JAMES BAIGRIE/FOODPIX/GETTY IMAGES
[Pasta] takes only minutes to cook when done,
and if you make a big batch you can freeze it and have
10-minute dinners ready to go for those busy nights.”
4. Divide the dough
into manageable
pieces, either in
four or six sections.
Starting with
one piece, flatten
the dough, run it
through the thickest
setting on your
pasta machine and
fold into three onto
itself, like a letter.
5. Run the folded
piece into the pasta
machine still on
the widest setting.
Then run it through
a couple more times
before bringing the
pasta machine to a
thinner setting to
make sure it won’t
tear. Repeat this
process on each
thickness level until
you’ve reached your
desired thickness.
6. Once all the
pasta sections
have been rolled
out, cut each long
stretch of dough
to the appropriate
noodle length. This
is usually about
12 inches. With
the noodle cutter
attachment on the
pasta machine, run
each sheet of pasta
through carefully.
Now, congratulate
yourself because
you just made pasta
from scratch.
To eat your fresh pasta,
bring water to a boil in
a large pot and cook the
pasta for no more than
four minutes. Top with
the sauce of your choosing — though sometimes
a drizzle of good olive oil
is all you need — and enjoy your delicious
handy work.