MUM MUM’S HOMEMADES
Reliving more food memories today with my beloved Mum Mum Mary and her homemades; which, in all actuality, are pappardelle. I didn’t know this as a kid since all they were every referred to by my family was, ‘homemades.’ And they were an event. Only prepared on holidays—New Year’s Day particularly—my grandmother would sheet out the dough paper-thin across the kitchen table with nothing but a rolling pin; slicing thick ribbony strands by hand. All to make her take on Pappardelle al Ragù alla Bolognese; except it really wasn’t a Bolognese as it was a meat sauce, and she added massive dollops of ricotta, and topped it all off with a plenteous smattering of freshly grated mozzarella cheese. Pappardelle lasagna, if you will.
What I wasn’t aware as a kid, I know now fully as an adult. And yes, it may be pappardelle I’m making, but, for me, they’re my Mum Mum’s Homemades.
PREP/COOK TIME: About 2 Hours
Makes One Pound of Dough
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups – All Purpose Flour
3 Large – Eggs (Room Temp)
1 Tsp – Kosher Salt
THE NITTY GRITTY
On a clean, dry work-surface, mound flour; making a well in the middle. Add eggs and salt; beat eggs gradually using a fork, pulling flour from inner edges till dough forms. Knead dough into a smooth ball—flouring surface when needed—for about 7 – 10 minutes (based on humidity of your kitchen). Do NOT over knead. Dough should be slightly stiff, not sticky. Transfer dough to a large bowl lightly dusted with flour. Cover tightly with cling-film and let rest for an hour at room temperature.
Turn out dough onto floured work-surface; flatten evenly using the palms of your hands and divide into four pieces with a bench or bowl scraper, or sharp knife. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/16” thick—making a quarter turn with each roll to ensure dough from sticking to surface—till something of a large oval sheet forms and passes the characteristics of the gluten window test. Fold sheet into thirds lengthwise; cut into one inch noodles with a sharp knife. Unravel noodles to length; place on kitchen towels lightly dusted with flour.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a rapid boil before adding 1 Tb kosher salt. Add pasta and cook for 3 – 4 minutes. Serve with your favorite sauce or my Un'ora Domenica Pomodoro and enjoy.
FEBRUARY 7, 2020
