How to Use a Pasta Machine
Do you know how to properly use a pasta machine? There are a few things to keep in mind as you create perfectly rolled fettuccine and lasagne in your own kitchen. To learn how to use a classic manual pasta machine watch Mamma Giuliana as she explains the procedure of rolling out fresh pasta, the various features of the machine, and her own invaluable tips and tricks.
A good quality pasta machine will make the process of making fresh, homemade pasta quick and easy and ensure perfect results every time. Here are Mamma Giuliana’s pasta-making dos and don’ts.
Although pasta has been made and eaten in Italy for centuries, it is only relatively recently that a machine was invented to roll the dough. Rather than relying on a rolling pin and elbow grease like in the past, the pasta machine helped to speed up the process of making fresh pasta at home and it is still used regularly in all Italian kitchens.
The Italian inventor Innocento Manzetti is credited with patenting the very first pasta rolling machine in 1857. The design, which had a handle to move rotating cylinders to push and flatten the dough has remained similar ever since.
While nowadays there are different types of pasta machines, including electric versions, we still love the classic manual model with its external hand crank. The important thing when selecting a machine is to find one which is good quality and not too flimsy as the cheaper models tend to break very quickly. Our favorite brand is Marcato, Mamma Giuliana received a Marcato pasta machine as a wedding present in the 1970s and it is the same model that we selected for our own cooking classes. You can buy the exact same Marcato machine online here.
