How to Make Delicate Sheet Pasta
Making dough for sheet pasta is not as intimidating as it may seem. It literally takes about 7 minutes to put together, 30 minutes to rest, and about 10 to roll out. Lasagna made with fresh layers of pasta is sublime, and the same sheet pasta can be used to make tender ravioli, tortellini, or pappardelle. I even use it for cannelloni.
Pasta's ingredients can simply be a combination of flour and water, or you may choose to enrich it with eggs, yolks, olive oil, or other liquids. Eggs add color, protein, and a delicious richness. Pasta is obviously so versatile, it pairs well with a wide range of ingredients making it an easy way to showcase delicious sauces and cater to any kind of taste bud.
One of the ingredients we were introduced to at
NWCAV was
Divella "00" flour, which can be found at Italian specialty stores. It is soft wheat flour that produces less gluten, and is used to make delicate, pillow-like pasta. Pastry flour can be used as a substitute. High-gluten durum wheat is used to make firmer cut pastas like spaghetti, fettuccine, and linguine.
Once the mixture is combined and kneaded until smooth, pasta dough must be allowed to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flour particles to fully absorb the liquid; and, the developed gluten relaxes, making it easier to stretch. Fresh pasta should be used within one day, or shaped and frozen for future use.
I enjoy experimenting with different combinations and flours when making pasta, however, one of my favorite recipes is from
NWCAV (below). The results for soft sheet pasta are excellent.
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients to make 1 pound of pasta:
| 1 cup | all-purpose flour |
| 1 cup | "00" flour |
| 2 | large eggs |
| 1/4 cup | water |
1/4 tsp.
| salt |
|  |
Directions:1. In a bowl or on a countertop, combine the flours and form a well in the center. Briefly whisk the eggs and water together and pour into the middle. Bring the dough together by stirring and gradually incorporating the dry ingredients with the wet.
2. If you feel the mixture needs more water, add only a teaspoon at a time and continue to knead until the dough is completely smooth, at least 5 minutes, adding flour only if necessary. The dough will be firm but pliable. To tell if you have kneaded the dough enough, cut the mass in half. You should see that there are no big holes throughout the dough just tiny ones like in the photo below.
3. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Keep the extra pieces of dough wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying as you work.
5. Flatten the dough slightly and shape it into a rough square. Starting on the widest setting, roll it through the machine. Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter, turn and run through the rollers once again, inserting the sides of the letter first (see below). Staying on the widest setting, continue to fold the dough like a letter and run it through the machine at least a dozen times. This builds up strength in the dough.
6. Next, without folding, run the pasta dough through each setting once or twice, as you work your way down the settings to the thinnest one desired. I usually like the thickness of the second last setting. As you are rolling the pasta through the machine, gently pull it out the other end to help it along by stretching it. If the sheet gets too long, you can cut it in half and work with a shorter length. Just be sure to flour the surface for the sheet of dough that has been set aside, so it doesn't stick to the counter before you get to it.
7. Once you have rolled out a sheet to the desired thickness, place on a lightly floured sheet pan and cover with a towel to prevent the dough from drying out while you roll out the remainder of the dough.
8. Cut the sheets of dough into the desired shapes. For lasagna, pappardelle and cannelloni noodles, these must be boiled before continuing on with your recipe. For ravioli and tortellini, fill the raw cut noodles, seal with egg wash, shape, and then boil.
Some Pasta-Making Tips:
- Pasta expands during the boiling process, so keep that in mind when cutting/shaping.
- Each pound of pasta should be cooked in at least 4-5 quarts of well-salted, boiling water. How salty? If it tastes salty, it's salted enough. The noodles will absorb some of the salt. A generous amount of water also allows the noodles to cook evenly and tumble around freely without sticking.
- Never wash your pasta machine as you will damage the metal components. Simply dust the excess flour off with a pastry brush and wipe clean with a dry towel.
- Shake off excess flour before boiling the pasta.
- Fresh pasta will never be "al dente". Only dried pasta will be able to achieve that texture.
- Fresh pasta cooks very quickly, depending on the thickness of your noodles. Usually 2-3 minutes and it is done. Sample the noodles as they cook.
- When cooking lasagna or cannelloni, have an ice bath ready to stop the cooking process of the noodles. Drain and dry the noodles before use.
- Be gentle with cooked noodles so they don't tear.
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Posted by Kimberley Slobodian on May 22, 2007
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to dry. By poaching bagels before baking, the simmering water activates the yeast and gives the baked surface a beautiful sheen. The malt also helps to develop color.
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, they make a scrumptious and crunchy appetizer or snack. 
