Homemade

Pasta

Tipo “00” is a fine grade wheat flour that is lovely and soft. It has a high gluten content which is how it bonds to form the pasta dough.  It is possible to make with a plain flour as stated but for the best result buy Tipo “00” and store in the fridge for all pasta  making forays.

200 g tipo “00” flour or white stone-ground organic whole-wheat flour

2 whole eggs

2 tbsp vegetable stock

1 tbsp cold pressed organic olive oil

1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

1 pinch salt

¼ cup flour extra for kneading and rolling

1. Make a pile of flour on the clean bench top use a fist to form a large well in the centre and add all remaining ingredients.
2. With a cutlery knife using a stirring motion incorporate the liquids into the flour until a sticky dough is formed.
3. Knead until the dough is firm and smooth, it will bounce back when pressed. Leave to rest for 10 minutes
4. Cut dough into four quarters and knead briefly before rolling each segment through a pasta machine from the widest setting to the narrowest setting.
5. Prepare a clean tray dusted with flour for the cut pasta. Cut each segment as required use the wider cutter for fettuccine and the narrow for angel hair.  Cut papadelle by hand into 1.5 -2cm wide strips. 

Takes: 20 minutes

Note: Fresh pasta freezes well and cooks well from frozen, allow to dry before freezing in potions.

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Shortcrust Pastry

1 1/3 cup plain flour w a pinch of salt
180g cold hard butter
1/4 cup cold water

1. Measure your cold water and keep nearby.
2. Sift the flour into a pile on a clean bench-top or a large bowl.
3. Grate the butter and quickly rub into the flour using your fingers, so it's a bit like rough bread crumbs. Make a pile out of this mess and form a hole in the middle to create a well.
4. Tip the cold water into the well, and using a spoon draw the butter/flour mixture into the well until the water is soaked up.
5. Use the heel of your hand to smear the mix away from you, then draw it back into the pile and smear it away again to combine.
6. Shape it into a ball, dust with a bit more flour and leave in the fridge for half an hour to relax.

Blind Baking:

1. Roll out the pastry and drape over a rolling pin, use the rolling pin to transfer the pastry to the greased tart pan you are lining.
2. Scrunch up some baking paper, then re-flatten, this stops the paper scratching the pastry
3. Spread the paper on top of the pastry including up the sides
4. Fill the paper covered pastry case with blind baking material - I use uncooked rice or dried beans but you can buy special little ceramic balls for this.
5. Bake in the oven until pastry is cooked but still pale, about 10 minutes at 200ºC.
6. Remove the blind baking stuff and cook pastry case for another 5 minutes to dry it out further

Notes:

If using a hot filling add to hot case

If using a cold filling allow the case to cool before adding the filling