Recommend Me A Pasta Maker

[jellybeard999]

Can anyone recommend a pasta maker?

I've seen a few and they all seem to be around £20-£3. Lakeland and M&S look well reviewed.

Never made pasta before, but it's so simple a process and fresh pasta is much nicer.

Probably making linguine/tagliatelle type pasta mainly.

 

[Brian The Snail]

For 1 person, 100g 00 flour, 1 egg.

Mix, form, shape, cook.

 

[Scam]

I bought a cheap one ages ago and it broke on me. Seems to be the norm. Part of the metal that fed into the rollers bent in which made it unusable.

I did a fair amount of research to replace it and Imperia came up tops. I think this is definitely a case of if you buy cheap you buy twice. I bought the Imperia probably 1-2yrs ago and it's still going strong. You can also get the add-ons for it if that floats your boat (and spares).

EDIT: I still follow Jamie's recipe by using a mixer. Fresh pasta in minutes, no fuss.

 

[jellybeard999]

@Scam

Something like https://www.amazon.co.uk/Imperia-Italian-Double-Cutter-Machine/dp/B0001IXA0I ?

 

[Scam]

Yep that's the one I have, although I bought it from a local pro kitchen shop (another good sign).

 

[D.P.]

I had one of the hand crank ones and it was a right oaf pain. i love the att argument to my kitchen and so I can use both hands to feed the pasta. Much quicker and easier

 

[Glaucus]

Have a watch off this mini series.
Talks about stuff to look out for.

 

[jpaul]

had contemplated getting an Imperia and still in shopping basket, but frankly usiing a rolling pin is not difficult.
I had bought one of these for making macaroni
Pasta Gnocchi Paddle / Ridger

there are some results pictures in earlier thread,
and would get, similarly, a ridged rolling pin for making tagliatelle.
Most of the time taken is mixing/kneeding the dough, waiting for rest, so a machine does not save so much time. ?
buying better quality eggs is needed too, to ensure good taste.

 

[D.P.]

The pasta machines are used for kneading though, makes life much easier because pasta dough is very hard.

Also you really need to get a very consistent noodle size with fresh pasta, otherwise you find some pasta will cook to a mush while other parts are a hard paste still. Very hard to do that with a rolling pin.

 

[Scam]

Most of the time taken is mixing/kneeding the dough, waiting for rest, so a machine does not save so much time. ?

We've never rested (or dried etc.) our dough. As said, we blitz the dough in a food processor which takes 20 seconds, then separate it into 2-3 balls, work them for a minute or so -- and get that going through the machine straight away. We tend to just make pappardelle for ragu though. We've tried ravioli a couple of times but the effort doesn't seem to match up to the result if I'm honest. I don't believe you are supposed to work pasta dough too much anyway?

Also you really need to get a very consistent noodle size with fresh pasta, otherwise you find some pasta will cook to a mush while other parts are a hard paste still. Very hard to do that with a rolling pin.

Yeah, agreed.

 

[jpaul]

ypmv a couple I prepared earlier
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/food/2012/07/homemade-pasta---man-vs-machin.shtml
https://thekitchenprofessor.com/blog/best-rolling-pin-pasta


including below (not overworked but)

Kneading
In this video Paul Merrett shows how to mix and knead pasta dough. All dough types need to be kneaded for around 10 minutes or so, then wrapped in plastic and left to rest for 20 minutes or more before rolling out.

production line of pasta batch for next weeks mac & cheese

type 00, egg, pinch of salt
put the mix in the food processor for initial mixing before kneeding,chilling, but TBO should have mixed up on board as I usually do (less wash up, better hydration control)
The pasta is delicate despite drying out in the fridge so have to take care when mixing with sauce

 

[Scam]

Good effort Each to their own really. I disagree with the link where it says it takes time to put the pasta through the machine. I do it a few times on the widest, then a couple of times on the next 3 settings. I skip the last one as it's too thin for pappardelle. Probably takes 5mins with my sous-chef/girlfriend assisting

What I love is to spend 3hrs making a duck ragu (cook legs whole in sauce, then shred them at the end), and make some fresh pappardelle. Yum.

 

[D.P.]

ypmv a couple I prepared earlier
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/food/2012/07/homemade-pasta---man-vs-machin.shtml
https://thekitchenprofessor.com/blog/best-rolling-pin-pasta


including below (not overworked but)

Yes, but the pasta machine makes kneading far easier. Form a rough ball, pass it through the machine on the widest setting, fold over, repeat for 5 minutes and you are done. Much easier.

It doesn't take any time to put the pasta through the machine, and if you have a motorized pasta maker like the Kitchen aid attachment then it is effortless anyway.

 

[jpaul]

one concern wrt to the Imperia is, I believe, you cannot dismantle them much for cleaning ? ...maybe the kitchen aid is better in this respect.

I would like the Kenwood extrusion add-on with the brass dies, if anyone is feeling flush at xmas time though

 

[D.P.]

I don't think there is much need to dismantle them. Just a quick wipe down after use.