[kokopuffs]

This weekend I'll be using my Marcato Atlas pasta machine for the first time.  On hand are semolina flour from Bob's Red Mill and some real Italian Caputo 00 flour.  The final flour mixture will be a 50-50 blend of both flours along with some salt.  For the dough I plan to use one of two recipies: Ruhlman's where the eggs are weighed and multiplied by 1.5 to give the weight of the flour; or, use one egg for every 100g of flour.  Any helpful comments are welcome.

The pasta noodles will be made at my house and will then be transported to a friend's house a couple of minutes away where they'll be cooked.  Again, I need some info concerning a slight delay in cooking them.  Should the noodles be floured and covered with plastic wrap (also during transport) or what?

Once made, the noodles will be hung on a pasta rack but for how long before transport?????

 

[brianshaw]

I use the 1 egg/100g flour.  It's foolproof. Never tried Ruhlman's because the other is foolproof.

Not sure about mixing low gluten Caputo with high gluten semolina, though. Typically I use AP and egg for fresh pasta, and semolina and water for extruded. If I thought Caputo would make a significant diference I'd totally sub that for the AP. I have never heard of anyone doing it the hybrid way you mention... but that may just be something I just never heard.

After rolling and cutting just be sure that the pasta is well dusted with flour so it doesn't stick together. Holding time is rather flexible. Upwards of a couple of hours is possible if well floured. I don't bother hanging in rack but loosely form into nests and hold on a sheet pan.

Don't cover with plastic wrap. They may sweat and get sticky. Cover with a clean cloth.

 

[kokopuffs]

I use the 1 egg/100g flour. It's foolproof. Never tried Ruhlman's because the other is foolproof.

Not sure about mixing low gluten Caputo with high gluten semolina, though. Typically I use AP and egg for fresh pasta, and semolina and water for extruded. If I thought Caputo would make a significant diference I'd totally sub that for the AP. I have never heard of anyone doing it the hybrid way you mention... but that may just be something I just never heard..........................

Caputo 00 is a soft wheat as are most European flours, to my knowledge. The blend of flours, Caputo + semolina, is something I got off of the Internet.

FWIW I substituted White Lily AP (soft southern wheat) for KA AP in my last bread dough and the resulting texture was much much softer.

500g KA Bread Flour (hard wheat)

300g White Lily AP (soft wheat)

100g whole wheat or rye flours (any combination thereof)

590 - 610g water

18g salt

3 TBS olive oil or lard

 

[chefross]

I make pasta at work weekly kokopuffs.

I use The French Laundry recipe doctored.

Semolina and all purpose flour with egg yolks, olive oil, pinch of salt, and a splash of vinegar.

Kneading and resting the dough are important.

IMHO you can throw out pasta recipes, cause when you get into making the dough, it's the consistency issue that makes or breaks the pasta.

Recipes are merely guidelines.

The amount of flour you must keep adding to make the dough less sticky while rolling, causes you to utilize more flour then the recipe calls for

in the first place.

And.........I can make, res,t roll, and cut my pasta, toss it with flour and place it on a pan with no covering in the morning.

Depending on the humidity in my kitchen that pasta will be okay on that counter all day until dinner service. Covering the pasta will cause the dough to stay moist. Placing it in the fridge will cause you to toss it in flour again to release the individual strands.

 

[flipflopgirl]

So @Chefross when mixing flours which one do you use when adding the extra during the kneading and rolling?

A mix?

It doesn't matter?

mimi

 

[chefross]

So @Chefross when mixing flours which one do you use when adding the extra during the kneading and rolling?

A mix?

It doesn't matter?

mimi

I usually use all purpose for rolling.

That being said, I make pasta dough (s) other then egg.

For instance, if I'm making tomato pasta, I'll tend to use more semolina then a/p or if I'm making spinach pasta I'll need more a/p then semolina.

 

[kokopuffs]

................Semolina and all purpose flour with egg yolks, olive oil, pinch of salt, and a splash of vinegar.

Kneading and resting the dough are important.

IMHO you can throw out pasta recipes, cause when you get into making the dough, it's the consistency issue that makes or breaks the pasta.

Recipes are merely guidelines.

The amount of flour you must keep adding to make the dough less sticky while rolling, causes you to utilize more flour then the recipe calls for

in the first place.

What purpose does the vinegar serve???

 

[foodpump]

I believe the vinegar is there for the same purpose as with recipies that call for lemon juice---to toughen up the gluten.

 

[kokopuffs]

.............................
Not sure about mixing low gluten Caputo with high gluten semolina, though. Typically I use AP and egg for fresh pasta, and semolina and water for extruded. If I thought Caputo would make a significant diference I'd totally sub that for the AP. I have never heard of anyone doing it the hybrid way you mention... but that may just be something I just never heard......................

The 50-50 mixture of soft wheat flour and semolina was printed in the instruction manual accompanying my pasta machine.

 

[panini]

I have to agree with ChefRoss. I have never posted a pasta recipe basically because the dough is different each time I make it. I personally think it's a zen thing. I know that's crazy but if you touch the ingredients and mix them together, and form a dough that you just know will work.  If you have to, put a small pan of boiling water on the stove and throw some in while your kneading.That's not to say I have not had some failures, especially on my dry pasta.

If I'm making pasta for my family I will use the 00 and durham flour mixture, not semolina.

I don't use vinegar. The vinegar in small amounts will kick the yeast but will also weaken the gluten. I'm also lucky that we have very hard water here in our lakes.

 

[kokopuffs]

Durum versus semolina flour:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/19200/difference-between-durum-and-semolina-flour

 

[panini]

@kokopuffs ,

I didn't read that whole article but yes, durham flour is a by product of ground semolina. But they also regrind or mill semolina to make the durham flour. It is a product on it's own. At least that

is what I've understood all these years.

 

[brianshaw]

Hi Pannini. when you mention yeast, you are talking about bread rather than pasta... aren't you? I've never heard of yeast being used for pasta. Also, regarding vinegar... I always though like you do... that vinegar "loosens" the gluten. But earlier someone said it tightens the gluten (and I looked on the internet and even saw a site that said similar). What's up with that... any clues????

 

[panini]

@BrianShaw

Ya, my bad. I should have mentioned I don't use yeast in my pasta. I was talking bread. However, I do use some vinegar in my pizza dough. It seems to condition the dough and loosen up the gluten that gives you that PITA return when you lay the dough down. I use it in any dough that I'm going to stretch. I only like to stretch something like foccacia once and lay it down with no return. I also like it when I can get my pizza dough thin enough to see the hairs on my knuckles through the dough./img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

As far as the vinegar goes in bread. I can only go by what has happened to me in the past. It's a thin line when you add vinegar. A small amount can kick the yeast and act to condition the gluten but too much will slack out the gluten. But I'm sure there is something scientific to say that's wrong.

 

[kokopuffs]

Vitamin C used in bread baking, it's an acid:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/7416/ascorbic-acid

 

[someday]

I always thought that adding acid to a pasta dough was to prevent oxidation and keep it from turning that unpleasant gray/green color it can get after a day or two. 

 

[chefross]

I always thought that adding acid to a pasta dough was to prevent oxidation and keep it from turning that unpleasant gray/green color it can get after a day or two.

That is a by-product of the step Foodpump mentioned.

If I have any unused dough, it goes into a Foodsaver bag and the freezer.

 

[kokopuffs]

I make pasta at work weekly kokopuffs.

I use The French Laundry recipe doctored.

Semolina and all purpose flour with egg yolks, olive oil, pinch of salt, and a splash of vinegar.

Kneading and resting the dough are important.......................

My shoulder aches after all of this kneading! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif Next time a splash of vinegar will be used for relaxing the gluten!!!!!

 

[panini]

@kokopuffs sounds like your kneading to much. If your using the 00 don't knead to much. Most people will tell you the 00 is a softer wheat with less protein. It's actually the same amount of

protein as bread flour at about 12-12.5 the 00 refers to the grind.

Also use you pasta machine to help. run the dough through, fold it and run it again. You can do this a number of times.

Honestly, I have seen hundreds of homemade pastas made. By Nonnas, aunts, uncles, firemen in NYC and nobody uses vinegar or acid.

 

[kokopuffs]

@panini: once the dough was made I reviewed many recipes for pasta dough. Water + eggs (at least more per 100g of flour than 1 egg per 100g). Hmmm, my dough clocked in at 250g semolina flour mixed with durham wheat (from Bob's Red Mill) and 250g Caputo 00 flour plus 6 eggs and perhaps around 10ml of water. Methinks more water could have been added to the dough to loosen it a bit. Just like bread making, pasta dough is a learning curve, especially from someone who's name ends in a vowel!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smiles.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/rollsmile.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif

Best,

Terry Kokosenski