There's Nothing Quite Like Homemade!

I have only ever experienced pasta in its dried-out form, in a bag from the supermarket.  However, at Papa Stronsay we have recently been the recipients of a very kind gift: a pasta maker!  I was really taken by the whole process and thought that some of our readers might also fall into the same category as I do, of being ignorant of the process of making pasta, so I am posting some photos below of Br. Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. and postulant Mr. Esteban showing us how it's done:

Beating eggs for the dough.

 Kneading the dough.

The dough is repeatedly put through this roller.  Each time the setting is changed so that it rolls the dough a little thinner.

As this happens, the rolled dough gets longer…

...and longer!

Once completed the very thin strip of dough is laid out and the process begins again on a new piece.

The pasta-maker has several attachments for making different types of pasta.  Here the tagliatelle attachment is fitted.

With all the sheets of pasta dough prepared, the process of cutting can begin.

As the strips of tagliatelle emerge, they are hung to dry.

It dries for up to an hour, but by this time, it is not as dry as it would be in a packet or dried pasta, but has just become a little firmer.

Into the pot!

The finished product!  It is really incredible just how much better homemade pasta is than the pasta bought in the supermarket!

A big thank you to the kind donor of this equipment!