Imperia hand crank pasta machine.

[BrianMorin]

Hi GB I hope I'm in the right place for this post?

I just bought a new Imperia Pasta Maker, that cost me about 47.$ CND. It seem that I had the pasta made before I got the maker home. I am use to making pasta by hand, but I have never made pasta as well and with as little effort as I did yesterday.

I made it with spelt flour. I will be makeing rice flour pasta tonight. Pasta for a while...!!!

 

[auntieshelly]

Congratulations, Bri, on your new pasta maker!! My grandparents brought my mother a Zena 46 when they visited Italy in 1953! It is a hand crank also and still works perfectly. I remember cranking it for my mother as she made all kinds of different pasta. Those days, unless you were Italian, pasta wasn't anywhere as popular as it is today, especially homemade pasta. Now, I have the old machine and still use it. I also use it to make very thin dough for a special Italian cookie that is cut into long strips, tied in knots, and deep fried. Enjoy your new toy!!!!!

 

[mish]

Hi GB I hope I'm in the right place for this post?

I just bought a new Imperia Pasta Maker, that cost me about 47.$ CND. It seem that I had the pasta made before I got the maker home. I am use to making pasta by hand, but I have never made pasta as well and with as little effort as I did yesterday.

I made it with spelt flour. I will be makeing rice flour pasta tonight. Pasta for a while...!!!

Brian, I love the Imperia pasta machine. Had it for many years. $47, wow. Don't recall what I paid, but it's worth the money over time.

Can you tell me please, what is spelt flour? I've never tried rice flour pasta - would like to know more about it. I have a wonderful pasta recipe book and have tried many flavored pastas - lemon etc, & some striped dough. Do you have a favorite recipe? Thanks in advance.

 

[mish]

Congratulations, Bri, on your new pasta maker!! My grandparents brought my mother a Zena 46 when they visited Italy in 1953! It is a hand crank also and still works perfectly. I remember cranking it for my mother as she made all kinds of different pasta. Those days, unless you were Italian, pasta wasn't anywhere as popular as it is today, especially homemade pasta. Now, I have the old machine and still use it. I also use it to make very thin dough for a special Italian cookie that is cut into long strips, tied in knots, and deep fried. Enjoy your new toy!!!!!

Oooh, auntieshelly, I would love your recipe for the Italian cookie dough.

 

[BrianMorin]

auntieshelly;

Thanks for the congratulatory post...

 

[BrianMorin]

Originally Posted by auntieshelly
Congratulations, Bri, on your new pasta maker!! My grandparents brought my mother a Zena 46 when they visited Italy in 1953! It is a hand crank also and still works perfectly. I remember cranking it for my mother as she made all kinds of different pasta. Those days, unless you were Italian, pasta wasn't anywhere as popular as it is today, especially homemade pasta. Now, I have the old machine and still use it. I also use it to make very thin dough for a special Italian cookie that is cut into long strips, tied in knots, and deep fried. Enjoy your new toy!!!!!

Oooh, auntieshelly, I would love your recipe for the Italian cookie dough.

Glad you said it first, Mish. I'd love to see your recipe auntieshelly, if it would please you to share it.

It reminds me of the time I went into this store on the main (Blvd. St. Laurent) in Montréal and saw these beautiful biscotti. They were more cake like than the traditional biscotti that I have known. they told me that they were Viennese biscotti’s. I asked if I could get the recipe, and they told me that they could not give it to me. Whatever the reason, I respected it, but have not forgotten my quest to find a recipe like it since, this was at least four years ago.

 

[BrianMorin]

Brian, I love the Imperia pasta machine. Had it for many years. $47, wow. Don't recall what I paid, but it's worth the money over time.

It will pay for itself through health and sensual enjoyment (taste). What more can we want in life, except maybe someone else to do it for us. Just kidding that could be very boreing.

Can you tell me please, what is spelt flour? I've never tried rice flour pasta - would like to know more about it. I have a wonderful pasta recipe book and have tried many flavored pastas - lemon etc, & some striped dough. Do you have a favorite recipe? Thanks in advance.

Spelt is an ancient grain that has been re-introduced into our available food chain in the last – oh I don’t know – 20 years or so. The gluten in this flour is easier to digest, especially for someone with an intestinal/immune/digestive system weakness. You can probably find it in your local grocery store these day’s but that has not always been the case.

Maybe less than four years ago you would more than likely have to go to a health food store to get it. That of course, especially if you live in a smaller town or city, could spell (no pun intended) rancidity.

I grind all my own grains, here at the house, and find that the spelt grain in a bit week in gluten, so I add about 6% gluten flour to it to get it to what I believe to be between 6 and 12%.

The rice flour that I use on the other hand is Basmati Rice that I grind up and add about 12% gluten flour to that, otherwise I don’t believe it would roll out.

I also know that there is a rice called sweet rice sometimes and glutinous rice at other times. It may have enough gluten in it to serve the purpose of making pasta; I’m not sure and would like to try it out. You could, essentially, grind the rice in a coffee or herb grinder (herb grinder, being the same thing as a coffee grinder), to make it fine enough to make dough. I don’t recommend using a blender, but maybe a food processor might work. But if you have the coffee/herb grinder, since you only need a cup or so to make pasta, would probably be more worth your while.

Ciao

 

[mish]

Thank you, Bri.

 

[BrianMorin]

Thank you, Bri.

This is sooooo much fun. It's a pleasure.

 

[auntieshelly]

Hi Mish and Bri ~ Here is the recipe for the Italian cookies I mentioned in my post. These cookies are thin and crunchy. I remember my mother stored them in gift boxes lined with paper towels in our linen closet. They stayed crisp for a long time.

Italian Bow-Tie Cookies
4 eggs
4 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 cube) butter, melted
3 teaspoons anise extract (you may use lemon, orange, vanilla, or almond extract in place of anise)
2 teaspoons orange or lemon zest, optional
3 teaspoons water
2 3/4 cups flour
Oil (I use Canola) for frying
Sifted powdered sugar

Beat eggs until very thick and lemon colored. Gradually add sugar and salt and beat until dissolved. Stir in melted butter, extract, zest(if used), and water. Gradually blend in flour until a stiff dough forms (like a pasta dough). Chill for 15-30 minutes. Divide dough into five or six parts. Roll out one piece of dough at a time, by hand or using a pasta maker. Roll dough as thin as possible, until it is almost transparent. Lightly flour work area and with a sharp knife, cut the dough into strips about 1" wide and about 10" long. Tie the strips of dough into loose knots or bows as you would a ribbon. Drop the bow-ties, a few at a time, into deep hot oil (360º) and cook just a few minutes, turning often, until very lightly browned. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle generously with sifted powdered sugar. This recipe makes about 100 cookies.

 

[mish]

Hi Mish and Bri ~ Here is the recipe for the Italian cookies I mentioned in my post. These cookies are thin and crunchy. I remember my mother stored them in gift boxes lined with paper towels in our linen closet. They stayed crisp for a long time.

Italian Bow-Tie Cookies
4 eggs
4 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 cube) butter, melted
3 teaspoons anise extract (you may use lemon, orange, vanilla, or almond extract in place of anise)
2 teaspoons orange or lemon zest, optional
3 teaspoons water
2 3/4 cups flour
Oil (I use Canola) for frying
Sifted powdered sugar

Beat eggs until very thick and lemon colored. Gradually add sugar and salt and beat until dissolved. Stir in melted butter, extract, zest(if used), and water. Gradually blend in flour until a stiff dough forms (like a pasta dough). Chill for 15-30 minutes. Divide dough into five or six parts. Roll out one piece of dough at a time, by hand or using a pasta maker. Roll dough as thin as possible, until it is almost transparent. Lightly flour work area and with a sharp knife, cut the dough into strips about 1" wide and about 10" long. Tie the strips of dough into loose knots or bows as you would a ribbon. Drop the bow-ties, a few at a time, into deep hot oil (360º) and cook just a few minutes, turning often, until very lightly browned. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle generously with sifted powdered sugar. This recipe makes about 100 cookies.

Thank you shelly. Sounds like the kind of heirloom recipe you don't come across very often. Appreciate your sharing it with us.

I remember another Italian cookie, growing up in NYC, our neighbors & then my mom made. They were swirled puffy cookies, tasted like anise, with vanilla glaze and sprinkles. Wish I could find the recipe for these Italian delites.

 

[auntieshelly]

Bri ~ Interesting story about the cake-like biscotti. If I ever run across a recipe like that, I will post it for you.

Mish ~ FYI: If you have a Whole Foods store in your area, you can find spelt and rice flours there. I have a friend who is allergic to wheat. She buys a wheatless flour mixture that contains spelt and rice flours at Whole Foods to make bread, pasta, cookies, etc.

 

[mish]

Bri ~ Interesting story about the cake-like biscotti. If I ever run across a recipe like that, I will post it for you.

Mish ~ FYI: If you have a Whole Foods store in your area, you can find spelt and rice flours there. I have a friend who is allergic to wheat. She buys a wheatless flour mixture that contains spelt and rice flours at Whole Foods to make bread, pasta, cookies, etc.

Thanks shelly. In California we have Whole Foods all over the place. Fortunately I'm not allergic to anything ('cept for bad food)... but was curious about spelt.

 

[auntieshelly]

Bri ~ I just found this recipe for soft biscotti at a site called "Mother Moos" !? I have no idea if it is good or not, but thought you may be interested. Click below.

Address:http://www.mothermoos.com/Soft_biscotti.htm

 

[Andy M.]

...I also know that there is a rice called sweet rice sometimes and glutinous rice at other times. It may have enough gluten in it to serve the purpose of making pasta...Ciao

Brian:

There is no gluten in glutenous rice. The name is a misnomer. If you choose to grind that into flour, you would still have to add gluten to make it a workable flour.

Have fun with your new toy!

 

[BrianMorin]

Thanks auntieshelly

 

[BrianMorin]

Mish ~ FYI: If you have a Whole Foods store in your area, you can find spelt and rice flours there. I have a friend who is allergic to wheat. She buys a wheatless flour mixture that contains spelt and rice flours at Whole Foods to make bread, pasta, cookies, etc.

...and it probably has xatham or guar gum, in order to make it so it can rise.

 

[BrianMorin]

Bri ~ I just found this recipe for soft biscotti at a site called "Mother Moos" !? I have no idea if it is good or not, but thought you may be interested. Click below.

Address:http://www.mothermoos.com/Soft_biscotti.htm

Thanks Auntie: Looks very good. The toaste lightly thing was what I wasn't understanding. Now I do, just have to put it into practice.

 

[BrianMorin]

Brian:

There is no gluten in glutenous rice. The name is a misnomer. If you choose to grind that into flour, you would still have to add gluten to make it a workable flour.

Have fun with your new toy!

Thanks Andy. I'm having a great time with my toy. I had a bit of trouble with my rice flour recipe however. I started making in around five or five thirty and didn't finish it until... well we were at the table having diner at around 9:20 p.m.

I'm sure it was worth it however as my wife did't say a thing about the hour and kept on uhmmmming and ahaing through the meal. As well she kept on saying, I don't believe we have our own pasta like this!!! Meaning more like a real pasta, opposed to a thinker and maybe less even cut that I would do by hand...

It was a lot of fun...

 

[BrianMorin]

Can anyone tell me the proper way one can invite someone to a discussion? I would like to invite urmaniac13 to this discussion because I believe she might be in the best position to help me out?

I bought my Imperia in Montreal, Qc. and the place I boght it only has the single attanchments, other than the one that comes with the device. I am looking for a place, in Canada, or at least North America - although I'm afraid if I imported an accessory through the U.S., that originates in Italy, the duties might be too high? - where they have the double pasta cutting accessories. Can anyone help me on this? One or the other.