Egg Free Pasta Food

EGG-FREE PASTA

Steps:

• On a large, flat surface place the flour in a mound. Make a well in the center of the flour.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the water and the olive oil.
• Slowly add some of the water and mix into the center of the flour. Mix the liquid in the flour with a fork or your hands. Keep adding more water and incorporating the flour until all the flour has been absorbed
• Once the dough has been formed knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until a smooth dough ball is formed. If the dough is dry, add a little more water.
• Cover the dough tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the dough the rest and the gluten to develop.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and cut into 4 equal pieces. Set aside and cover with a towel to prevent it from drying out.
• Flour a clean work surface and a rolling pin and roll a ball of dough into a very thin sheet.
• Fold the dough 3-4 times. Cut the roll of pasta into 1/4 inch thick strips. Dust flour over the strips of dough and unravel. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Set cut pasta aside on a tray and leave out at room temperature if cooking fresh or cover and place in the refrigerator to be cooked later.

EGGLESS PASTA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Add warm water and stir to make a stiff dough. Increase water if dough seems too dry.
• Pat the dough into a ball and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 to 15 minutes. Cover. Let dough rest for 20 minutes.
• Roll out dough using rolling pin or pasta machine. Work with a 1/4 of the dough at one time. Keep the rest covered, to prevent from drying out. Roll by hand to 1/16 of an inch thick. By machine, stop at the third to last setting.
• Cut pasta into desired shapes.
• Cook fresh noodles in boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.

EGGLESS PASTA WITH TWO SAUCES

Steps:

• To make the eggless pasta, place the flour and salt in a large bowl and mix to combine. Gradually add 175ml/6fl oz water and bring to a dough using either your hands or a blunt knife. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth, soft and flexible. Leave to rest in the bowl, covered in cling film, for at least 1 hour.
• Roll the pasta out using a rolling pin or a pasta machine as thinly as possible. Cut the pasta into any shapes you like and set aside.
• To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry over a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Cook the sauce for 8-10 minutes.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve some of the cooking water.
• To make the cacio e pepe sauce, place the butter, pepper and a splash of the pasta water in a saucepan. Cook until the sauce has emulsified. Add half of the pasta to the saucepan. Add the Parmesan and lemon juice, if using. Do not stir at this point, just allow the cheese to melt.
• Add the tomato sauce to the remaining pasta, stir and serve alongside the pici pasta. Garnish with more fresh herbs and season with more salt and pepper.

EGG FREE - SPAGHETTI PIE (BAKED PASTA)

Steps:

• Fry the meat and onions together, break up the beef so there are no lumps.
• Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 40-60 seconds).
• Add the pasta sauce, tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar and salt. Reduce heat and simmer while the pasta is cooking.
• Prepare the pasta BUT, slightly undercook as it will be baked and will continue to cook in the oven,.
• Prepare the cheese sauce by adding the softened cream cheese (about 20 seconds in the microwave will do it), the sour cream, parmesan cheese and the parsley or spring onions and mix.
• Spray a 10 cup baking dish with oil, place the almost cooked pasta on the bottom.
• Cover with spoonfuls of the cheese sauce, place a spoonful in each corner and continue until all used and the pasta is covered (if not covered, spread out).
• Top with the prepared meat sauce and finally the mozzarella cheese.
• Bake at 180oC (360oF) for 30 minutes.
• Best served with a crispy salad and fresh crusty bread.

EGG FREE NOODLES

Steps:

• In a clean plastic bowl combine dry ingredients and wisk them together till combined (about five minutes.).
• Microwave a cup of water for about a minute or two. Add half of the water to the dry mix and knead with your hands for three minutes.
• Add your olive oil and knead for another three minutes.
• At this point you should have a moist lump of dough in the shape of a big ball. If need be add some more water if it is not coming together or it seems too dense.
• Pinch a small amount off of the ball and taste. Adjust flavor with dry spices etc and knead for five minutes. If taste is to likeing continue or repeat. If dough is too dry add a bit more water and knead for a few minutes.
• Divide the dough ball into two portions and knead each portion for another three minutes, then form each into a ball. Place the smaller dough balls into containers and put in the fridge till they cool. Once cool take the containers out and cover them and put them back into the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes.
• If you are making and cooking your pasta for now set your large pot of fresh water with a bit of salt on the stove. If you are saving the dough for another day try to keep the air away from it and keep it moist or frozen.
• To make the dough into pasta remove a ball from the fridge and begin to knead by hand for a good 15 to 20 minutes. The better you knead the dough to more consistent your pasta will be.
• Take the plastic bowl and clean and dry it while the dough has been proofing and sprinkle it with flour. Sprinkle the rolling area with a good amount of flour prior to rolling out your dough (be it the table, a pasta machine, whatever.).
• Divide the small ball into four equal chunks.
• If you are rolling by hand flour your rolling pin or hands and roll out the dough to a thinkness you like and cut to size. Place cut pasta over the floured bowl to air dry for a few minutes. Always air dry the pasta for a good five minutes prior to cooking or it will turn mushy.
• If you are useing a pasta machine take the chunk and make it into a small oblong ball. Set the pasta machine to it's thickest and crank out the dough. Set it to each increment smaller till you get the thickness you want making sure you flour the machine between sizeing the pasta to keep it from clumping in the machine. Use the ribbon attatchments on the pasta sheet for whatever size pasta you want or just hand cut to size. Air dry your pasta for a few minutes by placing it over the floured bowl.
• Hopefully you began boiling your water in between batches of dough and by the time you are almost through your second dough chunk you should be able to cook some "test" pasta. Slotted spoon in hand place some of your newly minted pasta into the boiling water and watch it. If it is falling apart you need to let it dry some more or add some extra flour to the outside of the pasta. Depending on the size of your noodle it may be done in as little as one to two minutes. Remove a test noodle and let it cool for a few seconds and taste (don't be afraid to have made some herbed butter or have your favorite sauce ready to test the flavor combinations.) If all is right you can crank out as much pasta as you want to and get cooking.
• Note: Only cook the fresh pasta in small batches as it tends to clump too much in larger batches. If you are feeling adventurous try making your own ravioli with your own stuffing inside. You can also make thicker style pasta (rustic if you want to give it a cool name) by keeping the pasta sheets thicker and tearing or pinching off portions of the pasta. Toss these bigger chunks in seasoned flour and cook em up. I once did this and fried em on my side burner of my grill to go with the steaks I was grilling. Needless to say that was a great night.

BASIC PASTA DOUGH (NO EGG)

Steps:

• Put flour in large mixing bowl, making a well in the center.
• Add wet ingredients to well and very slowly mix together with a fork, incorporating only a little flour at a time so it mixes smoothly and evenly. Trust me, the more patient you are with this the better it will turn out.
• Continue kneading by hand for about 10 minutes, let rest for a half hour covered with a towel. Repeat a couple times until dough is smooth and silky, and just slightly sticky.
• Shape by hand or with a machine.
• Note: Boiling fresh pasta takes significantly less time than dry pasta. Depending on the shape, cook for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.