Pasta Dough For The Kitchenaid Pasta Extruder Attachment Food

PASTA DOUGH FOR THE KITCHENAID PASTA EXTRUDER ATTACHMENT

Steps:

• Weigh the flours separately using a kitchen scale for accuracy.
• Pour the flours into the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the dough hook attachment to combine for a minute.
• Whisk all four eggs together in a separate bowl. Turn the mixer on to the 2 speed and slowly pour in the eggs. Also add 1 tablespoon of water. Let it mix for about 1-2 minutes.
• Turn off the mixer and try to use your hands to bring the dough into a ball. If it is still very crumbly, add the additional tablespoon of water and continue to mix, either using the dough hook or your hands, at this point. The dough should still be kind of crumbly, but you should be able to get at least 3/4 of the whole mixture formed into a rough ball. You do not want supple, wet dough here. If the humidity in your house is high (like if it's summertime, raining, or both, you may not need the second tablespoon of water. If the humidity is very low, you may need to wet your hands when kneading into a ball shape to add just a bit of extra water.
• Once kneaded into a rough but still crumbly textured ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Set up the extruder attachment with your pasta shape of choice. Roll the rested dough into walnut sized balls and follow the manufacturer's directions to extrude the pasta onto a floured cookie sheet or cutting board.
• When you're ready to cook the pasta, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water generously, and cook the pasta for 3 minutes, or until it's floating to the top. Strain the pasta, preferably using a spider strainer, and sauce as desired.

PERFECT HOMEMADE PASTA OR SPAGHETTI FOR KITCHENAID MIXERS

Steps:

• Combine the semolina flour, all purpose flour, and salt in a large bowl. Using a fork, mix these ingredients together, then using a sifter, sift into another bowl. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, combine the eggs & beat well with a fork.
• Add extra-virgin olive oil to the eggs and mix with a fork.
• Add the cold water to the egg & olive oil mixture, and mix with a fork.
• Pour the liquid ingredients into your mixer bowl and attach the flat beater.
• Add half of the sifted flour mixture, turn to speed 2 and mix 20 seconds. Add the rest of the sifted flour mixture and mix an additional 20 seconds.
• Exchange flat beater for the dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and knead for 2 to 3 minutes, until a dough ball is formed.
• Remove dough from bowl and hand-knead for 2 to 3 minutes. NOTE: Good pasta dough should be elastic and pliable, but FIRM (not soft like bread dough). It should not stick to your fingers or fall apart. To test for the correct consistency, pinch a small amount of dough together after kneading for 2 to 3 minutes -- if the dough stays together without sticking to your fingers or falling apart, it should work well. If too soft, add more flour by dusting the top of the dough and knead some more, continuing to dust the dough with flour until achieving the right consistency. If too dry, wet your hands and knead some more, continuing to wet your hands a little at a time & knead until the right consistency. (Achieving the right consistency isn't hard at all -- I got it just right the very first time I tried this recipe).
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour (this step is important).
• Remove dough from refrigerator and let it rest for 15 minutes. Using your hands, roll dough into a log, about 12 inches long.
• Cut log into 8 slices, then flatten each piece slightly. Spread slices out so they aren't touching and cover with plastic wrap.
• Using the widest setting (1 on the Kitchenaid), turn mixer to speed 2 and taking one piece of the flattened dough, feed through rollers. Fold dough in half & roll again. Repeat 3 more times, lightly dusting the sheet of pasta in between each rolling if it feels the slightest bit sticky.
• Move adjustment knob to setting 2 and feed the dough sheet through the rollers once.
• Move adjustment knob to setting 3 and feed the dough sheet through the rollers once.
• Continue to increase roller setting until desired dough thickness is reached: 3 for Thick "kluski" type egg noodles; 4 for standard egg noodles; 4 or 5 for lasagna noodles, fettuccine, spaghetti, and ravioli; 6 or 7 for tortellini, thin fettuccine, and linguine fini; 7 or 8 for VERY thin "angel-hair" type pasta/capellini or VERY fine linguine.
• Separate sheets once desired thickness is achieved with a thin towel or piece of plastic wrap dusted with flour, so the dough doesn't dry out too much.
• To cut the noodles, exchange the Pasta Roller Sheet attachment for the cutter attachment of choice, either the fettucine cutter for wider noodles or the spaghetti cutter for spaghetti or linguine. Run each sheet through the cutter. NOTE: Each sheet can be cut in half or thirds before putting through the cutter to prevent "too long" of strips. I prefer to use the longer sheets, rather than cutting them in half or thirds, as this reduces the time it takes to cut each sheet & hang to dry.
• After cutting each sheet, hang to dry on a pasta rack. Dry for a minimum of 10 minutes. If you don't have a pasta rack, plastic hangers work great! IMPORTANT: Flour the pasta rack or the plastic hangers before placing pasta on them. ALSO, separate the strips of pasta as best you can, so they aren't touching. This way they won't dry sticking together. If you want to dry the pasta for later use, dry for several hours and then store in airtight plastic bags (i.e. Ziploc Freezer or Storage Bags).
• When ready to cook, boil your water and add salt. For the 1.5 pounds of pasta, I use 2 teaspoons of salt. Oil in the water is not necessary.
• Fresh pasta will cook faster than commercially bought pasta -- about 4 to 5 minutes in vigorously boiling water for el dente.

THE BEST PASTA DOUGH FOR KITCHENAID MIXER

Steps:

• Add the eggs in the bowl. Using the flat beater, beat the eggs. Switch to the dough hook and throw in the flour, olive oil and salt. Beat for about 3-4 minutes, or until the dough indents when you touch it. If the dough feels too sticky, add flour. If it feels too dry, add water.
• Put the dough in Tupperware or a bowl with cling wrap. Let is rest for at least 1 hour.
• Attach the pasta roller attachment on the kitchen aid mixer. Grab some of the dough and roll into a ball the size of a ping pong ball (this is to know how much you should be using). Keep the rest of the dough in the Tupperware/cling wrap. Flatten the dough with your hand on a floured surface. Turn the pasta attachment on and feed the dough through the pasta roller set to #1. Fold the pasta in half and feed it through the machine again. Set to #2 and feed it through. Pat the dough with flour on both sides and feed through 2 again. Feed through 3, and finally through 4. Switch the pasta roller attachment to the spaghetti or fettuccini attachment. Just like the roller, feed the flattened dough through the new attachment. You can make nests in the pasta or hang the pasta on a pasta drying tree.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. When there is a rolling boil, add the pasta and boil for 4-5 minutes, or until al dente.

HOMEMADE SEMOLINA PASTA USING KITCHENAID MIXER /PASTA ATTACHMENT

Steps:

• *Some recipes like the one that comes in the box with this attachment, recommend the use of oil. I have not tried that approach yet. It probably works fine too, you be the judge.
• Mix the 2 flours in the Kitchen aid bowl using the paddle beater.
• Mix the eggs and water together with a whisk and slowly add them to the mixer while in motion on setting 2.
• After the big, kind if hard dough ball forms, stop and change over to the dough hook for a couple of minutes.
• If you make ravioli, you'll want flexible dough or you'll get cracking. If the dough cracks or if air is captured inside during the sealing process, they are garbage as they will come apart in the boiling water.
• To get dough flexible enough that it doesn't crack while making the ravioli, be sure to cover the dough between the first and second rollings and not let it sit longer that 30 minutes. Here's where the oil recipes may have an advantage -- also, a light coating of water will help make a good seal.
• Will store fresh for a couple days in the fridge or frozen for a couple months.
• Boil only for a couple minutes. A couple more if frozen.