How to Throw Together a Pasta Dinner from Scratch–Spice Generously with Good Friends

Saturday was a day of good food. I went to the Farmer’s Market to see what I could get for making pasta later, and I got there just in time to see Hugh Acheson do a dynamic cooking lesson. It was really interesting to hear him talk about combining fats and acids, and I was sorry the Professor wasn’t there to hear it, but he’s back from Africa and petting lions and perhaps there will be another demo before long. Hugh also emphasized that salt is not a spice but a food enhancer, something that brings out the natural flavors of other foods, and it should be used a good bit, but not to the point that something tastes salty.
After his demonstration, he plated a bunch of samples and gave out copies of the recipe: Pickled Georgia Shrimp with Cucumber, Chiogga Beet, Green Beans, Arugula, and Lemon-Yogurt Dressing. I bought some beets, cucumber, and green beans at the market, along with a few other things, so I hope to try it for myself sometime this week. I also got to talk to Mary, his wife and my old friend, and it was good to see her and their beautiful daughters. The folks at the market were so nice and helpful and had such gorgeous wares. It’s a bit of a splurge for me, but I think a splurge I’ll indulge in regularly.
Then Kate came by bearing starter and a recipe for Amish bread. Sometime later this week I’ll make the bread, and then I’ll have enough starter for friends too. It’s like a chain letter, but good, and yummy! Let me know if you’d like to try the Amish bread yourself.
And then, the adventure of making pasta from scratch. We started trying to do it like the books instruct, making a well of flour and putting the eggs in the center then slowly beating the eggs and mixing in the flour. Uh, it didn’t go that way. The eggs immediately breached the well and went all over the counter. Hands became necessary.

We didn’t have much faith this would turn into anything edible.

So we decided to listen to Anne Marie after all and mix it in a bowl. She’s done this before.

Meanwhile, Kate managed to save the original dough by adding water and oil and working it well. These are just some of the reasons I invited friends to help me make pasta for the first time. I really needed help. Also, she sang opera to inspire us. (Just kidding, she just posed like that to be silly.)

Then we discovered we were supposed to let the dough sit for an hour, so we made good use of the time.

Then we quartered the dough, added flour, patted it down.

And then ran it through the press on successively tighter settings. (My dear friend Jane let me borrow her pasta machine and lots of great cookbooks.)

Then we ran it through the cutting part and got fettuccine!

We all took turns. Here’s Kate.

And me.

And Cheryl, straight from a dance performance.

Anne Marie brought dowels, and we set them up from a chair to the washing machine to let the pasta dry.

I invited Chip and Beth to dinner, but dinner was still in the early preparation stages at seven, when I told them dinner would be served. Not only was supper very late, but I also asked them to go to the grocery store for us–we were starving! They brought back cheese and crackers and salad fixins. Our heroes!

So we had salads.

And then the pasta. It was delicious! Success!

The sauce was the most basic one from this book. I blanched tomatoes, peeled them, cut them, and cooked them with butter and a halved onion. I took the onion out after it cooked. It was delicious in its simplicity.
I’m going to return Jane’s machine and books at long last, but I plan to get an Imperia Past-a-Fast of my own. Making pasta was easy and fun, but more easy and fun thanks to all the terrific help from friends. Thanks!