Pasta machines - worth while investment??

shell2001 · 26 August 2006 at 9:06PM

Hi

Just wondered if anyone used a pasta machine????

If so are they good? easy to use? do you save money? and more importantly does it taste much better?????

So many questions I know. Thinking of getting one if I get enough Birthday money

well heres hoping anyway.

Also can does anyone have a recommendations?

Thanks

doddsy · 26 August 2006 at 9:24PM

Shell - bought mine from Julian Graves, used it twice and ate the best pasta I have ever tasted. Third time the cogs jammed and now can't use it. Too late to take it back and have been waiting ages for oh to try and repair.

doddsy

greentomato · 26 August 2006 at 10:10PM

Hello,
We have a pasta machine that we've used quite a few times. It does make lovely pasta, tastes much nicer than any bought pasta. You can even dry it and save it to use at a later date. But I wouldn't say that it is any cheaper, in fact its probably more expensive than bought pasta (even the fresh stuff) because you have to buy the italian 00 flour, and put eggs in, so the ingredients are quite expensive.

My tip is to make the pasta dough in a food processor rather than by hand (I think some breadmakers will do it as well) as it saves loads of time. Using the machine itself isn't that difficult once you've got the hand of it, in fact its quite fun! The dough is very elastic so not that easy to manipulate by hand. We once made pasta without a machine and it wasn't very nice, because you just can't get it thin enough by hand.

There is one way to save money with a pasta maker though - make Christmas presents with it! Last Christmas I made some handmade pasta and dried it, and packaged it up nicely with handwritten labels, and gave it to my brother-in-law as a present. He loves food and he seemed really chuffed with it. I had put rosemary in one batch and beetroot in the other so it looked quite unusual.

Jamie Oliver's recipe books have some good pasta recipes in and good tips for making it.

HTH, gt

kingmonkey · 26 August 2006 at 10:15PM

Dried pasta is dirt cheap already?

shell2001 · 27 August 2006 at 12:09PM

Thanks for that - no thanks buttons showing up.

I know dried pasta is really cheap but just fancy at having a go making my own (plus I then know exactly what is in it). Like the idea of giving it dried as gifts. My breadmaker has a pasta setting so think that I will buy one if I get enough birthday cash.

soba · 27 August 2006 at 1:28PM

I've had a pasta machine for about 18 months, and TBH it's never even been out of the box. Now that I've found out that my bread m/c might make the dough, there's a chance it'll get used. Anyone know if the panasonic bread m/c does dough?

Zed42 · 27 August 2006 at 1:32PM

We put a pasta machine on our wedding list and got it ... 6yrs ago .... we've made one batch of pasta - it was lovely.

I've even lent the machine to a friend of mine who was considering buying one - she stored it for 12mths for us! Never quite got around to it though.

I must dig it out and try it again .. this time I'd like to see if I could freeze it, as it did make nice pasta, we made green and red tagliatelle.

CLARABEL · 27 August 2006 at 2:32PM

we finally gave away our pasta machine having made one batch in 9 yeasr on it.

the problem i think is it's a lot of work ,and the thing about bought, dried pasta is that it really is just wheat, no extra rubbish.

Also, i prefer wheat pasta to egg pasta which is the fresh/home made stuff. eggy pasta makes me feel a little bloated/indigestion'y...not nice!

I know lots of people who have machines in the back of thier cupboards, so if you really want to try it, don't invest before you've asked on freecyle!! betcha someone has one they'd give you!

Clara.:T

shell2001 · 27 August 2006 at 2:42PM

Thanks Clara for the freecycle tip. I am waiting for my registration to be approved as I have a few baby items I no longer need but did think about trying to track down a machine.

malamala · 27 August 2006 at 3:04PM

If you love cooking then Pasta machine is a good gadget to have.

I used my breadmachine to knead the dough and then use Pasta machine to turn it into lovely pasta. You can add spinach juice in it to make spinach pasta too. Plus you can use it to make ravioli.

martindow · 27 August 2006 at 5:31PM

I'm another who used the machine once and then eventually donated it to a charity shop. Making pasta was a messy experience with flour everywhere and strips of pasta hanging to dry on every available place in the kitchen. Maybe other people are more tidy but it took ages to clean up (even to my modest standards!).

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Pasta machines - worth while investment??

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