Handmade Doughs and Pasta

Following on from Lauren's kitchen staples blog here are a few cheap but look-oh-so-fantastic dough and pasta recipes....Of course it goes without saying you can make these to suit your dietary needs by substituting the appropriate flour/dairy ingredients into the recipe.

The benefit (for me personally) of making your own dough (excluding getting the children involved, the financial aspect, the pleasure that comes from knowing you have done everything for that dish) is the amazing stress relief that I can find in kneading dough by hand - sure I have a bread hook but it's just not the same.

First up...Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli

The beautiful thing with Ravioli is once you have worked out how to make the dough you can add basically any filling you have - from pumpkin and pine nuts, to spinach, to mushroom - whatever takes your fancy. Now sure you could go and buy an expensive cutter OR have a look in your kitchen draws - see those cookie cutters hiding in the back? PERFECT for cutting out ravioli - just remember, pinch ALL the air out or they will explode :)

I have priced out this recipe using a generic supermarket...are you ready for it? The recipe above yields approx 120 ravioli - so here we go (this doesn't include the Sage which you can pick up reasonably cheaply at your local greengrocer or better yet, grow your own herbs - they're cheap and easy to maintain AND the kids get to learn where food really comes from).

Ideally you would use an 00 strength flour for pasta/bread dough but sometimes that's just not an option - so I've priced using your run of the mill (pardon the pun) flour. I have however assumed that you have some kind of oil in your kitchen (be it Olive, Spray, Canola, Vegetable

plain flour .95
eggs 2.19
spinach (450g) .99 x 2
ricotta (400g) 2.99
parmesan 3.99
butter 1.39

Total Cost (excluding Sage) - $8.37, that works out to be $0.06 per ravioli - now compare that to what you would pay for the more commercially available pasta's in your local cold section.

You can find another gnocchi recipe here - gnocchi is a pretty forgiving pasta so you can use Sweet Potato (often cheaper than white/brushed) instead.

Another favourite is Pizza Dough. Using homemade dough you can cut the costs down (the initial yeast is a few dollars but it lasts if kept in the fridge and you can make 5 batches from most boxes - however if you are going to make this more regularly in conjunction with other breads I do suggest getting the canister of dried yeast) and the cost is only burdened by the toppings you chose.

Lucky last - a Basic Fresh Pasta - you don't need a bread machine to cut it either - just roll up into a long sausage and cut strips with a sharp knife.

Of course you need sauces to go with your pasta - you could by jarred sauces if you wish of course, but why not try making your own?

Basic Tomato
1 tbs olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 x 800g can Italian diced tomatoes
1 tbs tomato paste
1/3 cup chopped fresh continental parsley
1/2 tsp caster sugar
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until it softens slightly. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.

Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, for 6-7 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly.

Stir in the parsley and sugar. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve on top of pasta.

Or try this Basic Pasta Sauce that you can make your own by adding different vegetables/herbs/spices.

Then we come to bread - this is limited only by the time you have :) My favourite place to prove bread is on the dashboard of my car in direct sun with the windows up - a little trick from my mother.

No Knead Bread
3 cups flour
1 ts salt
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water

mix dry ingredients - add water.
moisten hands - combine.
leave to rest for at least 12 hrs.
heat oven to 215c
bake in an earthenware dish with lid for 30 min and uncover for 20mins

Tortillas

Ingredients

100 grams Maize Flour (corn flour)
175g Wholemeal Plain Flour
40g butter
325ml water
1 teaspoon salt

Method

Bring water to boil in saucepan; add half butter, lower heat and stir in maize flour; cover, cook for 5 minutes; stir in remaining butter until smooth, leave to cool. Mix flour and salt in a bowl; stir in corn flour mixture. Knead to soft dough, adding more water or flour if too dry or sticky. Divide dough in to 12 and shape in balls, roll, on a floured surface, into 15 – 18 cm circles. Cook in an ungreased pan, over moderate heat for 2 -–3 minutes on each side until flecked with dark spots. Spoon 2 – 3 tablespoons of desired filling into each tortilla

Fried Flaky Bread - good to accompany Indian food

2 cups plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
1/3 cup warm water
100g melted butter or ghee

Sift flour
Add salt and sugar
Make a well
Add egg and water
Mix thoroughly
Add more water if needed

Knead dough for 5mins
Shape into a ball
Cover with plastic, wrap in tea towel
Leave in warm place for 30mins

Divide dough into 12 pieces
Shape each into a ball
Flatten into a circle
Use a floured rolling pin and roll out on a floured board.
Roll a circle as thinly as possible

Spread each one with ghee or melted butter
Fold circle in 3 lengthways
Set aside for 10mins

Press each piece into a circle then roll out to appx 20cms

Heat a heavy fry pan until very hot
Add ghee or butter
Place a piece of bread n the pan
When underside is brown, about 1 min, turn over and cook another 30 secs.

Easy as Bread

mix a tablespoon of yeast with a teaspoon of sugar in about half a cup of warm water.
in a bowl mix 4 cups of flour with some salt, add yeast mix and enough water to make a cohesive dough.
knead just enough to make a ball (takes me about 2 minutes) place in bowl and leave to rise for 2 hours.
punch down and knead lightly - about 2 minutes again - and shape into a loaf. place in tin and leave to rise for about half an hour (admittedly I just go on when it starts to rise over the top of the tin so don't really know an exact time for this bit).
bake for 35 minutes in a 180 - 200 degree oven.

There you go - easy handmade doughs and pasta - enjoy.