Pasta Machine

[JohnyMac]

I want to buy a pasta machine. There 10's of dozens out there. I want to buy one and move on "one and done" rather then buy one and not like it to only buy another one.

If anybody here has one they have used and like, please share it with the group.

Thanks

[FeedingFreedom]

Do you want a hand-crank or an extruder machine? For roller-style machines, Marcato or Imperia are good choices. Available parts (for now!), reasonable cost, well-made in Italy. They both have a range of machines, Imperia tends toward more restaurant-sized and motorized machines. I've used both, but I have an Imperia hand-crank now because I got a killer deal on the machine and a bunch of attachments. If I had to buy one now at full price, I'd get the Marcato and all the attachments I wanted. Machine is around $100, attachments are $30-$50.

We had an extruder machine that someone gave us, don't remember the brand but I really didn't like it. Loud, lots of little parts to lose, long assembly/cleaning with those numerous little parts that get lost  , and really finicky with the texture of the dough. There was a really fine line between dough that was too wet and too dry. Too dry would strain the machine and make "fuzzy" pasta, too wet made globby noodles that broke on the drying stand more often than not. The crank machine makes great round pasta like spaghetti, and is far more tolerant of dough texture. For ravioli, I wouldn't recommend the machine attachment, but the "plate" style ravioli makers that you run the roller over the mold to crimp and cut them. I use molds that I 3-D printed, because I can scale the print to make the size I want, and since they cost about 50 cents in material, I can have a few of them to make large batches.

If you have a Kitchenaid mixer, they do sell a pasta attachment for it, but it costs about the same as the Marcato machine.

[grizz]

I've switched from pasta over to spaghetti squash. And believe me it was a hard choice since I grew up on pasta!! Actually I've found a few replacements for pasta via KETO and Atkins diet recipes.

I mention this because all the replacements are veggies that can be grown, processed and stored plus better for you from a health perspective.

And NO, NO, NO, NO I'm NOT a vegan of any sort, I hunt and fish for the majority of all my meat. Actually I'm going grouse hunting later today. But my health has improved dramatically since I cut out pasta, bread and other processed foods

Hope this helps you or at least offers a different path 

[Jackalope]

   We have a Marcato hand crank machine.  We received it as a wedding gift, and have yet to use it!  This thread will hopefully give us some impetus to trying it out.  A good winter day project!  I didn't even know we had one until I mentioned it to my wife, who promptly pulled it out of a cabinet. Surprise, surprise!

[grizz]

   We have a Marcato hand crank machine.  We received it as a wedding gift, and have yet to use it!  This thread will hopefully give us some impetus to trying it out.  A good winter day project!  I didn't even know we had one until I mentioned it to my wife, who promptly pulled it out of a cabinet. Surprise, surprise!

Home made pasta is the best which makes my statements about spaghetti squash so difficult, But its healthier and can be grown when there is no electricity

[Nemo]

spaghetti squash.

Blasphemy!  Sacrilege!  Gather the stake and kindling, oil and big pot, rope and sharp knives!

Nemo

[JohnyMac]

All great suggestions - Thank you.

I will order the Marcato from Amazon. Just have to figure out whether to buy the 150 or 180 model. Based on reviews, most folks think the motor is poorly made. Oh well, nothing is perfect. 

Since I am ordering from Amazon, I will order some additional socks and underwear too.

[FeedingFreedom]

All great suggestions - Thank you.

I will order the Marcato from Amazon. Just have to figure out whether to buy the 150 or 180 model. Based on reviews, most folks think the motor is poorly made. Oh well, nothing is perfect. 

Since I am ordering from Amazon, I will order some additional socks and underwear too.

Depending on what you make, I'd go with the 180, just for lasagna- the 180 is good for 2 strips of lasagna, the 150 is just a little narrow for me if it's cut in half. We actually use ours mostly to make Okinawa Soba, one of my all-time favorite meals. I've never missed having a motor on mine, although if you were making large batches at a time it would probably be handy.

I love spaghetti squash, but I only eat it with some butter and salt. Never had any luck growing it, always ends up small. I grow several other kinds of squash and pumpkins, they usually produce well.

[JohnyMac]

MrsMac and I LOVE Okinawa Soba. Yummmm.

One of the things we miss living in NE PA is we can not find a good Japanese restaurant. We did find a very good, transitional Chinese restaurant in Endicott called Moon Star but no Japanese restaurant. We did try Kampi in Vestal, NY however, it was not traditional Japanese. It was geared towards American tastes.

There was a great Japanese restaurant in Seattle located on the east side of Lake Union. When you entered the smallish restaurant the owner would holler out in Japanese, "Welcome. Come In Come in!"

Oh well. I am getting off topic. 

[grizz]

spaghetti squash.

Blasphemy!  Sacrilege!  Gather the stake and kindling, oil and big pot, rope and sharp knives!

Nemo

 
 
As a proud American Itialan man I agree but my belly fat has a different opinion 

[FeedingFreedom]

MrsMac and I LOVE Okinawa Soba. Yummmm.

One of the things we miss living in NE PA is we can not find a good Japanese restaurant. We did find a very good, transitional Chinese restaurant in Endicott called Moon Star but no Japanese restaurant. We did try Kampi in Vestal, NY however, it was not traditional Japanese. It was geared towards American tastes.

There was a great Japanese restaurant in Seattle located on the east side of Lake Union. When you entered the smallish restaurant the owner would holler out in Japanese, "Welcome. Come In Come in!"

Oh well. I am getting off topic.

Kampai has several sections- the hibachi, sushi bar, and traditional. We used to go to the traditional dining room a lot, but everything on the menu is stuff we make at home. My son works in the trad kitchen now. Not a big fan of hibachi, their sushi has improved quite a bit. For good sit-down Chinese (I detest buffet) try Red Chili in the Vestal Plaza. I'll have to get you a batch of soki and broth for Okinawa soba, and of course some homemade koregusu. You can make your own noodles when you get the pasta machine. 

[JohnyMac]

YUMM FF!  You are on for those Japanese delicacy's. We will give the Red Chili Restaurant a try too.

If you or someone here on UP, know of a good kimchee recipe and it is not a family secret  share it with the group.

Same Japanese restaurant in Seattle I wrote about earlier, they served a home made kimshee that was to die for. I would always ask mamasan for the recipe. She would tell me that I would have to marry one of her daughters to give that recipe up. LOL.

When we lived in Seattle, LA, RI (Boston) we use to do Sunday dim sum. Nothing like that around here. We do not like buffets either. We are kind of into quality vs. quantity.

Okay enough about this. WAYYYYY off topic. I am hungry now.

[grizz]

I LOVE seeing this talk about all these different recipes from around the world. Its 110% proof we, People of the United States of America, USED to be the melting pot of the world.

[JohnyMac]

  Grizz.

[Nemo]

Its 110% proof we, People of the United States of America, USED to be the melting pot of the world.

It also shows those who use vegetables FOR pasta need be drawn and quartered, boiled in oil (with a veggie or 2??) and burned at the stake.  Note its not burned as a steak!

Nemo

[grizz]

Its 110% proof we, People of the United States of America, USED to be the melting pot of the world.

It also shows those who use vegetables FOR pasta need be drawn and quartered, boiled in oil (with a veggie or 2??) and burned at the stake.  Note its not burned as a steak!

Nemo

 
 
Dont knock it till you've tried it 

[Nemo]

I tried a bite or 2.  I am correct.  I am also starting a fire for 2 purposes.

Nemo

[grizz]

The texture will change if over or under cooked so I understand what you're talking about.

What are your two purposes?

[Nemo]

Burning stake and large pot of oil.

You do know its total sacrilege (near Joan of Arc) to equate a vegetable with a pasta.

Nemo

[grizz]

A large moose or caribou steak, rare, on an open fire is the only way to go 

[Nemo]

No, I don't do still bleeding meat.  Cooked (and really cooked!) all the way through.

Nemo

[grizz]

No, I don't do still bleeding meat.  Cooked (and really cooked!) all the way through.

Nemo

Thats not meat, its leather 

Bear and pork has to be cooked all the way through, everything else is rare-med rare

[Nemo]

Not leather.  Cooked.   As in embedded parasites, germs, virii and other pathogens are neutralized. 

Cooked, as in made fit for human (not cannibalistic) consumption. 

Edible and not dangerous to consume.

Nemo

[JohnyMac]

As suggested I purchased the Marcato Atlas 150 pasta machine several months ago. Last night I felt like Italian gravy, sausage, and pasta so I dragged out the new pasta machine. Besides the mess that I made in the kitchen, the pasta was the best I have ever had.

Here is the recipe I used which makes 2-servings. Perfect for MrsMac and I with a tad left over for breakfast.

95 grams of eggs and water.
150 grams of all-purpose flour
1, tsp salt.

I tar weighed a bowl and added to the bowl 2, large eggs and one yoke. It was slightly less than 95 grams so I added a bit of water to bring it up to 95 grams.

I tar weighed a bowl and weighed out 150 grams of all-purpose flour and then added the tsp of salt.

Added the two ingredients together and mixed till all was incorporated. It was tough to get all to incorporate so I added one more tsp of water. Once mixed I kneaded for 10-minutes. Unlike bread dough I only folded in on itself 1/4, turned 90-degrees and continued for 10 minutes. Once kneaded, I put in plastic wrap and waited for 30-minutes before I started making the pasta in the machine.

I cut dough in 1/3's, worked with my fingers one 1/3 of dough into a rectangle and started the rolling process on setting of '0'. Rolled at '0' for 5 rolls lightly flouring between each roll. Before rerolling and after flouring the piece of dough I folded on itself in thirds. Then onto the '1' setting, again floured and folded between rolls. Did this 2 times then moved onto setting '2', repeat up to '6' setting. Floured and set aside. Then started on the next 1/3 of dough.

Once I had the three rolled out sheets of dough, I ran the dough through the machine to cut into linguine. Floured the cut dough and let it settle a bit on the dough board while I started the gravy (Sauce) and sausage.

In a 8-quart pot I boiled salted water using 1/4-c Kosher salt. Once the gravy (sauce) and sausage was ready I grabbed a handful of pasta and dropped into the boiling pot of water. Let cook for 1-minute and pulled from the water using tongs & a slotted spoon, and placed into the sauce. I repeated this process till no more pasta was left to cook. DO NOT USE A COLLINDER to drain the pasta as the flour you used to flour the pasta to keep it sticking together sinks to the bottom of the pot.

Finished the pasta in the Italian gravy and sausage and served with Shredded Romano cheese. Yum!   

[Jackalope]

    What is this grams stuff?  After 11 years, we still haven't used our Marcato, maybe someday.  Anyways, your pasta meal sounds delicious!  Yum!