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Pasta is the favorite national dish of Italy where it is cut into a variety of uniquely named shapes. Fresh pasta is a flour, egg and water combination that creates a soft dough. This dough is rolled thin, either by hand or by a hand-crank pasta machine. The dough can be cut into many shapes with many different names, such as spaghetti, lasagna and linguini. The shapes can even be cut to the maker's own design. The pasta or noodles are boiled in water and served with a sauce or cooked in broth to make a noodle soup with your favorite vegetables and/or meats.
Ingredients and Preparation:
One serving size:- 1 cup flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of water
As people who know pasta will tell you, the size of the egg and the moisture content of the flour will determine exactly how much flour is needed. The rule is: add as much flour as can be absorbed by the egg and water.
- Mound flour on a work surface and make a deep "volcano".
- Break the egg into the volcano and add water.
- Beat the egg and water lightly with a fork, being careful not to break down
the volcano walls.
- Begin to draw in flour from the inner sides of the volcano.
(This is a good job for kids to exercise their motor skills and
patience.)
- Continue to blend in flour until the dough becomes stiff.
Eventually using your hands, knead the dough until smooth and stiff.
- Refrigerate for about 1 hour for easier handling when rolling and cutting.
To shape the dough, either use a pasta maker or roll out with a rolling pin until very thin. Cut the dough into noodles with a pastry wheel or pizza cutter. Place in a pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes or add to a pot of simmering soup. Excess uncooked pasta dough can be refrigerated in an airtight bag for up to 4 days and frozen for a month.
Be creative! All shapes taste the same!
Important note: Adult supervision and participation is required for this activity.
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