When I was living in Australia I had a simple, manual pasta machine which I was using  all the time.  However here, taking part in the ‘consumerism wave’ (i.e.; ‘swipe your card please’), the one who put us in this financial mess, I got the ‘kitchen Aid’ stand mixer with a fresh pasta attachment instead . But it took  me some time to worm up to the idea of actually using it. I don’t know why I had some fears that it wouldn’t work. This actually runs in my family, my father gave my mom a microwave as a gift and it took her 1 year just to take it out of the box. She didn’t let anyone touch it. So after a year pondering if the machine was safe for use  afraid  it  might  ruin her cooking’s or  would contaminate  the whole family with radiation, she decided to finally  open the box and nonchalantly  put a cup of water inside the micro while  hiding behind a near  wall just in case some radiation escaped. On another occasion I gave her a sewing machine because she wanted to start a hobby. And I swear to God until now the machine is still in the box, never opened, it was eight years ago. (For God’s sake Mom…. Open that damn box). Anyway yesterday overcoming a genetic need of keeping things unused I gathered some courage and made my way to my fancy pasta machine. Here’s the result.

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Fresh Pasta:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

By Hand: On a clean surface make a well with the flour. In a measuring cup mix the eggs, water and oil and salt. Pour the wet mixture slowly into the flour and mix with your 2 fingers until the entire wet is incorporated. Do not force the dough to take all of the flour. If you are going to use a pasta machine to roll out the dough you may at this point form the dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to rest. If you going to roll this by hand you should knead the dough on a floured work surface for 8 to 10 minutes.  For the filling I roasted some butternut squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, shaved garlic, red chili flakes and a pinch of nutmeg. And in a food processor I mixed with 3 tablespoons of mascarpone cheese and half cup of grated Parmesan Cheese.

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