Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM: LEHEY_GREG TO: LEHEY_GREG.COSIG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? Dear COSIG, On Saturday I gave in to an urge and bought a pasta machine. Almost as soon as I got home, I had to make some pasta, and then tried to cut it up into spaghetti. The initial results were rather less than encouraging: the instruction manual is superficial to the point of nonsense, and the spaghetti which came out just stuck together. Does anybody else have and use a pasta machine? Mine is made in Italy, of course, by a company called Alpha, and comes with two cutters, one for spaghetti and the other for wider noodles. I would be grateful if anybody could give me any tips. Replies will be stored in \ESSG.$OS.COSIG.MACHINE Regards Greg Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-27 20:11 FROM: CARLTON_JANET @EASY TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? I don't know if I can be of much help but..... I've made pasta with a machine that you have to hand-crank. The process went like this: Make dough from recipe. Take a wad of dough shove it in the machine, crank, and out comes thinner dough. Change the roller separation, and resquash the dough. Keep doing that till it's thin enough. Attach the cutters and pass the thin dough through the machine once more. This time long little strips of dough come out. It helps if one person cranks and another guides the noodles out so they don't pile up on the table. Now here's the trick --> hang the noodles all over the house. Do NOT pile up the noodles. We made enough pasta for about 8 people. There were pasta strips on waxed-paper on the tables, couches, chairs and anything else that wasn't moving. We let it dry for "awhile" (maybe 1/2 hour to 1 hour) before we cooked it. We had no problems with sticky dough balls. Janetto Carltoni Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-27 20:37 FROM: PRICE_SID @MFG TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? GREG, I HAVE A MACHINE AND I LOVE IT. FIRST, I PROCESS MY FLOUR AND EGG IN A FOOD PROCESSOR. THIS TAKES AWAY THE NEED TO KNEAD THE DOUGH. THEN, I DIVIDE THE DOUGH INTO SMALL ENOUGH BALLS TO PROCESS THROUGH THE MACHINE. IF IT STICKS, JUST COAT THE BALL WITH A LITTLE FLOUR, TWO PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER HELPS ALSO, ONE FEEDING THE DOUGH INTO THE MACHINE AND THE OTHER REMOVING THE FINISHED PRODUCT. DON'T GIVE UP. SID ------------------------ ORIGINAL ATTACHMENT ------------------------ SENT: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM: LEHEY_GREG TO: LEHEY_GREG.COSIG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? Dear COSIG, On Saturday I gave in to an urge and bought a pasta machine. Almost as soon as I got home, I had to make some pasta, and then tried to cut it up into spaghetti. The initial results were rather less than encouraging: the instruction manual is superficial to the point of nonsense, and the spaghetti which came out just stuck together. Does anybody else have and use a pasta machine? Mine is made in Italy, of course, by a company called Alpha, and comes with two cutters, one for spaghetti and the other for wider noodles. I would be grateful if anybody could give me any tips. Replies will be stored in \ESSG.$OS.COSIG.MACHINE Regards Greg Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-27 22:15 FROM: JOHNSON_MURIEL @D100 TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? I don't remember if mine is an Alpha or not, but one of the commonest mistakes people seem to make is to not knead the dough enough before running it through. The more you knead it, the 'tougher' it gets, and it seems to get less sticky. The other thing is to let the noodles get sort of dry to the touch before you start stacking them next to each other; before that, try to keep them at least a little bit separated. Muriel Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-28 00:10 FROM: DELL_WILLIAM @GENESEE TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? GREGG: First, use semolina flour (buy at Italian grocery). If you can't find any let me know and I'll send you some. I use a food processor to mix the dough. Proportions- One cup semolina flour, one egg, a few drops of oil, a little salt if you want. Process for a few seconds and add-gradually- about two or three tablespoons or so of water, continuing to process for several minutes. The dough will be in a ball, soft and flexible, but not sticky. If sticky, add a little flour and process some more. If so dry it doesn't form a ball, add a little more water and process. Once you're happy with the ball, wrap a towel around it and let it set for 10 or 15 minutes. Incidentally, if you need more pasta make several batches, rather than one huge one. The processor won't handle it. My pasta maker is manual and has two widths-regular spaghetti and fettucine. The roller gizmo has 6 settings. I divide the ball up into several hunks. Put each hunk through setting #1 four or five times and through the rest of the settings once each. I never use the last setting (#6 on mine) as it makes the noodles too thin for our taste. I put the noodles on a wooden rack to keep them separate (purchased at gourmet shop). Boil water, add salt if you wish, and dump in the noodles. They cook very quickly, many times faster than store-bought noodles- sometimes in 30 seconds or so. Hope this helps. Regards, Bill Dell Rochester, NY Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-28 00:29 FROM: CUNNINGHAM_MIKE @PRISM TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? GREG: I HAVE BEEN USING A PASTA MACHINE FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS NOW AND HAVE ONLY ONCE HAD THE PROBLEM YOU DESCRIBE. THE MAIN REASON IS GENERALLY PEOPLE ADD TO MUCH WATER AND/OR EGG. THIS WILL MAKE THE MIXTURE VERY GOOEY. I ALSO DON'T MIX FOR MUCH LONGER THAN 5 TO 6 MINUTES. THE MIXTURE COMING OUT OF THE MACHINE SHOULD BE WARM (FROM MIXING) AND JUST MOIST. I.E. IF YOU TAKE TAKE A BALL OF DOUGH IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND, IT SHOULD NOT BE STICKY. HOPE THIS HELPS. MIKE C. Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-28 01:29 FROM: MCDONALD_JOHN @MKT TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? Greg, I, too, have a pasta machine. The problem with electric ones is that they continuously churn the pasta while extruding it, thus causing the pasta to become tough. Meanwhile, the pasta is so tough that the friction produced during the extrusion process starts to actually cook it. I gave up. According to a friend who owns one, the only way to make pasta is to mix it separately, and then crank it manually through an extrusion machine. He's done it several times, and the results are always excellent. Hope this helps! John Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-28 18:03 FROM: KANASKE_KATE @WORLD TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? HI GREG -- My Italian mother-in-law taught me how to make pasta. Spaghetti is harder than the wider noodles, merely because it's smaller and your technique has to be better. One of the tricks for cutting pasta is to let it dry to the "right" texture before running it through the machine again. It has to be past sticky but not so dry as to be brittle. EXPERIMENT! Home made pasta is worth the effort. Kate. Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-28 18:45 FROM: CARTER_ELLEN @TSII TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? Greg, I have a pasta attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer. The first time I used it, I made the dough out of semolina(?) which is what "real" pasta is made of. It was a disaster. The dough was too grainy to stick to itself but the noodles that came out did nothing but stick to each other? The next time, I made a dough of egg and wheat flour and dusted the noodles with flour as they came out of the machine. My kitchen floor was covered with flour but the noodles didn't stick to each other! So try using regular flour in the dough and dust the noodles generously with flour as soon as they are cut. Ellen Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-28 19:58 FROM: STULL_BOB @MKT TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? Forward of: 87-10-28 19:25 FROM HOLMES_CAROLSUE @MKT COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? Greg, I use a similar pasta machine. Sounds like your dough was too wet. It should not be sticky to the touch. If you want to talk about using the machine give me a call. For the next two weeks I am at 725-2343. After that I will be at 973-7151. If you want to leave a message on aspen call the 7151 number. Stull Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-28 23:17 FROM: FISHMAN_FRED @EASY TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? Greg, It is discouraging the first time, but never fear - like everything else in life, practice makes perfect. I recommend that you have another person around the first few times you use the machine. One of you feed and crank, and the other can hold the pasta as it comes out. This will help keep it from revert- ing back to a big mass of pasta. Also, big noodles are easier to manage than fine ones, so practice on lasagne and fettucine, then graduate to the more difficult spaghetti, etc. Have additional flour sprinkled over a board or a platter nearby, and dredge the pasta in the flour whenever it begins to feel too sticky. As you become more adept, you can use less flour. You definitely need a drying rack for the finished noodles. Or try making big sheets of pasta with the machine, and cut out shapes with a glass or by hand for tortellini and other filled noodles. Once you get the hang of it, you will never want to buy pasta from the store again. Your dinner guests will be impressed, too! FF Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-29 02:01 FROM: DELACRUZ_SHERWIN @TSII TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? Greg, While "fresher is better" is generally a good rule to follow with respect to food, it's a mistake with pasta. A friend from Italy told me that unless the recipe calls for the pasta to be stuffed with a filling, most Italians will prefer to use the dried variety as a matter of convenience and for reasons of texture--you simply can't cook pasta "al dente" if it isn't well dried. But if you still insist on using your own dough for something as mundane as spaghetti (you gourmet yuppie!), try draping the cut dough for some time across a horizontally suspended wooden pole to let the noodles air dry. Also, be sure you generously flour the dough to take care of any extra moisture. You will be able to tell by feel when the noodles have the right texture for cooking. Guten appetit, Sherwin Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-29 20:15 FROM: DORNETTO_JOSEPH @PITT TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? Greg, The are of making good pasta is an acquired skill. The problem with most pasta machines is that the recipies for pasta that come with them do not even begin to account for all the variables that can affect the end product. Making good pasta requires a balance of ingredients that result in just the right texture. This means things like the moisture content of the flour, the size of the eggs(big difference), even the humidity in the air if it is bad enough. It sounds like you have one of the dump it in the top munge it up and get it out the bottom machines. The only way to solve your problem is experiment and hope. Making things like pasta verde and other flavored pastas will be very difficult since it is almost impossible to judge the moisture content of the ingredients. If your machine has a way to look inside and see the consistency of the dough before it is kneaded and pushed out you are in good shape. You simply experiment until you find the consistency of pre kneaded dough that makes the best pasta and adjust every batch to that consistency by adding flour or water. If your machine can't do that you have a bit of a problem and the old poke and hope method is the thing for you. The last thing that I would suggest to you is,if you can, take the thing back and buy a Cuisinart with the pasta attachment. It is a little more work but you have complete control over every stage of the process. With the Cuisinart machine you can even make varigated and rainbow pasta which makes for a grand presentation and is impressive as hell at a dinner party. Obviously you don't tell them how you did it. I make all my own pastas and have been for some time(years). I used to make it all by hand and just for the sake of comparison I could tell no difference between the hand made and the Cuisinart versions. good luck JD Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-10-30 11:54 FROM: CIARLANTINI_CARLA @FRAII TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? Hallo Greg, maybe you've got already a lot of helpful answers but I'm trying just in case...First, did you make your spaghetti with or without eggs? Normally they are made without and that's also the type you normally buy in the shops, but in this case you MUST use the so called "durum wheat" i.e. wheat flour with a very high percent of gluten and a comparatively low content in carbohydrate, otherwise they will always stick like glue, however hard you can try to avoid it. Also eggless spaghetti can be cooked only when completely dry. If you don't find durum wheat flour then you must use eggs. The normal quantity is 1 whole egg for 100 gr flour (roughly 4 eggs per pound), but your spaghetti maker may require a different quantity (each machine has a slightly different ingredients proportion). Eggs noodles and spaghetti don't stricly required to be throughly dried before cooking but it's better if you do it: the risk of sticking is reduced. Just two suggestions: You might find durum wheat flour in some so called "Naturkostladen" There are several in Ffm in Bornheim, Bockenheim, Nordend, city center. Just whole wheat flour is not enough for eggless spaghetti, if it is not "durum" Second, if you are still striving against the mechanical nastiness of your spaghetti maker and since it's an italian product, send me a copy: sometimes the translation of "instructions for use" in a different language is wrong, incomplete or uses misleading terms. Anyway I wish you a brilliant victory on the "spaghetti's battlefield" (and why not? after all mayonnaise and Marengo chicken were invented to celebrate military victories!) have a nice day Carla Copied By: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SENT: 87-11-05 03:35 FROM: MUSANTE_SUZANNE @MILW TO: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG SUBJECT: COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? In Reply to: 87-10-27 19:00 FROM LEHEY_GREG : COSIG: Spaghetti mechanics? GREG, AS SOON AS THE PASTA CLEARS THE LAST ROLLER, YOU MUST SUPPORT THE PIECES, WITH HELPING HANDS, IF YOU HAVE THEM AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD GREAT LUCK USING A FOLDING CLOTHES RACK TO DRY THE PASTA ON. JUST KEEP IT AS SEPARATE AS POSSIBLE. REMEMBER NOT TO DAMPEN IT TOO MUCH, THE MORE EGG AND THE LESS WATER, THE BETTER. IT IS A FUN PROJECT FOR A FRIENDLY DINNER PARTY; ANY WILLING HANDS CAN BE USED. GOOD LUCK. SUZANNE