William Penn Life, 2006 (41. évfolyam, 2-12. szám)
2006-02-01 / 2. szám
The Hungarian Kitchen making in North America. • Semolina is durum wheat flour which is ground more coarsely from hard wheat. This is the best flour to use for pasta/noodle making because it's better when boiled not baked. • Whole Wheat Flour is the latest trend in healthy eating as it contains complex carbohydrates. The body takes longer to break down these carbs, and they provide more nutrients to the body. • Rye Flour has less gluten and makes a pasta/ noodle that has a little more body to it, which makes it seem a little chewier. • Com Meal is usually mixed with some type of flour as it has no gluten of its own. It does make for a wonderful product called polenta, which is corn meal mush usually flavored with garlic. Rice Flour, a staple in Asian cooking, produces noodles and rice paper wrappers for egg rolls, wontons and pot stickers. EGGS comprise the next ingredient when making pasta. The most widely used come from chickens. White eggs are common, but brown eggs may also be used getting the same results. I have also used duck eggs which have Next time you’re baking something that requires yeast, try putting the yeast in with the flour and other dry ingredients. Just make sure the liquid you add is at least 100 degrees so the yeast can activate. If the recipe calls for salt, just dissolve the amount in the liquid you use, then pour it into the flour mixture, then knead away until your dough is ready. a little more flavor and a bigger yolk. Duck eggs are available in organic food stores, farmers markets and Chinese markets. Fresh eggs are a must for better noodle/ pasta making. Liquid eggs and egg substitutes don't produce enough body in the final product. While you can make noodles/pasta with them for health reasons, the product does lack some texture and taste. WATER, or some kind of liquid wetting agent to start the process of combining all the ingredients, is important. I like to use spring water or regular tap water if it's soft. Hard water usually has an off taste to it which will affect the taste of your noodles/pasta. Remember last month I mentioned using any liquid to obtain flavor? Always think outside the box and you can get the flavor you want to compliment your entrée. Last month, I gave you some recipes for pasta dough that was rolled out, filled and then cooked or baked. This month, the recipes are more for rolling out, cutting, drying and using in soups, casseroles or with a wonderful sauce you have made. Keeping that in mind let me give you some tips as you make your own noodles/pasta. Try and work in a kitchen or area that is somewhat cool so the dough does not become sticky. A wooden or ceramic cutting board will keep your dough cool and manageable. After mixing your dough, let it rest for at least 10 minutes so the gluten network can relax, giving you smoother, silky dough that rolls out better. While the dough is resting you can get your tools ready. If you have a pasta machine that rolls pasta, you can make thin sheets that can be hand-cut into squares, diamonds, and rectangles in sizes ranging from 1 inch down to Vt inch. Before cutting any dough that has been rolled out, you should let it start to dry for at least 15 minutes. If you have used a rolling pin to spread out your dough on a tabletop or cutting board, you should wait 25 minutes before cutting as the dough is probably a little thicker and needs the extra time to start the drying process. If you want to cut your own string pasta—i.e. spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine—just feed the pasta sheet through the cutting attachment of your pasta machine once you have rolled it to the thickness you want. Remember that your noodles/ pasta will become thicker as it absorbs the liquid it is cooked in, so roll it out as thin as you can. After cutting your noodles/ pasta into shapes, let it dry on your work area until the noodles/pasta become hard enough to pick up. You can also brush a little flour to keep the shapes from sticking together. To cook your noodles/pasta, have a stockpot filled with at least four quarts of boiling salted water for every IV2 pounds of noodles/pasta. A tablespoon or two of olive oil will keep the pasta from sticking together once you drain it. If you're cooking dried store bought noodle/pasta, check the package for the correct cooking time. If you are cooking fresh pasta it takes two to four minutes for it to be done. Fresh noodles/pasta starts out soft and doughy then firms up as it is cooked. If you want to store your noodles/ pasta for another time, just make sure you brush a little flour on the shapes or strings before storing in a dry, airtight container. Keep the container in a cool area of the kitchen. Last, but not least, try making some simple shapes before moving on to the scrolled or etched noodles/pasta. Cut some diamonds or squares before attempting to make csiga noodles. Now, everyone go to the head of the class because you have passed Noodles & Pasta 201. The answer to the trivia question is Wheat and Oat Brans. Both have a high content of vitamins and minerals which are added to cereals, breads and other food products. Have fun with the recipes! jé FészaíUfiS William Penn Life, February 2006 13
