Question about pasta thickness?

[BAPyessir6]

Two questions!

Thanks to my husband's friend, I got a homemade pasta bug and a KitchenAid pasta roller itching to be used again. I however, have no idea what the average thickness for (say, fettuccini or spaghetti) is. I checked out this list by the manufacturer that makes KitchenAid pasta rollers and got even more confused. Am I reading this right?

Fettuccini is technically rolled thinner than spaghetti? Is that because it's a wider pasta? I had no idea. I usually just roll everything to like, 6 or 7 on the roller (1 millimeter to .8 millimeter).

Another question. . .are there specific dishes that benefit dried store bought pasta over fresh? Or is fresh always the way to go? (Say you had ample time/energy to do either). I'm excluding stuffed pasta like ravioli or tortellini from that list, cause I feel like they're pretty much always better, (though I buy the cheap ones ) sans time/effort.

 

[Kathleen]

I wish I had the answer, but I don't. I do know that I have rolled pasta too thin before, so I am very interested in the answer!

 

[Andy M.]

I guess. I just roll out pasta sheets until it looks right then I cut it and cook it. No one has complained.

After all, it's a hand crafted food and some variations are expected. It's part of the charm.

 

[dragnlaw]

The proper thickness' will always be how Nonna does it. Anything else and it's not Italian! or according to Sir LOB neither is it Sicilian.

I do my fettuccini the same thickness as my spaghetti. Because that is how my machine does it. The cutters on my machine show that the fettuccini is just wider than spaghetti, not thicker.

If you check store bought dried pasta I think you'd find it the same. As to fresh store bought - couldn't tell you as I don't think I've ever bought fresh spaghetti, only ever fresh fettuccini.

And to top it all off.... spaghetti is round, fettuccini is flat. Perhaps you could argue that fettuccini is flattened spaghetti.

 

[blissful]

I have the kitchen aid pasta roller, so can make whole wheat (WW) spaghetti and lasagna (and perogies).
I still buy WW macaroni and rotini.

 

[Badjak]

I use a hand cranked pasta machine and generally go 2 times through the narrowest setting.
But I don't do spaghetti.
Just lasagne sheets, fettucini and angel hair pasta.
I do use the machine to make springroll and dim sum sheets as well

 

[dragnlaw]

I do use the machine to make springroll and dim sum sheets as well

WOW - I never thought of that! It has been very difficult to find frozen sheets of either WonTon wrappers or dumplings around here. I've always hesitated to try to make my own, even though video's are really helpful. Just haven't gone there, yet....

 

[BAPyessir6]

WOW - I never thought of that! It has been very difficult to find frozen sheets of either WonTon wrappers or dumplings around here. I've always hesitated to try to make my own, even though video's are really helpful. Just haven't gone there, yet....

I literally bought a pasta roller like 5 years ago so I could make gyoza/Asian dumplings. I was rolling 80 of them by hand after a long day at work and was like. . .I can't do this anymore.

Yes they probably should be rolled by hand so you can have thick bottoms and thin sides. But, I am not Chinese either so it works for me!

 

[Badjak]

For dumplings, I go 2 or 3 times through the lowest setting if the pasta machine, then roll out a bit more by hand, if I feel it is necessary
(Alternatively, I use a tortilla press)

 

[dragnlaw]

How about rolling fairly thick then just going by hand around the outside to thin it. That could take out some of the work, no?

 

[Badjak]

How about rolling fairly thick then just going by hand around the outside to thin it. That could take out some of the work, no?

Yeah, could do.
Depends on what you are going to use the sheets for.
I find the thinnest setting quite good for my purposes. If I want thicker, I would probably be tempted to just roll by hand.

One thing is that the pasta machine makes rectangular sheets, so if you want round, you'll get some off cuts (which you then ball, and throw through the machine again)

 

[pictonguy]

Two questions!

Thanks to my husband's friend, I got a homemade pasta bug and a KitchenAid pasta roller itching to be used again. I however, have no idea what the average thickness for (say, fettuccini or spaghetti) is. I checked out this list by the manufacturer that makes KitchenAid pasta rollers and got even more confused. Am I reading this right?

Fettuccini is technically rolled thinner than spaghetti? Is that because it's a wider pasta? I had no idea. I usually just roll everything to like, 6 or 7 on the roller (1 millimeter to .8 millimeter).

Another question. . .are there specific dishes that benefit dried store bought pasta over fresh? Or is fresh always the way to go? (Say you had ample time/energy to do either). I'm excluding stuffed pasta like ravioli or tortellini from that list, cause I feel like they're pretty much always better, (though I buy the cheap ones ) sans time/effort.

Personally I like my fettuccini and tagliatelle to be slightly thinner than spaghetti but generally they're about the same thickness.

Dried vs fresh is mostly cultural and regional. For example with bolognaise, fresh tagliatelle is generally the go to pasta but people also use other pasta's like spaghetti for example. Also dried tagliatelle can be had that does have eggs in it. Also a fresh pasta does not have the same al dente characteristic when compared to dried, which is one of the biggest differences and a decider in some scenarios.

Both types of pasta have their place in Italian cuisine and are used based on the specific dish being prepared. Fresh pasta is often seen as a special treat or used in more refined dishes, while dried pasta is a staple of everyday cooking and beloved for its texture (al dente) and versatility.

Lasagna and ravioli are fresh normally but you will see dry lasagna noodles. The main reason fresh pasta is used is for it's resilience factor when compared to dry. The eggs in fresh pasta stand up to the longer cooking times because of the added protein and fat which adds structure from the eggs, where a dried pasta that is just semolina and water would and can turn to mush over the same time frame.

Dried from what I know through my Italian connections and working with Italian chefs is king but fresh is also adored for the dishes where that type of pasta suits.


Here's mine.

 

[BAPyessir6]

How about rolling fairly thick then just going by hand around the outside to thin it. That could take out some of the work, no?

Ahhhh! This is a good idea!!