Bread Machine (35 page)

1 cup semolina pasta flour

1 teaspoon salt

Place all the ingredients in the bread pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Program for the Dough or the Pasta Dough cycle; press Start. Set a kitchen timer for 7 minutes. When the timer rings, check the dough ball that has collected on the blade. It should be firm but pliable. If it is too dry, add a couple drops of water while the machine is kneading. If it is too moist, sprinkle in some all-purpose flour, a teaspoon at a time. Reset the timer for 3 more minutes. When the timer rings, press Stop to cancel the cycle. (These recipes are not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.)

Remove the dough from the pan. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. (The dough can be refrigerated at this point for up to 3 days, but bring to room temperature before rolling out.) The dough is now ready to roll out and cut as desired.

To roll the dough by hand:
Dust your work surface with all-purpose flour. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions, keeping the reserved dough balls covered to prevent drying out. Place the ball of dough on the work surface and with the rolling pin, roll back and forth. Then begin to roll in one direction, away from you. Make a quarter turn and roll in the other direction until the dough stretches into a rounded rectangle about
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₈
inch thick. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll to stretch the dough further (this is how the old Italian grandmothers do it). Keep the dough as thin and as light as possible. Work quickly, as the dough dries out.

To cut the dough by hand:
Sprinkle the dough with flour and bring the 2 opposite ends of the dough together in the center. Repeat 2 more times, until you have a tight double jelly roll of pasta. Hold the roll with one hand and, with a sharp chef’s knife in the other, slice into
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₈
,
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₄
-, or
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-inch-wide thin, medium, or wide noodles. You can slip the dull edge of the knife under the center of the dough and lift the noodles, they will unravel over the knife. Or lift the noodles with your fingers.

To roll the dough with a pasta machine:
Attach the pasta machine onto your counter and set the smooth rollers to the widest opening. Dust your work surface with all-purpose flour. Divide the dough into 4 to 6 equal portions, keeping the reserved dough balls covered to prevent drying out. Place the ball of dough on the work surface and press to flatten, to a width no wider than the opening of the machine. Run the dough through the machine. Dust with flour as necessary. Fold in thirds and run through the machine again. Run the dough through the machine 2 more times, but don’t fold the dough again.

Set the notch on the machine to the next smallest setting and run the dough through the rollers. Continue rolling and stretching the dough, using a smaller setting each time, until the smallest setting is reached. Most machines have 6 graduated settings. You can skip some settings. The dough strip will be long and delicate.

To cut the dough with a pasta machine:
Adjust the cutting mechanism of the machine to the desired width and run the dough through to cut. You can run the cut pasta directly out onto a baking sheet dusted with some semolina.

To dry the pasta:
Transfer the cut pasta to a drying rack, a floured towel, or a floured baking sheet. As one layer is filled, place a sheet of parchment over the pasta on the baking sheet, and continue to layer the pasta and sprinkle lightly with flour to keep from sticking. Cut into desired lengths with a sharp chef’s knife. Let the pasta air dry at least 20 minutes before cooking or freezing.

To cook the pasta right away:
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil over high heat for each pound of pasta. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and 1
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tablespoons salt. Then immerse the pasta. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring a few times to separate the strands, then as the water comes to a low boil again, begin to taste test. Remove a strand from the pot; it should be slightly firm to the bite, not mushy. This happens fast! Pour the cooked pasta into a colander in the sink to drain. Don’t rinse with cold water. Return it to the pan in which it was cooked and toss with some butter or oil, then serve as soon as possible with your sauce.