Pasta!

For making Pasta you need basic ingredients basic ingredients:

Most Pasta is made from at least flour and some kind of liquid. Italian Pasta is usually flour and egg, maybe also Olive oil ... Other oils can also be used or ... moistened crushed Flax seed in place of egg if you want Vegan. Also, any kind of oil can be used. If you want to flavor your pasta ... go ahead, be creative ... tomato, basil, black squid ink! ... anything can be used ;)


mixing:

The Traditional Italian method to make Pasta is to make a mound of flour on a board and then make a bowl in the middle for the egg and oil. This liquid would then be slowely mixed into the flour until it is all mixed in. If it is too dry you can add some water, oil or other edible liquid. If it is to moist ... more flour will do the trick.

mixing on a board:

it comes together

At this stage, it is usually allowed to rest. You can wrap it in cling wrap and put it in the fridge. This way it can even be saved (pre-made in advance) and then rolled out in a couple of days. Eventually, it will dry out and not be useable anymore though, so don`t wait too long. Don`t wait more than a week, but a couple of hours is more than enough time for it just to rest, or even half an hour! If I am in a hurry, I don`t let it rest at all! ;)

let it rest, then roll it out:

Unless you are a perfectionist ... it does not matter what shape comes out when you roll it. It will require many, many folds and re-roll outs till it is smooth. With some practice, you can get it to come out even but do not expect it your first time. ... or second, third, forth ... time ;)

fold more

with more flour ;)

The edges start to tell you a story ;)

you will probably have to much for one board so cut it in half or more managable pieces

when you have it flat as you want it you can roll it and cut it. If you use a machine, it will have a cutting section as well as many levels of thinness. If you are wanting to loose weight ... roll it out by hand! ;)

looks interesting! ;)

Here you can cut it as thick or thin as you want ... fat noodles, Fettuccine, spagetti, angel hair ... up to you and your patience.

spread some flour on it so it sticks to itself less

loosen it all up or you will have lumps when it comes out of the pot! or even cooked rolls of pasta ;)

Pasta!!!

now for a sauce ...

start with some garlic and onion

i always mince my garlic by hand

onions!

mushrooms and sausage, actually any vegetable even carrots or pumpkin can be good! If you like meat ... any meat can be used as well, just makes sure that it will be cooked through in the cooking process. That means either to precook it or cook the sauce for a long time.

here are the onions, if you want it sweeter, caramelize them (meaning brown the onions)

adding meat in this case sausage

mushrooms

if the pan browns use some wine to demi-glaze, or take some of that and make it into flavor for the sauce

here is a white wine I used in this case, red ... rose or even sparkling can be used ... as well as any alcohol. If you want to be adventurous ... Anisette, whiskey, vodka? It all depends on what flavors you like.

i am making a tomato based sauce but you could use pesto or any kind of milk product (yoghurt, cream, milk, fresh cheese?) or make a rue ... a flour cream sauce!

fresh pasta cooks very quickly so wait till you sauce is almost ready to cook them

that pasta should be boiling ...

here it is plated ... looks so yummy!!! ;)

with some cheese and wine ... although ... red wine is usually served with a red sauce ... You do not have to follow the rules if you do not want to ... experiment and do what tastes best to you. I always have fun experimenting! If you do not like the wine, it can be used for cooking or at worst ... make it into vinegar! All you have to do in that case ... is let it sit out ... well, caped but previously opened. Sometime a wine will turn to vinegar under the wrong (right) conditions :)

Have fun and enjoy!!!