Fads

I always have fads, and many of them cooking-related.  The last one was cupcakes.  I investigated courses, bought books, nozzles and piping bags galore and baked myself (and my family) up a dress size.

I still like making them, and would still like to go on a course so I can decorate them beautifully but a lately my attention has diverted to a different type of cuisine....

....Pasta.  I am not sure why, but I have got it about me to make my own pasta.  I have tried this before, and failed woefully.  Partially due to my dough and a lot due to my dodgy pasta machine.  So I now have my heart set on an Imperia pasta macine, as I gather these are the best?  If you know otherwise, please let me know!

I am a bit of a pasta snob.  Having cooked dried pasta for years, I moved on to fresh pasta ad now won't eat anything else.  I fear that the making of fresh pasta will exacerbate this further and soon that will be all I will allow.  I have already gone this way with pizza, as have my children who now tum their nose up at shop bought pizzas and demand Mummy's home-made version.   It is rather good, if I do say so myself, but this is down to the recipe and not the chef!  

Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tsps dried yeast
• 3 cups OO flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp warm water

Put all the ingredients into a mixer in the order above.  I use a kitchenaid and use the dough hook then mix on speed 2 for 7 minutes.  

If using a bread machine, simply put it on the dough cycle.  

For other mixers...or by hand, you'll have to use your intuition!

When it is elastic and the dough springs back when you poke it, put it in a greased bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave for at least half an hour to rise.

Divde the dough up as you wish.  I roll out mine to form a flat pizza base and roll up some to make doughballs.  Or I make a pizza for us and one each for the kids (see above).

Spread over the passata of your choice (I use pizza express) then sprinkle with grated mozzarella.  Add toppings of your choice and bake on 200ºC for about 10 mins, but check according to your oven.  The doughballs take a shorter amount of time.  You can buy garlic butter to dip them into or make your own!

Do try it - I have had nothing but compliments about my pizza and if you have a machine it is so easy to do.  I can't remember where I got the recipe from..it was a random site found on google, never to be found again.  But it's a winner.

Let's hope I can find as good a pasta recipe....