How do you use a pasta machine?

beemuzed

Oh dear! I'm afraid I succombed last year to a pasta machine. I did use it once, but couldn't get it thin enough. I suspect it's something that needs practice and then it would be fine, but it put me off and I've not used it since. Perhaps I should determine to use it regularly for a month or so and see if I can get it right. At the moment it sits at the back of a cupboard.....

mummysaver

I loved my pasta maker and used it a lot! I found it quite relaxing making the pasta, but it is fairly time consuming, tho great fun accompanied by a glass of wine and the kids chatting and having a go too! Am looking around for another one as mine had a bit drop off which didn't want to reattach, think mine came from an Argos sale and was about £15. To answer your questions, yes they are a !!!!!! to clean, easiest to let the pasta dry off and scrape off the worst first, and whilst you can get great results with 00 grade flour, I found that value flour works pretty well too! If you have the space for storage, and will be happy to spend the time needed to make it, and clear up the puddles of flour everywhere (tho I am quite messy, so that might just be me!), then I'd go ahead and get one!

Pink.

Hi crystaltipps,

I don't have one and have no desire for one after watching my Dad using his twice before giving up and putting it at the back of the cupboard. However there you'll find some useful advice on these threads:

Pasta maker

Pasta Maker/Machine - Which One????

How do you use a pasta machine?

fresh pasta - recipe and instructions

making HM pasta

Pink

noapron

I can say to you that if you buy one of these, I would buy the tagliatelle or spaghetti attachment as well, or you will have to try to cut nice straight tagliatelle by hand. You can make ravioli and lasagne easily. Also the machine needs to be screw-clamped to the work surface with the clamp supplied (or at least mine needed to be) and this can be awkward. I don't know about you but my work surfaces don't really overhang.

Cleaning the flat roller isn't hard - just turn and wipe and I give it a blast with the hand-held steam cleaner. Whether the tagliatelle maker is that easy, I don't know as I don't have one yet though hope to add it to my Kenwood attachment, see below.

I have the Kenwood pasta maker attachment now (it looks like the machine you are thinking of buying). The other thing i'd say, is that if you have a Kenwood, there are various pasta attachments for that, which removes the need for elbow grease. Mix the dough in the bowl (though it comes together quite easily by hand) and then lob it through the pasta maker.

As for special flour, I use strong bread flour. The proportions are 1 egg to 90g flour plus a pinch of salt. It tastes just like, well pasta! And you can add tom puree or spinach. It also freezes well, so you can batch make if you have freezer space.

I would say that, if you want to make your own, a pasta maker is worth it, and you can batch make, though don't underestimate the time it will take, especially until you get used to it. Though this is the same for any homemade product - it will always be easier to take a pack off a shelf. HTH.

rinabean

Start making pasta now, by hand. If you do that for a bit and you feel the machine would make continuing this habit easier then buy it. Otherwise it will just gather dust after being used once or twice.

lostinrates

rinabean wrote: »

Start making pasta now, by hand. If you do that for a bit and you feel the machine would make continuing this habit easier then buy it. Otherwise it will just gather dust after being used once or twice.

I agree with this. I buy dried pasta but occasionally make fresh pasta by hand. Personally, I make fresh pasta rarely enough to not feel the need for a machine, and I normally make it for filled pasta. I'd practise making simple pasta shapes (pappardelle, lasagne sheets, filled pasta). If it becomes routine then invest. I do think it would make better pasta in the same amount of time, but not at the back of a cupboard.

LandyAndy

I got one, unasked for, for Christmas. I haven't used it yet.

BakerBoy

http://www.downsizer.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96

Here's a good article about making pasta at home. It's great fun to do, pretty cheap and delicious. I don't think they are a pain to clean, just need a good wash and more importantly left somewhere warm to dry.

apple_mint

We got our pasta maker from a car boot sale for £3. It was an unwanted wedding present and appears to be a very good make. We use it a lot, and now prefer our HM pasta over shop bought or dried.

OH is the expert in using it. To save time he makes up batches of pasta dough usin 00 flour and freezes it. We take a batch out in the morning and pop it into the fridge. He then uses the pasta maker to make spagetti whilst I'm cooking the bolognese.

Making up batches of pasta dough is a great way to use up a glut of eggs.

Justamum

I was thinking of getting one so I can make fresh vegan ravioli. It's on the list of many useful things I need - food processor and Kenwood mixer being two things!