Lidia's Pasta (from scratch)

This is my first attempt at making fresh pasta, the inspiration for which came from this TV show called "Lidia's Italy". Lidia is an Italian chef who partners in some of the finest Italian restaurants in New York. I have been to a couple and have completely enjoyed the experience. So I decided to see if I can recreate her magic in my kitchen. I have to be completely honest and tell you that it wasn't the best pasta we have had and it certainly wasn't the worst. So what went wrong?!?!? I think the pasta wasn't rolled thin enough and it lacked the bite which I think comes from rolling the dough in semolina flour which renders its grainy texture to the pasta. But this attempt has definitely encouraged me to try making pasta which I had imagined would be a daunting task. What I learned is that pasta making is not difficult it just requires applying fresh ingredients with the right technique and I am excited about trying to better my first attempt.



Ingredients: Sauce
1-1 1/2 Onions thinly sliced
5 Cloves of Garlic thinly sliced
5-6 Sage leaves
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 cups of assorted mushrooms ( cremini, oyster, shiitake, button)
1-2 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup of grated Pecorino Romano (sheep's milk cheese)




Ingredients: Pasta Dough

1 1/2 cups of All purpose flour
3 Large Eggs lightly beaten
1/2 Milk
2 tsp Salt


To make the dough knead flour with the with the eggs and milk to form a tight dough.
Wrap it in saran wrap and set aside in the refrigerator for an hour.
Generously flour the working board and roll out the dough to desired thickness
Roll the dough as shown in the picture and cut it into thin strips.
Put them in salted boiling water and cook them al dente.



For the sauce, heat the extra virgin olive oil and saute the garlic, onions, sage and mushrooms with some salt. Add the chicken stock to liquefy the sauce. Mix in the tomato paste. Salt the sauce to taste. Keep adding the stock until the sauce gets to the required consistency. Toss in the cooked pasta and serve with grated cheese.
We had the pasta with a 2005 Bordeaux which had a hint of fruit with a lot of tannins that went well will the tang of the sauce.