Pasta: Made From Scratch

Don't panic, it's easier than you think, I swear!

I've always wanted to make homemade pasta, but every recipe that I found called for semolina.  I searched and searched every grocery store that I ever walked in and I never found it.  So, eventually, I gave up.  Then, one day I was watching the Food Network and one of the chefs was making pasta...with all purpose flour!!  My heart literally jumped for joy!!

My first mission now, was to get the pasta roller kit for my KitchenAids. I mean, if I don't have to roll the dough out by hand, why should I?  So, off I went to search the local stores.  After 2 weeks of searching and realizing that I would have to order it from online in order not to have to amputate my left arm to purchase it.  I was deciding which store/site I was going to buy the kit from and while walking through Wal-mart, I saw one on the shelf.  Were my eyes deceiving me?  Could this be true?  I could buy the kit right now and not have to wait for it to be ship?  Why, yes, yes I could!  The pasta gods were definitely smiling on me that day.

Mission 2: drying rack.  I pretty much knew that this was going to have to be ordered online since I didn't see one anywhere while I was comparison shopping for the kit.  I checked a few stores anyways, just in case.  I had seen a rack once while online and it was $13 plus shipping for one rack.  I had a feeling that I would need 2 since I know that each batch of pasta dough makes a lot.  That would mean $26 plus shipping plus more waiting.  I didn't want to do that because I was itching to make this pasta!  So, I got creative.  I went to the laundry section where they have clothespins and hangers and such and I found it.  A dryer rack.  Who says drying racks are just for clothes?

So, now I'm ready.  Ready to make my first ever batch of pasta.  Here's the recipe...

2 cups flour

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

 Mound the flour on a clean work surface. Hollow out the center making a well in the middle of the flour with steep sides.

Break the eggs into the well. Add the salt, and olive oil to the hollow center and gently mix together with a fork. Gradually start incorporating the flour by pulling in the flour from the sides of the well. As you incorporate more of the flour, the dough will start to take shape.

With your hands or a bench scraper continue working the dough until it comes together. If the dough is too dry, add a little water; if too wet or sticky, add a little flour.

Begin kneading the dough and keep kneading until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. At this point, set the dough aside, cover it with plastic, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but allow it to return to room temperature before rolling it out.

Divide the pasta dough into 4 even sections. Keep each section covered with plastic wrap or a clean towel while you work with each one. Flour the dough, the rollers of a pasta roller (or your rolling pin), your hands, and the work surface.

If using a pasta machine: Flatten 1 of the of the dough pieces between your hands or with a floured rolling pin until it forms a thick oval disk. Dust the disk, the roller, and your hands with additional flour. Flour a baking sheet to hold the rolled out finished pasta.

With the roller on the widest setting, pass the pasta through the machine's rollers a few times until it is smooth. Fold the dough over into 1/3, and continue to pass through a few more times until the pasta is smooth again. Begin adjusting the pasta machine settings to become thinner, passing the dough through a few times at each setting.

If rolling the pasta by hand: Flatten a dough piece into a thick oval disk with your hands. Flour a baking sheet for the rolled out finished pasta. Place the oval dough disk on a floured work surface, and sprinkle with additional flour. Begin rolling out the dough with a floured rolling pin working from the center of the dough outwards, constantly moving the dough and lifting it to make sure it's not sticking.

That's it!  Now all you have to do is dry it, freeze it or cook it!  I made my first batch so I could post on here and now I'm going to make more for dinner.  :)

Don't forget to experiment and add flavors or herbs or ANYTHING!  Add them to the eggs before you incorporate the flour, though.  If the dough is too dry, just add a little water.  Too wet, add a little flour.

Have fun!

Lava Isn't Just For Volcanoes Anymore!

Almost any sit-down restaurant you go to nowadays has a lava cake on their menu.  If you're like me, you tried to figure out how to make them thinking it would be hard.  Trust me, they aren't hard to make at all.  Now, if you're still like me, sometimes a plain ol' chocolate lava cake just isn't want you want or what you have a hankerin' for.  How about a caramel apple one...with vanilla ice cream...garnished with a caramel drizzle and powdered sugar?  That may just hit the spot!

I acquired this recipe a few years ago, and like any home cook, tried it out on my guinea pig...er... family.  I'm not surprised to say that it was a hit!  Here's how the recipe goes...

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (2 squares)
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup caramel topping, plus more for drizzle

1/2 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped peeled apple
powdered sugar, if desired

Directions: 

Heat oven to 450°F Spray bottoms and sides of 6 (6-oz) custard cups with baking spray with flour. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cracker crumbs onto bottom and around side of each cup.

In large bowl, beat whole eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk until well blended. Beat in brown sugar. Beat in caramel topping and flour until well blended. Stir in apple. Divide batter evenly among custard cups. Place cups on cookie sheet with sides. 

Bake about 15 minutes or until sides are set and centers are still soft but not liquid (tops will be slightly puffed). Watch carefully—cakes can overbake quickly. Remove from cookie sheet. Let stand 3 minutes.

Run small knife or metal spatula along sides of cakes to loosen. Immediately place heatproof dessert plate upside down over top of each cup; turn plate and cup over. Remove cup. Sprinkle cakes with powdered sugar and drizzle with more caramel (if desired). Serve warm and with ice cream!

The picture above was before the ice cream and drizzle.  I just wanted you to see it in all it's wonderful ooey gooey awesomeness!

Pin And Tweet

I'm now on Twitter!!!!  Follow me at https://twitter.com/AngelHKirk

I've been on Pinterest, who hasn't, but I FINALLY added a blog board.  :)  You can follow me there too.
 http://www.pinterest.com/mylittlebitty/my-bloggy-blog/

I'm so excited to finally expand to a bigger audience!

Happy pinning and tweeting y'all!

Goop And Glue...Cake Decorating Essentials

If you're ever out of baking spray, you know, the spray that has the flour in it, I have a solution for you.  Make some goop.  Funny name, I know, but you can make it out of things that I bet you already have in your kitchen.  All you have to go is mix together equal parts of flour, vegetable oil and shortening.  Whisk it until smooth and put it in a container with a lid.  Now just store it in your fridge until you need it.  If by chance it separates, just mix it back together.  The jar size that I made lasted for about 5 months. 

I used...

1/3c flour
1/3c vegetable oil
1/3c shortening

I then placed it in a half pint mason jar with a lid and stored it in my refrigerator.  Whenever you need it, use a pastry brush (or napkin) and dip it in the goop and brush onto the pan.  Use enough to cover the pan completely without using too much.  A little goes a long way!

Now, on to the glue.  Edible glue that is.  This is really good for gumpaste or fondant decorations that you need to stick together or onto a cake.  This works MUCH better than using water.  All it is, is tylose powder and water.  There's no real measurement to this, just remember that a little tylose powder goes a long way.  I used a very small container, filled it with water, added a very small amount of powder and mixed with a fork.  If it gets too thick, just add more water because your water to tylose powder ratio is off.  No big deal.  When you're done, put the lid on a store it in the fridge.
 

Another edible glue (which I didn't make for this blog) is using fondant and adding water to make a paste.  More like the consistency of the white school glue.  You can store that in your fridge as well.  This, too, works better than using water to adhere your decorations.

Dutch Oven Bread

That's right, bread made in a Dutch oven. 

I got a Dutch oven for Christmas and since then I have been looking for recipes so I can utilize it more.  On Pinterest (which, if you know me, you know I am VERY fond of) I found a recipe for bread.  I was shocked, to say the least.  I would never have thought that I could use a Dutch oven to make bread.  And 4 ingredients??  No way! 

Last night, I decided to give it a go.  It takes a while to rise (12-18 hours) so I definitely needed to start this at night for the next day.  I assembled my ingredients, covered the bowl and placed it in the oven and forgot about it until I needed to start baking.

While it was baking, my house smelled so good!  Who doesn't love the smell of baking bread that they made from scratch?  Oh, and a major plus... the bread is a crusty one!  Great for soups or stews or just with homemade butter.  **Yes, I make my own butter as well. ;)**

Here's the recipe...

Ingredients...

3c bread flour
1t active dry yeast
1t salt
1 1/2c warm water

Directions...

1. Whisk flour, yeast and salt in a 3-4 quart bowl with a tight fitting lid. If you don't have a bowl w/lid use plastic wrap on a bowl. Add the water and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough is mixed well. The dough will be quite sticky and rough looking, but that's OK. Cover the bowl and set aside for 12-18 hours,(up to 24) overnight is fine.

 

2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a cast iron Dutch oven with the lid into the oven while preheating and heat the pot/lid for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, scrape the risen dough from the bowl onto a heavily floured surface. (Dough will still be very sticky.) With floured hands, gently shape the dough into a round loaf, making sure there's enough flour on the surface so dough doesn't stick. Let the dough just sit there until you're pot is preheated.

 

3. Take the hot pot from the oven and gently place the dough into the pot. Cover with the lid and return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid at that time and return the pot to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Gently shake the loaf onto a cooling rack and enjoy the beautiful aroma. Give it a chance to cool before cutting into the loaf. 

 

 

 I absolutely LOVE the rustic look of this bread!  Oh, and in case you were wondering, the bread doesn't stick to the Dutch oven.  Not at all.  

Enjoy!

 

 http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/bread/other-bread/the-best-crusty-bread-dutch-oven.html