How to Make Fresh Pasta | Laminated Pasta

1. Pasta dough is:

• a)  kneaded only until it comes together.
• b)  kneaded until its texture is coarse.
• c)  kneaded until it’s smooth and pliable.
• d)  not kneaded at all.

2. Pasta dough made by hand is far superior to pasta dough made in a food processor.

• a)  True
• b)  False

3. This popping sound indicates:

• a)  the dough is too dry and more water will need to be added.
• b)  not enough egg was used in the dough.
• c)  the dough was not kneaded well enough.
• d)  enough gluten has been developed in the dough and you can move on to the next setting.

4. Making your own pasta dough enables you to control or adjust the:

• a)  thickness of the pasta.
• b)  shape of the pasta.
• c)  fillings in stuffed pasta like ravioli.
• d)  all of the above.

5. Pasta dough is rolled on the widest setting:

• a)  only once.
• b)  3-5 times.
• c)  about 10 times.

6. The main function of folding and passing pasta dough repeatedly through the thickest setting of the pasta machine is to develop enough gluten and get it ready for stretching.

• a)  True
• b)  False

7. Folding pasta dough and passing it through the rollers on a pasta machine:

• a)  makes the dough smooth.
• b)  strengthens the dough.
• c)  makes the dough elastic.
• d)  all of the above.

8. Kneading dough:

• a)  develops gluten.
• b)  concentrates flavor.
• c)  breaks down the starch molecules in the flour.
• d)  feels great.

9. When kneading pasta dough that was made by hand, you will likely need to use extra flour throughout the kneading process.

• a)  True
• b)  False

10. When making pasta, you can substitute some of the flour with other flours such as semolina, rice, chickpea, or even chestnut flour.

• a)  False
• b)  True

11. When making pasta dough by hand, the best tool to use when initially mixing the ingredients together is:

• a) 
  
• b) 
  
• c) 
  

12. The main advantages of making pasta in a food processor are:

• a)  you don’t require as much extra flour when kneading the dough.
• b)  it is much quicker to make than doing it by hand.
• c)  it can be corrected easily if too much liquid has been added.
• d)  all of the above.

13. Eggs are always added to laminated pasta.

• a)  True
• b)  False

14. Which of the following can be made from laminated sheet pasta?

• a)  Ravioli.
• b)  Fettuccini.
• c)  Cannelloni.
• d)  All of the above.

15. Laminated pasta contains flour, water and/or eggs which are mixed together, kneaded and then extruded through a machine.

• a)  True
• b)  False

16. After pasta dough has been passed through the widest setting of a pasta machine, the dough is then passed through subsequent settings how many times?

• a)  Only once.
• b)  A minimum of 3-5 times.
• c)  10 times.

17. Is this the correct way to feed pasta into the machine?

• a)  True
• b)  False

18. If you happen to add too much liquid when making pasta dough in a food processor, you should:

• a)  throw it out and start again.
• b)  add more flour and pulse until it goes back to the couscous stage.

19. Once pasta dough has been kneaded:

• a)  it must be rolled immediately.
• b)  it should rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
• c)  it should rest for 2 days at room temperature.

20. All-purpose flour is an appropriate flour to make pasta.

• a)  True
• b)  False

21. The main ingredient used in laminated pasta dough is:

• a)  eggs.
• b)  flour.
• c)  semolina.
• d)  water.

22. Fresh, laminated pasta is best suited for:

• a)  making stuffed pastas like tortellini and ravioli.
• b)  making quality, dried pasta like fettuccini and pappardelle.

23. When rolling pasta dough through a machine, it is folded only when the widest setting is used.

• a)  True
• b)  False

24. Select which image below indicates that the pasta is ready for kneading.

• a) 
  
• b) 
  
• c) 
  
• d) 
  

25. Once pasta dough has been rolled to the desired thickness, it must be immediately covered to prevent it from drying out.

• a)  True
• b)  False

26. Freshly cut pasta can sit at room temperature for about 6 hours.

• a)  True
• b)  False

27. If pasta dough starts to stick to your hands or to the machine during rolling, it is okay to dust it with a bit of flour.

• a)  True
• b)  False