Tired of the same old boring pasta? This simple, inexpensive, do it yourself recipe will leave your kids waiting in line at the stove for another helping. Toss this pasta with a bit of garlic butter and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a hearty flavorful meal that costs less than 1.00 for the entire family!
Want another serving suggestion? Top the cooked pizza pasta with a bit of your favorite tomato sauce, finely chopped pieces of pepperoni and a dash of Parmesan or mozzarella cheese.
Durum semolina flour produces the best texture and flavor when making homemade pasta. It’s a high protein, finely milled “00” flour, but we’ve used all-purpose flour in a pinch and had great results.
Alternatively, if you made a lot of pasta and want it ready in 15 minutes, here’s a completely HANDS Free Pasta Machine that does everything for you!
You’ll Need:
* 1 1/3 c. durum semolina flour
* 1 1/2 tsp Pizza Seasoning
* 1 egg
* 1 Tbs Vegetable Oil (optional)
* 2-3 Tbs Water (as needed)
Combine the flour, seasoning, egg, oil and 1 T of water in a mixing bowl, mixing well. Add additional water 1 tsp at a time as needed.
The dough should be smooth, turn it out onto a floured surface and lightly knead the dough. Pasta dough is generally heavier and drier than bread dough. Let the dough rest about 10-15 minutes before rolling out. (I usually use this time to make another batch of pasta in a different flavor)
When ready, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.
Run the dough through an extruder (either electric or hand cranked) several times until it is quite smooth and holds together well. If you do not have an extruder, the dough can be rolled with a rolling pin. Be sure to roll it QUITE THIN as it plumps when it cooks and completely changes the texture of the pasta. Continue running the dough through the rolling extruder, folding it into 3rds each time until the dough is quite smooth and elastic”y” feeling.
Once you have a sheet of smooth dough, feed it through the die cutter attachment. Once again, this can be done by hand in a floured surface using a pizza cutter.
Carefully hang the pasta to dry (no more than 1 hour). It can also be cooked right away if you want fresh pasta.
if the pasta has “hairy” sides it means the dough was a bit too dry. Try adding a bit more liquid next time.
Generally I make several different types (flavors) of pasta and let it dry about an hour. Then carefully “nest” the pasta in bags, seal, label and freeze. Do not thaw before cooking, simply drop the frozen pasta into rapidly boiling water.
