Labor of Love: Handmade Pasta Phew! Yesterday's handmade pasta class with chef Andrea Onetti of Onda Pasta might have been a major arm workout, but w

         
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Labor of Love: Handmade Pasta

Phew! Yesterday's handmade pasta class with chef Andrea Onetti of Onda Pasta might have been a major arm workout, but what a delicious labor of love! We're glad you could make it, and we can't wait to see what you cook up with the pasta you took home!

Show us your masterpieces on Instagram @cookspacehawaii and Facebook with the hashtag #CookSpaceHawaii.

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Highlights from Class

recipe


Basic Recipe
Serves 1

70g "00" flour
30g semolina
1 egg
olive oil as needed



We found "00" flour at R. Field, occasionally at Down to Earth, and of course, online. When practicing your dough skills, use the measurements above rather than the recipe we used in class to save on your ingredients. Once you get the hang of it, you can start to make larger batches.

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Knead, then knead some more

Knead until your dough feels tender. When you think you're ready to stop, knead a little bit more! (In class we made large batches of dough and kneaded for about 20 minutes.)

As you knead, pay attention to your dough. If it feels a bit dry, add a drop of olive oil at a time. If it feels wet, add just a pinch of "00" flour at a time.

When you're done kneading, wrap your dough tightly in saran wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Your dough will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

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Roll out

After your dough has rested, slice into portions that are easy to work with. Dough will be cold, so use the heat in your hands to warm it up a bit by shaping it into a rectangle.

When using a stand mixer attachment or mechanical roller, chef Andrea tends to roll his dough out to the 6 level. You'd start at 1 and work your way up to 6 as the dough gets thinner and thinner.

Using a good old fashioned rolling pin will give you a great arm work out. Keep rolling the dough out in one direction (push away from your body) until you form a sheet about 1mm thick.

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Make the cut

Lightly dust your sheet of dough with "00" flour. Carefully roll the dough up. Slice dough with a sharp knife into any shape or size you want!

Dust your pasta strands/shapes with more flour to prevent sticking. You can store your cut pasta in the fridge for up to a week.

Chef Andrea advises you consider your sauce when deciding the shape and thickness of your pasta. Are you serving a chunkier sauce? A wet sauce? A creamy sauce? Be sure to choose a pasta type based on what will work best with the sauce you're having.

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Cook time

Fresh pasta may take some time to make, but it cooks in a flash!

Be sure to have a large pot of water at a rolling boil. Adding salt and oil to the water are completely optional. If you added salt to your dough consider leaving the water unsalted.

Thicker pastas like the rigatoni we enjoyed in class takes about 4 minutes to cook. Thinner pastas such as tagliatelle take about 1 minute to cook. Always taste the pasta to check for doneness, but be careful not to burn yourself!

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Secret Sauces

Chef Andrea doesn't have a strict recipe when it comes to his sauces. He wants you to go to your fridge and use what you already have. Throw some new ingredients together and see if it works! To give you a jumping-off point, here are some of his favorite combinations.

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POMODORO

Get your sofrito going by finely dicing carrots, white onion, and celery. Add these ingredients to a large pan and sauté in olive oil over medium heat. Cook until the sofrito is tender and fragrant. Add a can of your favorite tomatoes and any other herbs you want, such as bay leaf, basil, or oregano. Add salt and cracked pepper to taste.

Chef Andrea avoids pre-made tomato sauce because of all the extra flavorings they can contain. He recommends using San Marzano tomatoes if available. If not, just try a brand and see if you like it!

In class, this wet sauce was paired with a long, thin, and wide noodle called tagliatelle.

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FARMFRESH

This "sauceless" sauce is made of a roux and farm fresh ingredients and as a result, the ingredients will change according to what looks good to you at the farmers market.

Chef Andrea started his sauce by slicing zucchini and green onions into small pieces and halving the cherry tomatoes. In a large pan over medium high heat, he added a generous amount of olive oil (remember this will serve as the base of your sauce) and all of the produce.

When the veggies became tender, he sprinkled a layer of flour over the cooking veggies. This flour mixes with the olive oil to form a roux and thickens the sauce. Chef Andrea added a splash of white wine, but this is totally optional. If your sauce starts to look too thick, add a bit of the pasta water (about a tablespoon at a time) to help thin it out. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This chunky sauce was paired with a short and thick pasta called rigatoni.

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AMATRICIANA

Okay as soon as chef Andrea said bacon, we knew we had to include this winning combo.

Cut some bacon and red onion into small pieces. In a large pan over medium heat add olive oil and the bacon and onions. Cook until the bacon is at a "soft crisp" -- so the bacon no longer appears pink and raw but has not yet come to a full crisp. Add a jar of plain tomato sauce and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This wet sauce would be great with fettuccine.

Thanks again for spending your Sunday with us!

Happy cooking,
CookSpace Hawaii

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(808) 695-2205 | cookspacehawaii.com | hello@cookspacehawaii.com

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