Making Homemade Pasta

If you ever thought that making homemade pasta was difficult, think again.  All you really need is a food processor and a hand-crank pasta machine.  Suffice it to say, it takes about a minute to make the dough in the food processor. 

Assuming that you have a food processor I will concentrate on some of the devices that will make pasta making easy.

Making Pasta..The Machine: I bought the Marcato Atlas 150 Wellness model for less than $70.00 at Amazon.  The unit is made in Italy and I suggest that you stick with any Italian-made pasta machine.    There are two problems with this machine.  The first is that there are settings that determine how thin to your pasta but the instructions are pathetic and don't give much in which setting for are for what kind of pasta, i.e. for spaghetti, fettuccine or ravioli.  The other is that the hand crank does not lock into place so a couple of times it dropped to the floor.  None of these are deal killers but you should be aware of them.  

Marcato-Atlas-Wellness Pasta Machine


Making Ravioli:  A large 3 inch round or square ravioli stamp (or both) is indispensable.  I recommend the Eppicotispai simply because the edges are sharp and easily cuts through dough unlike some of the others that you may find for sale.  This cost me a pasta noodle more than $6.00.  If you are making ravioli as a main course a large stamp is invaluable. Hand Wash Only! 
Eppicotispai Aluminum Ravioli Stamp - 3"

It is advisable to own at least one gadget to make ravioli.  I own two.  The second cost under $14.00 and makes perfectly shaped and filled ravioli in 2.5" x 2/5 inch squares which is a good size for appetizers. You will need a rolling pin and to use this gizmo.  
 Norpro 12 Raviol Maker With Press


Pasta making pasta dough/ravioli videos: 

Laura Vitale Pasta Dough Recipe 

Laura Vitale Ravioli Video 

Note: I know that there are many, Laura Vitale included, recommend that the pasta for Ravioli be thinned to near the lowest setting.  For me, I find that the thickness of setting #6 (of 9 for my pasta machine) makes a pasta sheet that maintains its integrity when  it needs to be stretched to top a well-stuffed ravioli or when dumped into a pot of boiling water.   


Another thing that you will probably need is a drying rack for spaghetti and like shaped pasta.  This one cost a whopping $12.92.  

 Norpro-1048 Pasta Drying Rack


NOTE: Don't wast your $$$ on those all-in-one electric machines where you dump in all of the ingredients that magically extrudes pasta.