How to make Homemade Pasta without a Pasta Maker

It is super easy to make fresh pasta by hand at home!  Even if you don't have one of those fancy pasta machines, you can still enjoy homemade yummy pasta!  Here's the best part... the whole process takes under 30 minutes!  You can also make a big batch and freeze the pasta so you can have some on hand for next time!  It is super delicious paired with Heart Healthy Spaghetti Sauce, salad, and a huge loaf of Crock Pot Bread!  This pasta would also make an excellent noodle for homemade chicken noodle soup!

Homemade Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons milk

 

Step by Step Directions:

1. On a clean work surface, combine flour and salt. 

2. Form a well in center of flour mixture.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, olive oil, and milk.

4. Gradually pour egg mixture into flour well while mixing with fingers.

5. Using your hands, form mixture into a ball.  Knead well for 5 minutes, or until smooth.

6. Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and cover with a towel.  Let dough "rest" for 20 minutes.

7.  On a lightly floured surface, roll dough until very thin (1/8" or less in thickness).

8. Let dough sit for 3-5 minutes in order to harden slightly.

9. Once you have your dough rolled out, lightly flour the top.  Loosely roll the dough onto the rolling pin.

10. Carefully slide the rolling pin out of the dough and gently press down. 

11. With a sharp knife, cut dough into strips of desired thickness. (Thicker cuts will result in Fettuccine-like pasta, thinner will be more similar to spaghetti).

12. Continue cutting until all strips are cut through.

13. Gently unfold strips.

To Cook Pasta:
Boil pasta in a large pot of water for 4 minutes for al dente.


To Store Pasta:
After unfolding pasta strips, let dry for 3-4 hours.  Store in airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature.


To Freeze Pasta:
Put pasta into a freezer bag.  Freeze for up to 2 months.



Recipe adapted from How to Make Pasta.

I am sharing this recipe at Crystal & Co. and Stone Gable

How to Make Homemade Bread in the Crock Pot

During the summer months, we will do anything to not have to turn on the oven!  The extra heat is one thing we just do not need in the house when the temperature outside is in the 100's! Crock Pot Bread also comes in really handy for holidays, dinner parties, or anytime you need to free up oven space!

Enter the crock pot (slow cooker)...  Yes, you can cook just about anything in a crock pot these days, but bread?  Absolutely!!  This recipe is super simple to make!  Honestly? I actually like it better than oven-baked bread.  Baking the bread in the crock pot keeps all of the moisture inside the bread while still giving it a crisp outer crust.  Whenever we make this bread, it is literally gone within an hour of it baking!  So delicious!!  If you have never tried making your bread in a crock pot, it is definitely worth trying!

Crock Pot Bread Recipe

1. Make Simple Bread Dough and let rise for 1 hour.
2. Line crock pot (slow cooker) with 1 sheet of parchment paper folded in half (this is to prevent the bread from sticking to the bottom).
3. Place dough on parchment paper.  Place lid on crock pot and cook on low for 1 1/2 hours (I usually check it halfway through).  
4. Bread is ready when the crust is golden brown and delicious!!
 

To Freeze:
Remove bread from crock pot.  Let cool for about an hour.  Wrap in plastic wrap and put in freezer bag.  Freeze for up to 4 weeks.

To Thaw:
Remove bread from freezer the night before you want to eat it.

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