Pasta making has been one of the projects we turn to over and over again at my cooking school, Sugar Beet Schoolhouse. I teach kids as young as 2.5 years old and also offer adult classes. There is a lesson for everyone in the making of the dough, rolling it out and enjoying it together. The lesson is patience, trust and hard work yield something worth the effort.

Pasta starts out with simple ingredients: flour and eggs. The ratio we use with our beginning students (no matter what age) is 1 egg: 1 cup flour. We use all purpose flour and keep it simple. Working the egg into the flour seems simple enough but when the “stuff” just doesn’t look like dough some students get anxious. This is our first lesson: observation and critical thinking. Does the dough need a little warm water? How much? What if we add too much?

Students begin working a little water into their dough and making new observations as they knead and knead and knead. Is the kneading difficult? Can you change your mindset and actually enjoy the process? How does the dough feel in your hands? How does your body feel? What are your thoughts as you prepare food? Can you relax into the work and enjoy it? So many lessons. We go deep. :)

Once our dough is ready (soft as a baby’s bottom!) we begin rolling it out using rolling pins rather than machines. More work and more opportunity for observations and breathing and laughing and… whatever we need to make it work.

Our sheets of dough are then ready for cutting into noodles like fettuccine or little butterflies or linguine or ravioli. The possibilities (and the lessons) are endless.

Here is a wonderful visual tutorial on pasta making and so much more info about how to use different techniques for a more advanced pasta making session!
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/homemade-pasta/

INGREDIENTS for 1 SERVING OF PASTA:

1 EGG
1 cup all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

on a clean counter top make a pile of flour and create a well in the center with your fingers.
crack egg into the well and begin mixing together to form a pasta
once it’s all incorporated begin adding a little (drops) of warm water at a time until the dough comes together. It should not be sticky. Add a little more flour if it’s sticky.
Knead! knead and knead until it’s soft and squishy and smooth
flour your counter and rolling pin and roll it out! it might “spring back” at first but keep working it.
roll it as thin as you can - hold it up to the window or light - can you see light through it? yes! then you are ready to cut it.
For fettuccine: put a little flour on sheet of dough and fold dough into 3rds like a piece of paper.
Using a large sharp knife - slice into fettuccine sized noodles - about .5 centimeter wide.
“Fluff” your cut noodles with some flour and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil (1 tbs per quart of water)
Gently drop noodles into boiling water and stir gently to separate.
Boil for 4 minutes - and they are done!
Dress with your favorite sauce and enjoy.

Kids can:
- make the dough and roll it out
- help cut noodles

Homemade Pasta! Worth the effort.

Comfort Food 101