Pasta 101 Semolina Pasta Dough
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PASTA 101 WITH DOMENICA COOKS Semolina Pasta Dough This basic dough comprising semolina flour and water is easy to make and exceptionally versatile. It is worked entirely by hand ~ no stretching required ~ and It can be made into all sorts of shapes: cavatelli, orecchiette, gnocchi sardi, busiate, and so on. The amounts given in this recipe yield just about 1 pound of dough, enough to serve 4. INGREDIENTS 300 g (2 cups + 2 tablespoons) semola rimacinata (finely milled semolina flour) 170 g (3/4 cup) tepid water 1/4 teaspoon fine salt INSTRUCTIONS 1. Pour the flour out onto a clean work surface; a wooden pasta board is ideal but not necessary. Using your knuckles and the back of your hand, make a wide and shallow well in the center of the mound. 2. Slowly pour the water into the well, taking care not to let it spill over. Sprinkle the salt in the “pond” of water. 3. Using a fork or your fingers, begin to incorporate flour into the water, pulling the flour from the inside walls of the well. Continue to incorporate until the mixture is first a slurry, then a thick batter, and finally a rough dough. At this point, switch to your hands and begin kneading the dough together. Use a dough scraper to scrape bits from the work surface and incorporate these into the dough. 4. Continue to bring the dough together and knead it until you have incorporated most or all of the flour and the dough has a nice, firm, bouncy consistency (like a baby’s bottom!). Knead a few minutes more, until the dough is smooth and supple. Cover and let rest for at least 20 minutes (and up to several hours). 5. Cut off pieces of dough, roll into ropes, and cut or shape as desired into gnocchi, cavatelli, orecchiette, lorighittas, busiate, or whatever shape you like. Arrange the shaped pasta in a single layer onto a semolina-dusted rimmed baking sheet or tablecloth. Make sure the individual piece are not touching. Leave the pasta out if you plan to cook it within a couple of hours; otherwise, place the baking sheet in the freezer until the pasta is completely frozen (about 2 hours). Transfer the pasta to a zipper-lock freezer bag or tightly lidded container and return to the freezer until cooking time. (Do not defrost before cooking.) 6. To cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Carefully slide in the pasta, return the water to a boil, and cook for about 5 minutes depending on the shape, until the pasta floats to the surface of the pot and is “al dente.” Check for doneness by tasting one. Drain and toss with sauce. .