Help with homemade pasta.

[mborner]

Hello, I've been experimenting recently with homemade pasta. I've made spaghetti about 6 times using a machine similar to an Atlas 150. I'm using a mixture of 50% all purpose flour and 50% semolina flour. The dough comes out good and I let it set, wrapped in cellophane, for 30-45 minutes. The noodles come out of the machine with a very course texture. My recipe is:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semolina flour
3 eggs
salt
1/2 teaspoon olive oil.

The problem I'm having is that after cooking the spaghetti (2.5 to 3 minutes) the noodles stick madly. on my plate, I have a pile of noodles that, even with sauce, I can cut like a cake. I can cut the pile of noodles with a knife and fork, almost like lasagna. The noodles just won't flow over each other.

Here's what I've tried:
1. Rinsed noodles thoroughly.
2. Not rinsed at all.
3. used a tad bit of olive oil in the water
4. used no oo in the water.
5. used oo on the noodles after cooking
6. drowned noodles in oo after cooking
7. used no oo
8. varied cooking times.
9. made pasta with 100% semolina
10. made pasta with 100% all purpose flour.

Store bought noodles don't act this way. If I try to stack store bought noodles into a pile on my plate they just go flat. I can stack my homemade noodles on my plate into a mountain, like mashed potatoes. Help, what am I doing wrong?

 

[jennyema]

Once the dough has come together in the machine, take it out and knead it by hand for about 8-10 minutes until it gets smooth, elastic and glossy. Then let it rest.

 

[mborner]

Thanks, jennyeme. I didn't mention it but, yes, I knead the dough for a good 10 to 15 minutes before letting it rest. I don't use a mixer, it's all done by hand, except of course, the noodle press.

 

[kadesma]

After cutting the noodles, do you let them rest or air dry for a few minutes? I do mine, then make a nest out of some of them freeze for future use. Hope thi might help a little.
kadesma

 

[CraigC]

How many setting do you thin the dough through before cutting? We usually run it through the low setting several times, folding it back on itself, flouring as needed and rotating 90 degrees. Sort of like using the machine to knead a final time until the texture feels right. As the dough is taken thinner through the settings, it gets floured lightly as needed. Once run through the die, it rests in small piles, covered with towels. I don't know if it makes any difference, but do you salt the water?

Craig

 

[mborner]

After cutting the noodles, do you let them rest or air dry for a few minutes? I do mine, then make a nest out of some of them freeze for future use. Hope thi might help a little.
kadesma

After cutting my last batch, the noodles rested for 8-10 minutes before adding them to boiling water.

How many setting do you thin the dough through before cutting? We usually run it through the low setting several times, folding it back on itself, flouring as needed and rotating 90 degrees. Sort of like using the machine to knead a final time until the texture feels right. As the dough is taken thinner through the settings, it gets floured lightly as needed. Once run through the die, it rests in small piles, covered with towels. I don't know if it makes any difference, but do you salt the water?

Craig

Well, the very first attempt was a complete disaster. I had thinned the sheets of pasta down to the last (thinnest) setting on the machine. The noodles came out like shredded angel hair. I then learned the best setting was 3-4 down from the largest setting. At least that's where I get the least clumping out of the dies.

Yes, I do slightly salt the water.

I don't know but how much difference does the quality of the machine make? My machine looks exactly like an Imperia/Atlas 150 but it's really a cheap $35.00 Chinese brand that I got as a gift from Bed Bath and Beyond. Would that make a world of difference?

 

[taxlady]

I haven't had that problem. I don't usually include eggs, just flour and water. I knead that by hand, just long enough to make it hang together. Then I use the thickest setting on my pasta machine to knead it until it "feels right". I use hard, whole grain, wheat flour. I don't know if that makes a difference.

 

[Josie1945]

Welcome to DC.

Josie

 

[medtran49]

How long are you letting the noodles sit before you are using them? If too long that could be your problem as pasta will stick together eventually, even store bought pasta. Most of the time, you can just rinse it with water and it will unstick but, of course, you will be washing off the starch which makes the sauce stick (and the pasta stick to itself). That's why you and your guests are supposed to wait for the pasta, not the other way around.

Homemade fresh noodles just aren't going to act like store-bought dried noodles. Even the store-bought fresh noodles are going to act more like home-made than the dried pasta. If you want that slippery/slidy texture, then stay with the dried pasta.

You might want to cut down on your semolina and use more AP flour for a more tender noodle. For just regular pasta, I don't use semolina at all, it's just too hard a flour.

I use the food processor to mix my pasta dough and have found for the most tender pasta to just mix until the dough still looks crumbly in the bowl but will hold together well when squished. Then I take it out and only knead just until it comes together, usually 2-3 times. You don't want to develop the gluten as that will make it tough. I then wrap in plastic wrap and let it set for at least 15-20 but usually a lot longer than that, leaving it in fridge if it's going to be several hours as I do use egg. Of course, it's taken out and warms up before starting to use the pasta machine.

As Craig stated, we run it thru the first setting 2-3 times usually but that's also a shaping issue to try and get as much of a regular rectangular shape as possible, i.e. run it thru, fold in thirds trying to get a rectangular shape, mash edges together, and repeat. And, as he said, using flour as needed to keep it from sticking. On BTW, obviously but the short end of the rectangle thru the rollers.

Just keep practicing, you may have to a eat a few "failures" but you'll get better with time and eventually will be able to feel the dough and know if you are going to have great pasta or not.

 

[mborner]

How long are you letting the noodles sit before you are using them? If too long that could be your problem as pasta will stick together eventually, even store bought pasta. Most of the time, you can just rinse it with water and it will unstick but, of course, you will be washing off the starch which makes the sauce stick (and the pasta stick to itself). That's why you and your guests are supposed to wait for the pasta, not the other way around.

Homemade fresh noodles just aren't going to act like store-bought dried noodles. Even the store-bought fresh noodles are going to act more like home-made than the dried pasta. If you want that slippery/slidy texture, then stay with the dried pasta.

You might want to cut down on your semolina and use more AP flour for a more tender noodle. For just regular pasta, I don't use semolina at all, it's just too hard a flour.

I use the food processor to mix my pasta dough and have found for the most tender pasta to just mix until the dough still looks crumbly in the bowl but will hold together well when squished. Then I take it out and only knead just until it comes together, usually 2-3 times. You don't want to develop the gluten as that will make it tough. I then wrap in plastic wrap and let it set for at least 15-20 but usually a lot longer than that, leaving it in fridge if it's going to be several hours as I do use egg. Of course, it's taken out and warms up before starting to use the pasta machine.

As Craig stated, we run it thru the first setting 2-3 times usually but that's also a shaping issue to try and get as much of a regular rectangular shape as possible, i.e. run it thru, fold in thirds trying to get a rectangular shape, mash edges together, and repeat. And, as he said, using flour as needed to keep it from sticking. On BTW, obviously but the short end of the rectangle thru the rollers.

Just keep practicing, you may have to a eat a few "failures" but you'll get better with time and eventually will be able to feel the dough and know if you are going to have great pasta or not.

medtran49, thanks for the great tips. I usually pour the cooked pasta into a strainer and rinse immediately. From there, right to the plate. What's strange is, even after a thorough rinsing and covering the noodles in EVOO, I've never had an issue with sauce not sticking to the pasta. Admittedly, I don't knead the dough through the machine. I usually just run it through once or twice on each level. I'm just trying to recreate what I get in an Italian restaurant that serves fresh pasta. No sticking, perfectly al dente, great flavor. My noodles come out of the water looking and tasting like rawman. I mentioned earlier that the noodles come out of the machine with a very, very course texture. They are not even close to being round and I would call the texture almost "choppy". Again, could my cheap machine be the culprit? How about if I used 1 less egg and add water instead? Should I knead longer? shorter? Should I let the dough rest longer? shorter? Does running it through the machine several times make a difference? Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[zfranca]

There is no way you can make spaghetti at home in a satisfactory way. Better stick with egg pasta for noodles. Commercially made spaghetti do not contain eggs. I have written a cookbook on how to make egg pasta and spinach pasta: "The precious Ingredient". Send me a private e-mail if you like to receive a copy. Franca Facchetti

 

[pastaqueen]

Try to cut down on the egg and add water.. i only use one egg and about 3/4 a cup of water to 3 1/3 cups of flour.

 

[Addie]

Sounds like too much semolina. I use one-fourth cup semonlina to one cup of AP flour. And I knead it by hand until it is shiny and smooth. Then cover tightly and let it rest. It is hard to explain, but like making bread, the final product will let you know by the feel to your hands.