Pasta dough (Yield: 1 lb.)

Ingredients
  • 11.75 oz (2.25 cups) AP Flour    
  • 4 oz (approx 2) Whole eggs    
  • 1/2 tsp Salt    
  • 2 oz Water    
Method
Food processor:
Be sure to weigh your eggs. Add only enough water to bring them to 6 ounces. Put all ingredients in food processor and mix until dough forms. Continue as below.

By Hand
  1. Mix ingredients until well combined. Transfer to table and knead for five minutes by hand.
  2. Let dough rest for at least half an hour, covered with plastic wrap in refrigerator. 
  3. Good pasta dough should be elastic and pliable, but FIRM (not soft like bread dough). If too soft, add more flour by dusting the top of the dough and knead some more, continuing to dust the dough with flour until achieving the right consistency. If too dry, wet your hands and knead some more, continuing to wet your hands a little at a time & knead until the right consistency. 

Shaping
  1. Remove dough from refrigerator and let it rest for 15 minutes. Using your hands, roll dough into a log, and cut log into 2 oz pieces, then flatten each piece slightly. Spread pieces out so they aren't touching and cover with plastic wrap.
  2. Using the widest setting and taking one piece of the flattened dough, feed through rollers. Fold dough in half & roll again. Repeat 3 more times, lightly dusting the sheet of pasta in between each rolling if it feels the slightest bit sticky. Finish rolling all pieces at this setting before moving on to the next setting.
  3. Move adjustment knob to setting 2 and feed each dough sheet through the rollers once.
  4. Move adjustment knob to setting 3 and feed each dough sheet through the rollers once.
  5. Continue to increase roller setting until desired dough thickness is reached.
  6. Separate sheets once desired thickness is achieved with a thin towel or piece of plastic wrap dusted with flour, so the dough doesn't dry out too much.
NOTE: Each sheet can be cut in half or thirds before putting through the cutter to prevent "too long" of strips

Cooking
When ready to cook, boil your water and add salt. For 1 pound of pasta, use 2 tablespoons of salt. Oil in the water is not necessary. Fresh pasta will cook faster than commercially bought pasta -- about 4 to 5 minutes in vigorously boiling water for al dente.


Pumpkin and ricotta filling with parmigiano cheese
Ingredients
  • Ricotta ............................................................................................................................. ¼ lb
  • Pumpkin or similar squash........................................................................................... ½ cup
  • Butter............................................................................................................................... 2oz
  • Sage, chopped................................................................................................................ 1 Tbsp
  • Onion............................................................................................................................... 2 Tblsp
  • Garlic................................................................................................................................ 1 tsp chopped
  • Parmigiano Reggiano.................................................................................................... 1.5 oz
  • Egg yolk........................................................................................................................... 1
  • Salt and nutmeg............................................................................................................. TT
  • Pasta dough.................................................................................................................... as needed

Method
  1. Bake pumpkin, cook until tender, peel and spread on a tray to cool, cut into pieces
  2. Saute onion and garlic in butter until tender then sauté the pumpkin for 1 minute, add the sage.
  3. Mash the pumpkin mixture
  4. Mix pumpkin mixture with the cheeses and egg yolks. Season to taste.
  5. Shape ravioli/tortellini  
  6. Place pasta on floured tray, make sure they are not overlapping each other, cover and refrigerate.

Alternatively: Steam for 4 minutes and cool and freeze them overnight. Next day, store them in zip-lock bag.

To Shape Tortellini:

  1. From a thinly rolled pasta sheet, cut 1 1/2 to 2 inch squares (or larger) using a sharp knife. Tortellini can also be made using round pasta pieces which have been cut using a cookie cutter, pastry cutter or a glass. Circles are generally 2 to 3 inches in diameter.
  2. Drop approximately 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each square. The amount of filling will vary according to the size square you are using.
  3. Using a pastry brush or your fingertip, moisten the area of pasta around each mound with water or an egg wash. Fold squares in half, folding one corner over to the opposite corner, forming a triangle. Press edges firmly to seal properly.
  4. Wrap the pasta around your forefinger with the tip of the triangle pointing down the back of your finger. Bring the two corners together and pinch to seal. Turn the tip of the tortellini back down towards the pasta to form a flap and then gently pull off your finger.
  5. Place the finished tortellini on a floured surface and lightly dust them with flour. Allow the pasta to dry for approximately 15 minutes before cooking, but be sure to cook it within half an hour, otherwise the pasta will begin to discolor and become damp.