Giusi wrote:

> May I offer a couple more clues? The old ladies here say that the dough
> before rolling ought to feel like your earlobe. Try it. It's at least a
> guide.
>
> I finish the kneading by taking a small chunk of dough and rolling
> through#1 folding, rolling, folding and rolling. It creates layers, but I
> admit to liking pasta with a bit of "tooth", anyway, I do this until the
> pasta strip starts to feel like damp skin. At any time during the rolling
> if the pasta gets sticky, I toss it onto some flour, both sides, then
> proceed.
>
> All this sounds like a lot of fuss to people who haven't done it-- not you
> and Vilco-- but it all becomes second nature and is fast and easy after a
> few experiences. The payoff is great pasta with nothing in it but what
> you put in. That's worth a few minutes to me.

Thanks for the insight! I've been happy making orechiette, pici, or trofie
by hand, but if I want to make pasta for lasagna or ravioli, I *have* to
learn how to use that machine!

Bob