SC - Homemade period noodles/pasta

[Robbin Long]

Hello,

I have been lurking for a bit, but I think I can help with this.  I haven't tried my hand with period recipes, yet, but I make my own pasta for mundane cooking.

If you are cooking pasta right after making it, allow only a 30 sec to 2 min cook time, depending, of course on the thickness and shape of the noodle.  Experiment a little with this until you find a time that gives a good consistency.  Try to stick with durum or semolina flour in your noodles (the two terms are not necessarily interchangeable, but both will work), as it gives a noodle that will stand up to the boil without falling apart.  Be absolutely sure to get the liquid to boiling before adding the noodles and monitor them closely.

As for storage - in the short term, they keep very well fresh in the fridge for up to a week, but longer than that and they get mushy and may mold.  Use a tupperware container that allows a little air space, rather than a plastic bag.  For slightly longer term, dry the noodles in a dry place - those in humid climes may wish to do this in a very low oven - for one to two hours (dry and somewhat stiff, but still pliable), then bag them and freeze them.  They will keep up to two months.  You can also completely dry the pasta (@24 hours) and store it in a sealed brown paper bag in the pantry for several weeks, but I notice a big drop in taste by this method.  If the pasta is dried thoroughly, even egg-based mixtures can be stored this way.

If you want to be period, then I would continue to roll and cut the pasta as you are doing.  Alternatively, if you can find it, there is a ridged board that is used to cut Japanese soba and udon noodles in a traditional style that dates back into our period.  However, if you want to abandon technique for ease, I really think there is absolutely no substitute for a Mercato Atlas 150 hand-crank pasta machine.  Extruded noodles are simply not the same as the rolled and cut.  The texture becomes firmer and more substantial from the rolling process.  Expect to pay anywhere from $29-$65 depending where you shop.

How are they different - taste mainly.  There really is no comparison.  I especially prefer them in baked pasta dishes, as it is not necessary to pre-boil them, and they absorb flavor more readily.

Hope this helps.

Broinnfhionn
 
>>> owner-sca-cooks at ansteorra.org 01/17/01 11:16AM >>>

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Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2001 12:16:00 -0500
From: "Robin Carroll-Mann" <rcmann4 at earthlink.net>
Subject: SC - Homemade period noodles/pasta

I'm playing around with a Lenten recipe from Granado: noodles 
(made from flour, bread crumbs, oil, water, and saffron), and served 
with a garlic-walnut sauce.  (Yes, I will post the recipe when I have 
translated and redacted it.)

I've never made pasta before, nor cooked with fresh pasta.  I 
checked the Florilegium, but it seemed not to have a lot on basic 
techniques.

I've rolled out some of the dough (to about 1/16", which is as thin 
as I can get it with a rolling pin).  I cut it into thin strips, and have 
them set aside and drying.  The rest of the dough is in the fridge, 
awaiting its turn.  The recipe says to cut it into squares, or as 
desired, so I figure I'll do a couple of small batches in different 
sizes/shapes.

I know that fresh pasta requires less cooking time.  How else does 
it differ from the dried boxed stuff?  How long can I store it, and in 
what way?  (Keep in mind this recipe has no eggs.)  And what are 
the other questions I should be asking, if I knew enough to ask 
them?

And, on a related topic, does anyone have an opinion on the pasta-
maker attachment for the KitchenAid mixer?


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
now at a new address: rcmann4 at earthlink.net 

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End of sca-cooks V1 #2900
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Robbin L. Long, Plant Physiologist
USDA-ARS, SRRC
1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd.
New Orleans, LA  70124
(504) 286-4352 phone
(504) 286-4419 fax
rlong at srrc.ars.usda.gov