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By Cristen Clark
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Cristen Clark is a pig farmer, creator of the Food & Swine blog, and an award-winning baker and cook. She lives on a farm near Runnells with her husband Mike and children Halle and Barrett.
amily dinner nights can be hard to come by in our house due to school activities and livestock responsibilities. If there’s time to enjoy a meal together, I like to make it special and comforting. Ever since my children were young, they’ve enjoyed eating fresh pasta. I used to believe that crafting fresh pasta was a magical feat achievable only by alchemists or skilled Italian nonnas. Little did I know that the art of making fresh pasta was relatively easy, as proven to me by a few kitchen lessons from my grandmother Madeline.
Allow the dough to rest. After you've mixed the pasta dough, let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to roll out and work with. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
A cherished memory from my children’s younger years involved observing them alongside my grandmother as they rolled out fresh pasta sheets. I remember their little eyes lighting up when they saw how long the sheets could get. They would spin around the kitchen atop the flour-dusted floor with the pasta draped over their arms.
Roll out the dough thinly. Aim for a thin and even thickness, especially for delicate pasta like pappardelle or lasagna sheets. If you have a pasta machine, start on the thickest setting, then work your way down. For ravioli, roll the sheets thick enough to hold the filling but thin enough so it doesn’t end up doughy. I find the second-thinnest setting perfect.
Pappardelle is a long, ribbon-like pasta originating from the northern part of Italy. The size varies since we cut it freestyle with a knife or pastry wheel. Pappardelle is commonly paired with rich sauces such as ragu, alfredo or carbonara, but it also works well with pesto, tomato sauce, or simply butter and herbs. I’ve known many home cooks to use pappardelle in their beef or pork stroganoff too. Here are a few tips to make fresh pasta at home. Choose your flour. Traditionally, Italian pasta is made with "00" flour, which is finely ground and has a higher gluten
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content. If you can't find "00" flour, allpurpose flour works well too. Semolina flour, made from durum wheat, is also commonly used. It gives the pasta a slightly yellow color and a more rustic texture.
Flour generously along the way. While rolling and cutting the pasta, make sure to always flour both sides of the dough. This prevents sticking and helps maintain the pasta's shape. If you're not cooking the pasta immediately, let it dry for 20-30 minutes on a lightly floured surface or drying rack. This will help the pasta hold its shape better when cooked. Slow cooker pork ragu is a flavorful and tender Italian-inspired dish perfect for a hearty meal. Although it's possible to prepare this recipe entirely in a slow cooker, don’t overlook the importance of browning the pork and vegetables to elevate the sauce's flavor.
