Handmade Fresh Garganelli Pasta

I had so much fun making these Garganelli Pasta from scratch. My passion in wanting to learn more about homemade fresh pasta has paid off. I managed to make soft chewy bite that comes in many different shapes. Each shapes goes with different sauces. These Garganelli pasta is similar to Penne but just that they have ribbed texture. Rolled over a Gnocchi Wooden Board using a dowel rod. Very interesting.. the more I make the more perfect they become.  The ribbed texture and hollow tubular shape helps to hold sauces. Fresh pasta taste better and can be stored in freezer till required for at least a month . Straight from the freezer to boiling water. Still retains its shape and chewy bite. 

What I did was to air dry them before storing in ziploc bag. If eaten on same day it is best to air dry the rolled pasta for at least an hour in room temp before cooking. This is to help retain the shape of the pasta while it is cooking . Practice makes perfect is so true.  For making Garganelli Pasta we need egg pasta dough. I used Gennaro's egg pasta recipe . The recipe is as follows

 Recipe for making Egg Pasta Dough

Ingredients

150 gm '00" flour

50gm  semolina flour

2 eggs

 Fresh pasta dough

• Sift both flours on work surface (preferably wooden).
• Scoop a well in the center and pour in slightly beaten eggs.
• Add a pinch of salt and start mix all ingredients using a fork or a dough scraper until a crumbly dough forms. You can do this using your hands only if you’re OK getting s a little messy.
• Continue to knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth, elstic and no longer sticky. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and let rest for 15-30 minutes or even overnight (in a cool place or in the fridge).

Rolling the dough

• Cut off a piece of the dough and slightly flatten it with your fingers.
• Sprinkle lightly with flour.
• Option 1 (rolling pin)
• Using a rolling pin roll the dough into approx 1 millimeter thick sheet.
• Option 2 (Atlas Marcato Pasta Machine)
• Set machine on the widest setting (0) and pass the dough for the first time.
• Fold the dough in half and pass again on the same setting.
• Adjust to the next-narrower setting, until you rich thickness of approx 1 mm or position 6 on Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine.
• Return machine to original setting for each piece.
• Arrange ready sheet on a lightly floured work surface.
• Cut each sheet into 1.5×1.5 or 2×2 inch squares and let dry for 10-20 minutes. This will prevent garganelli from flattening when they’re ready.

the pasta square should be 1.5inches x 1.5 inches square

Shape garganelli

• Place a pasta square on a well floured gnocchi board (gnocchi paddle).
• Fold a corner of the square over the garganelli pin.
• If you don’t have a dowel rod, try using a simple chopstick or even a round wooden pencil.
• Holding both ends of the pin roll it towards you. Apply pressure to imprint the ridges on the garganello and seal it at the same time.
• Be careful not to press too hard to avoid the dough sticking to the board but apply enough pressure to seal and imprint the ridges.
• Repeat the process with remaining squares and ultimately with the remaining dough.
• Let shaped garganelli dry for about 15 minutes before cooking or let them dry completely overnight and store in a sealed plastic bag.