I got a free hand-crank pasta machine many years ago and never used it although I'd threatened to on several occasions. Over the July 4th weekend friends of ours, Emily and Tony Presti, came out to the house and I talked Emily into helping me make pasta. She said the last time she'd helped she was 12 years old. That was when her mother discovered there was pre-made pasta in the grocery store and never made it again. It went okay so I figured we brothers could do it just to know the process and have a greater appreciation for the boxed stuff. Anyway it felt like 100 degrees outside and we had a whole day to clean the kitchen should things go horribly awry.
Experienced flour-men, Bruce and Paul looking on bemused as Mark gets mired in "sticky finger syndrome". They saw it coming.
Paul to the rescue, note my fingers but hey, my shirt is clean!
The process is going well. Each two passes through the machine we went to a thinner setting then finally ran the sheets through the cutter side opting for a linguini shape.
Next time we'll make the dough even drier so separation by hand won't be required as much. The new L.L. Bean mallet came in very handy.
Evan produced a lovely fresh tomato sauce and all was well. I hope someone has a photo of the pile of steaks that Bruce and Frank grilled on the deck (mine a perfect medium rare as requested). Local steamed corn, cucumber from the garden and fresh mint tea made for a great dinner, with sparkling conversation of course!
1 comment:
Evan's recommendation: Next time, we should wipe the mallet Before, and not just After using it. Mom would approve.
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