The video is also on-point :D
Andrea Clarke
08.01.2016at9:07 PMAwesome tips. I will definitely follow them next time I create fresh pasta.
Sabrina
08.06.2016at10:45 PMWhat a great post! Very inspiring pasta making techniques and loved the videos!
Jessica Carbon
08.08.2016at10:19 PMthis is an amazing post. I hate buying finicky kitchen gadgets! definitely making pasta tonight!!
https://www.searedandshameless.com
Natacha Sanz Caballero
08.09.2016at11:21 AMThis is so clever! And your blog is stunning. I just voted for it on the Saveur awards.
Best of luck to you!
Natacha
mandy@ladyandpups
08.10.2016at5:19 AMNatasha, thank you!
naomi
03.18.2018at9:38 PMthanks for sharing this ingenious method of making fresh pasta!! as a complete cooking noob, how would i incorporate this into a pasta dish? should i boil it like i would for dry pasta before using?