by Christopher Jones
Are you a pasta lover interested in making fresh pasta at home but worried about the storing process. You will learn how to store your pasta even for a month without going bad. You can confidently make pasta such as noodles, spaghetti and keep them well for future use. Read through the article to learn how to make pasta and different ways of storing your fresh pasta.
Contents
Fresh pasta is made from eggs and flour. You need to mix the ingredients until you form a smooth dough. Roll the pasta using rollers until it becomes a thin sheet according to your desired thickness. You can make fresh pasta in different sizes and shapes. However, the pasta can stay fresh for a short time, meaning you should cook it immediately.
Fresh pasta is with eggs and flour, while dry pasta is made of flour only. Fresh pasta can stay fresh for 3-5 days unless it is frozen. The dry pasta has gone through a drying process, taking away the moisture making it perfect for long-term preservation. Fresh pasta takes 1-2 minutes to cook because it hasn't gone through a drying process, while the dry pasta takes about 6-12 minutes to cook.
Fresh pasta tends to be healthier, tastier, and fresher than store pasta. However, making and drying fresh pasta can be a bit complicated. It all depends on the dish you will be serving and the sauce to pair with. Using creamy sauces and seafood, you can use fresh pasta because it is lighter and softer. Dried pasta works perfectly with thick and saucy dishes like Bolognese and lasagna because it is stronger and harder.
Making pasta is a simple and easy process to give you a great texture compared to commercial pasta.
What you need
Here are the steps for making fresh pasta at home.
The first thing is to put the flour in a large bowl and add eggs, salt, and oil. Use a fork to mix the ingredients. The flour will start to pull and make a sticky dough.
Continue to mix the dough until it becomes one piece.
Spread a small amount of flour on a clean surface and start kneading the pasta dough for about 5 minutes. It will become smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic paper and let rest overnight in a fridge for great results.
Cut the fresh pasta dough into small portions-dust flour on the working area before rolling out the dough to fit through the pasta machine.
Sprinkle flour on the dough and run it through the pasta machine. Ensure the dough is not sticky. Increase the setting until you achieve your desired thickness.
Let the pasta sheet dry for 5-10 minutes to remove surface moisture and cut and shape.
You need to boil water in a large saucepan and add salt and oil to ensure the pasta doesn't stick together.
Add the pasta into the boiling water and stir gently to prevent the strands from sticking together.
Let the pasta boil for about 3-5 minutes until the pasta floats on top.
If the pasta still has water, drain immediately to ensure the pasta remains al dente.
You can either dry or freeze your fresh pasta. The storage methods depend on how long you want to keep the pasta. The homemade pasta lasts for about 2-6 months for dried pasta and up to 8 months for a frozen one.
How to Dry Fresh Pasta
If you have decided to dry your pasta, then here are the steps to follow to keep your pasta for a longer time.
Begin by dusting a small amount of flour on the pasta to prevent the strands from sticking together.
Next, lay the pasta on a baking sheet or hang them in a drying rack. If you are using the same pasta on the same day, let it dry for 30 minutes. The excess flour will absorb the moisture from the egg. However, if you want to store it for some days, let it air dry completely. It can take up to 24 hours.
Keep testing the pasta to check its progress. If the pasta bends or flexes, give it more time to dry completely. You can also speed up the process by using a fan.
After the pasta completely dries, keep them in an airtight bag or container.
You can freeze the pasta in 2 different ways depending on your preferences.
If you want to store your leftover pasta dough, you can roll it into one large ball.
Put the dough in a heavy-duty plastic bag, then place it in your freezer. It can last up to 4 weeks.
If you want to cook the pasta, remove it to thaw overnight.
After it has thawed, use the dough to make your noodles.
You need to dust the strands of pasta with flour and air dry them for one hour before storing them in an airtight container or bag.
Depending on the pasta shape, it takes between 3-5 minutes.
Of course, yes, you can freeze fresh pasta for about a month as long as it is put in an airtight container or bag. You should put the frozen pasta in boiling water and stir until it loosens, then cook for about 3 minutes.
Fresh pasta is made from flour and eggs, while dried pasta is made of flour only. Dried pasta takes a longer time to cook compared to fresh pasta. Moreover, the fresh pasta stays fresh for a shorter time than dried pasta.
When storing fresh pasta, it is vital to ensure you don't keep it for long. This is because it is made of eggs, and also, it is not fully dry, making its shelf life shorter. For well-stored fresh pasta, it can last for about a week before expiring. You need to ensure it is put in a well-sealed bag and store it in a freezer or refrigerator for it to last longer.
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About Christopher Jones
Chris is a true globetrotter. He has been to many destinations and tried different types of food from all over the world, yet he still loves finding new places and tasting their specialties. Chris has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and so he decided to go back to school at age 24 for his MBA at University of San Francisco so that he could have a better understanding of business strategy in order to start his own company. His favorite motto is “how can one live well, travel well, and work well without having good food every time?”
Be with Chris: 
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