Monday's Menu

Pasta is something we have quite regularly. Usually it is just spaghetti, that is not always the case. For the Dude's Thursday night meal last week, he decided he wanted to make three cheese ravioli. While I had never made ravioli, I have made homemade pasta.

Our homemade cheese ravioli before cooking

I think it probably helps tremendously if you have a pasta machine, whether manual or electric, just simply because it can get the pasta quickly to a thin-ness that is otherwise very difficult. If however, you want to build up some muscles, this is the activity for you.

The recipe for pasta is ridiculously easy. This is also a fun activity to do with your kids if you so wish. The rolling out can become tedious but otherwise it's kind of like making teeny tiny shaped sugar cookies (except of course they aren't sweet or sugary). In fact, I got this recipe from my copy of Donna's Day by Donna Erickson. Donna's Day used to be a cool show on PBS that centered around crafting and such as a family. I miss it.

I imagine you could substitute other types of flour but I have never tried that. If you do, let me know how it works out. I believe you could also add things (spinach, maybe?) to this recipe if you wanted a different kind of pasta. So have fun and try it out.

Pasta

1 cup flour
1 egg
1 Tablespoon of water

(yep, that's it)

Mound the flour on a work surface. Break the egg into the center of the mound and add water. Using a fork, mix egg and water lightly. Gradually begin to incorporate the flour from the inner sides of the mound. Continue to stir the flour until the dough is stiff. Eventually, using your hands, knead the dough until smooth. Refrigerate for about an hour for easier handling. To shape, use a pasta maker or rolling pin to form a thin sheet. Cut the dough with a pastry wheel or pizza cutter.

To cook: Boil in water for two to three minutes. Serve.