Basic Homemade Pasta Recipe
I have dreamed of that home-cooked, home-made pasta on my lips, and my life is now pasta complete. I used some of my Christmas money to buy the CucinaPro 150 Imperia Pasta Machine. Since the day it was dropped off at my door, every time I have made pasta, in each variety and shape it has been a meal that we have almost eaten in complete silence. I know that does sound funny maybe, unless you know what it is like to eat with small children, at least at our house know that those quiet meals are my best meals. The boys are silent while they take bite after bite and lick their lips and fingers while they are at it. There is nothing like fresh, homemade pasta, if you like pasta you will find homemade pasta a revelation(could I say life changing??), and if you consider yourself a non-pasta loving creature- I dare you to try it homemade. Dare you.
I will include sauce recipes and other tips as I continue to get better at writing the recipes down as I make them, so far I do have a fave though which includes some of my home canned summer tomatoes and cubed mozzarella cheese-terrific. I will need to check on quantities though as I am a handful here and a pinch there type of cook.
Here I leave you with the following recipe, it is the basic pasta recipe by which I have made all different types of noodles and dishes so far- it has yet to let me down. I include it here so that you see just how simple homemade pasta is, so that you will try it and love it as much as we do.
Basic Homemade Pasta Recipe:
3 Eggs (the fresher the better)
3 Cups of Bread Flour
Water (as needed)
Put the 3 eggs and 3 cups of flour into the mixer or into your bowl. Stir until combined, add water slowly and continue to mix. Knead by hand after mixing until uniform. The consistency of the dough should be firm, elastic and smooth. Work the dough in your hands for at least 5 minutes after desired consistency is reached to result in a perfect dough. Store dough wrapped in plastic wrap in fridge for 60 minutes to rest and cool. Remove dough and roll out flat. Use your pasta maker to roll dough through, on largest setting, then double and roll through on same (largest) setting. Turn nob to desired thickness, liberally flour flattened dough and run though pasta machine. Run through your noodle attachment being sure to coat dough with enough flour beforehand. Your noodles are formed! Lay them out or hang them to dry for at least 30 minutes. This drying time will make tender pasta noodles, while avoiding the sogginess.
These will only need to boil for less than half the time than the store bought dried pasta you may be used to. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add generous amount of salt (this is the only salt in your noodles) I generally add 2 Tablespoons or so. Gently place your pasta in the boiling water. Boil for approximately 4 minutes, or to taste.
Stew up your favourite sauce, or just add salt, butter and pepper for a great snack to hold you until the rest of the fam gathers for dinner.
My Life in France
We all have our obsessions in life, right now mine is running but sometimes it is cooking, or candy or chicken farming. I can't imagine what it would be like to have an obsession, or I guess a passion which lasted for over 20 years- or after reading My Life in France I guess I can. This book part autobiography, part biography by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme is a story of love at first sight, and the choice to keep on loving no matter what adversity that love would bring. Julia fell in love with France, and food and with her sweetheart, Paul Child. Not only did she love food, she loved other people to love it too and so she wrote a number of cookbooks targeted at the American cook on her favourite subject-French cuisine. These books filled her life, consumed her thoughts, took her time more than many of us would have given for a dream. But after reading this book and getting to know Julia the way I do now, I don't know what would have been able to anchor her energy if she hadn't had it focused on these cookbook projects and then later on, the TV shows. Her determination is nothing but astonishing.
Julia Child's over-the-top expressions and larger-than-possible gestures bloom through the pages of this book and made me laugh over and over and over. I have seen her cooking show, and I watched Meryl Streep's impersonation of this eccentric gentle giant,none of which have left me doubtful of Child's well deserved claim to fame, however My Life in France is what made me fall completely in love with her. I love her clown-like and completely lovable qualities. I am not obsessed, as I would consider one certain Julie Powell type level of obsession-still I am in awe and admiration of Julia Child (and Paul for that matter) for so many reasons beyond entertainment's sake. Mostly that they just didn't quit, they loved, loved strong, loved fast and hard and when adversity struck they loved harder and held each other tighter. My life in France is not just the story of Julia Child, as Julia would only be half of what she was without Paul Child.
My Life in France is an extremely gallant attempt to narrate and contain the larger than life story of Julia Child. I do believe as much as that woman can be contained, and although I caught her stretching off the pages towards me, this book does the job spectacularly. If you enjoyed the film Julie & Julia, or if you like cooking or would like to be inspired to reach a goal and conquer a dream- snap this read up!!! I wholeheartedly recommend this book!! (It earns my top of the top award of Stellar Five Chicken Book)
Paul and Julia were keen on sending out lovely valentines like this every year. Too cute!
Bon appétit!
- ISBN:9780307277695
- Author: Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme
- Publisher: Anchor Books
- Author: Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme
- Author: Child, Julia
- Author:Prud'homme, Alex
- Subject: History, Cooking, Personal Memoirs
- Cookery, french
- Copyright: 2007
- Publication Date: October 2007
- Pages:352Did you read this?? What did you think? Would you consider yourself a cooking fanatic?
Thanksgiving Book Feast Giveaway!
We all love yummy food, especially when it is cooked with time and care and excellent ingredients. And what is even better is when those recipes come from cookbooks that make you want to just cook food for your family all day long!
I have two of those type of cookbooks to offer to you my reader. Hachette has offered me three sets of these two cookbooks for a giveaway. Yes that's right! Each of three winners will get BOTH cookbooks, both. That is a good thing because after looking though mine I have no idea which I would have told you to choose over the other, although chocolate does always win out over actual meals for me- so that would probably be my choice.
These are the books:
How to Roast a Lamb: Greek Classic Cooking By Michael Psilakis, Barbara Kafka
Chocolate: A Love Story: 65 Chocolate Dessert Recipes from Max Brenner's Private Collection By Max Brenner, Yonatan Factor
Throughout the next couple of weeks I will highlight each of these books by cooking a scrumptious recipe of my choice to share with you! I know you are drooling already, so here is how to enter to the giveaway for one set of your own books.
Two ways to enter the giveaway:
- Comment on this post telling me what your all time favourite cookbook is, and why. (for one entry)
- Tweet about the giveaway with a link back to this post. (for one entry)
(leave a separate comment here telling me you tweeted)
Sorry, open only to US and Canadian residents, and no P.O boxes please. All entries must be in by the 29th of November the winner will be chosen 30th of November. Check back then to see if you got lucky!!
EDIT: WINNERS 
Thank you to all the entrants!!!! Stay posted, I know there will be more goodies for me to offer you.
I am a Powell’s affiliate and I do receive a percentage of the sales of any book you buy using my links. Thank you!
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