Homemade Pasta, how to get it thinner.

I tried my hand at homemade pasta yesterday and it was so so. I did everything right, let the pasta rest and everything my only problem is getting it thin. I don't have the luxury of going out and buy a pasta roller, so i have to do it with a rolling pin. I'd roll in out, then let it rest, roll it out again but i could only get it to a certain thickness. Once cooked the edges tasted like pasta but the middle was thick lol more like a dumpling.

anyone have any tips on how to get a thinner pasta without the use of any machinery that has to be bought?

next to impossible....unless you try to replicate the actual pasta roller with two wooden hand rollers but its next to impossible, during my stint in culinary management as a test we had to try to roll pasta out with two wooden hand rollers as they did in the old days.....I dont know how our ancestors did it!

You should try to use a thin "broom stick"-like rolling pin.

Myself; I use a french rolling pin and have no problem getting it thin...

Originally posted by misfitofscience
next to impossible....unless you try to replicate the actual pasta roller with two wooden hand rollers but its next to impossible, during my stint in culinary management as a test we had to try to roll pasta out with two wooden hand rollers as they did in the old days.....I dont know how our ancestors did it!

I keep readin that! I've posted this question on like 10 other sites too, you know i'm getting desperate when i'm coming to conspiracy site for cooking tips lol There has to be some kind of trick passed on from the older generations.

Originally posted by nakiel
You should try to use a thin "broom stick"-like .

Myself; I use a french rolling pin and have no problem getting it thin...

i never thought the size of the rolling pin would make that much a difference. do you do anything different from normal or is just the pin itself?

I'm a former restaurant owner (Italian) and the only way to make consistently even pasta is to use a machine. The trouble with rolling pins is that most of them are not even and create high spots in the dough. The best choice is to use the pasta attachment that fits on the front of a stand mixer, after that the hand cranked version works well.

I actually have an extra crank version that I would give to someone if they are willing to pick it up or pay to have it shipped from north NJ.

Do you have any thrift stores around you??? A Good Will or a second hand store that sells kitchen items? Churches usually have great second hand stores, the bigger ones do anyway.

I ask because you should really start checking them out, you will find a pasta maker.

I found a crank one by Marcato (Italy) for 8 bucks at a thrift store. It sells new for about 300 bucks! It has all the attachments too! I have seen the electric ones too at a few places. They are usually less than 10 bucks! Most are around 5-8 bucks.


It is hard to get the thinness without a pasta maker. I have been making my own pasta for years and always had to roll it out and my arms always hurt for a day after! Yet I still never got the thinness I wanted. My counters werent big enough lol

I would seriously look at thrift stores, they have the best kitchen items. I get all my little cooking gems there because I can't afford the new ones and the ones I find are made better. Things from the 80s prior imo last longer and work better.

Good luck and hope you find one!

Originally posted by AugustusMasonicus

I actually have an extra crank version that I would give to someone if they are willing to pick it up or pay to have it shipped from north NJ.

Very nice of you to offer this to someone!

I love my crank version! It was a bargain I found at the local second hand store I frequent. They know me as the one who cooks lol It came with all the attachments for the various pastas. It is amazing and I have used it every week since I got it. I'm just now getting the hang of it after a month of constant use.

When I was still in culinary school I gave my food preparation teacher money before one of his trips to italy and he brought me back the old school, traditional pasta rolling "kit", if you will.
It's truly amazing.

It's a large, unfinished wooden rectangle, about 4 ft X 5 ft. It has back splashes on both ends, one facing up, one facing down so you can lodge it up against a table. As well, he brought me back a giant wooden rolling pin made from maple that's about the same width as the board, around 3 ft.. The heaviness of the rolling pin allows me to get the pasta as thing as I would like it, the size of the board gives me as much surface area as I would realistically need, and the unfinished surface of the board gives the pasta an amazing texture that holds onto whatever sauce you cook it with.

I've never searched for this kind of set up in the states, but that's how I get my pasta thin at home. Of course, it also takes patience.

At work, we use machines though. It's just more time efficient.

Originally posted by AugustusMasonicus


I'm a former restaurant owner (Italian) and the only way to make consistently even pasta is to use a machine. The trouble with is that most of them are not even and create high spots in the dough. The best choice is to use the pasta attachment that fits on the front of a stand mixer, after that the hand cranked version works well.

I actually have an extra crank version that I would give to someone if they are willing to pick it up or pay to have it shipped from north NJ.

i might just take you up on that offer! how much does it weigh and i'll see how much it'd cost to have shipped.

reply to post by mblahnikluver


i've never thought of looking at a local thrift store for cookware. I'll check it out for sure thanks for the tip.

Originally posted by blair56
reply to post by mblahnikluver

 

i've never thought of looking at a local thrift store for cookware. I'll check it out for sure thanks for the tip.

Just a warning..it can be addicting!

I have found all kinds of great finds at my local thrift stores!

There's an obvious temptation to get that pasta cooked as soon as you've finished battering it about a bit. And I suppose you can. But I prefer to hang mine overnight, to let it dry out a bit. Seem to get better results that way, don't know why.

My Marcato hand cranked machine cost less than £30 brand new. Our local charity shop had one the other day for only £4 or thereabouts.

I know they do it by hand without a machine.

Pasta has been around a lot longer than machines have.

I remember seeing it done in Italy and the guy had a marble board and a long marble rolling pin with no handles.

The pin was not as big around as a normal rolling pin about the size of a broom handle or so.

But the size was deceptive it was heavy being made out of marble.

Thrift stores are not junk stores any more.

Find those in effluent neighborhoods.

There are a lot of old rich people dying and most of their everyday use possessions such as kitchen items end up at the nearest thrift store.

Originally posted by Niall197
There's an obvious temptation to get that pasta cooked as soon as you've finished battering it about a bit. And I suppose you can. But I prefer to hang mine overnight, to let it dry out a bit. Seem to get better results that way, don't know why.

My Marcato hand cranked machine cost less than £30 brand new. Our local charity shop had one the other day for only £4 or thereabouts.

I have the same machine Got it in a set at a local second hand store.

I LOVE it...

The only problem is it only fits on one part of my counters in a corner so it's awkward! The handles from all the drawers gets in the way of clamping it down

reply to post by mblahnikluver


If you do not have a stand mixer you should seriously consider buying one as it is so much easier to make pasta with them. Mix the dough in the bowl with the hook, run it through the attachments and you have fresh pasta in about 10 minutes. I recommend the Kitchen Aid brand as it is a work horse and is basically a mini version of the big 80 quart Hobart I used to have. I liked it so much I bought two. You can also get the extruder attachments and make your own pasta fillings for all your favorite filled pastas.

To the OP, it weighs about 4 lbs, U2U me if you want it or can't find one at the local thrift shop.

Originally posted by AugustusMasonicus
reply to post by mblahnikluver

 

If you do not have a stand mixer you should seriously consider buying one as it is so much easier to make pasta with them. Mix the dough in the bowl with the hook, run it through the attachments and you have fresh pasta in about 10 minutes. I recommend the Kitchen Aid brand as it is a work horse and is basically a mini version of the big 80 quart Hobart I used to have. I liked it so much I bought two. You can also get the extruder attachments and make your own pasta fillings for all your favorite filled pastas.

To the OP, it weighs about 4 lbs, U2U me if you want it or can't find one at the local thrift shop.

I have one a Kitchen Aid I found at a thrift store. It was like 450 new and I paid 20 bucks for it

I don't like it at all for dough. I tried it and it just doesn't work right or I need the directions. I called my mom because she has one as well only to find out she didn't like it for bread either. Now I'm Sicilian/Italian and my mother taught me to make bread when I was a kid so I have always preferred it by hand. Although, now esp after pulling my back from kneading (seriously) one of these would be handy.

It doesn't seem to mix properly is my problem. Should the bowl move? If not then how does it mix the stuff that is stuck on the side without me spooning it off the sides?

I found this Extruder for my pasta maker, is this what ou are talking about?

Originally posted by mblahnikluver
I don't like it at all for dough. I tried it and it just doesn't work right or I need the directions...It doesn't seem to mix properly is my problem. Should the bowl move?

No, not at all. It has locking tabs built into the base of the bowl and it needs to be inserted into the pedestal and locked into position. It will then stay secured.

If not then how does it mix the stuff that is stuck on the side without me spooning it off the sides?

When you mix a decent amount of dough and use the dough hook it should not really be too much of a problem. I saw your dough recipe and it should be fine with this machine. Too small of an amount and it does not work properly.

I found this Extruder for my pasta maker, is this what ou are talking about?

Yes, that is the hand cranked version for making different types of pasta. Kitchen Aid has attachements that let you do the same thing and also has one that lets you mix ingredients through the meat grinder portion and you can then make pasta fillings. It also has a cheese grater attachment and a sausage attachment that I use quite frequently.

reply to post by AugustusMasonicus


Yea it locks I just didn't know if the bowl was suppose to move or not. The instructions didn't come with it.

I did make my bread in that bowl and my pasta and it didn't work well. I just put it on the table and kneaded it. lol

I will have to try it again and just wait...now with my back I kind of have no choice but to let the machine knead.



I prefer my pasta making equipment match my pasta maker by Marcato. I have been looking at the attachments they have and I found a few I like so I'm going to look online first for used ones

Thanks That machine looks like something I"d love to use!

Originally posted by mblahnikluver
I will have to try it again and just wait...now with my back I kind of have no choice but to let the machine knead.

Are you sliding the locking lever closed? It is on the opposite side of the speed control.

When you made the dough did you use the quantity you indicated in your bowtie recipe? Also, were you using the dough hook? The other attachments will cause problems.


I'm sure you will have fun with all the new gadets that you can use with the hand-cranked version to make filled pastas. It allows you to be even more creative. We were known at my place for our filled homemade pastas so I still make all of them for guests at the house.