On Theory.

So,

This weekend was not spent in the early kitchen hours over coffee, water, flour, eggs and salt. I am sad to say that there will not be a pasta log coming out of this weekend. I was busy with some obligations that do not fall under the scope of this blog, however just because I didn't spend my usual, well anticipated time behind the machine, does not mean this weekend was not without it's learning or growth.

Instead, I held impromptu conversation with both Justin and Jordi about the various natures of pasta making, and while I won't repeat verbatim what was discussed, the techniques that were looked over, and the questions asked, to me, ended up being as valuable as a weekend laminating and sheeting dough.

I would also like to introduce David in to the mix of names that will be thrown around, as well as Brad, both while not directly training me, have both been what I would call very good people to talk to, as they have always been patient with my unending stream of questions, thoughts, ideas, as much as Jordi, Justin and Carla have been, and for that I am completely thankful.

Brad also gave me one of the funniest repeatable kitchen lines ever.

"don't hurt yourself or the machine, it's expensive and I'll get in trouble."

Thinking back to that slightly more primordial moment in my pasta tutelage makes me smile broadly. If you are curious how that pasta came out, we didn't use it. Nor was it expected that we would, but it didn't make that discerning cut, and I wasn't placed in a position where I had to produce at the quality of consistency that if I come in now, is a pre-requisite.

Even though that was several months ago, I like to reflect back on the past when it comes to cooking, or learning any skill, it helps you discern forward and lateral movement, and instills confidence as the curve gradually lessens and it becomes more about wonderful minutia and hypnotic repetition(both things I enjoy). when the moves and improvements are no longer measured in inches, but in micrometes when learning a specific thing.

 

Further.

I am proud to say that I am apprenticing as a pasta maker, at Cafe Lago, www.cafelago.com for the curious.

As with anything, Pasta would appear to be fairly simple, being the combination of flour, salt and water, and/or eggs in amounts that differ greatly not only from recipe to recipe, but person to person, as well as in at least one case I've seen, within the same cookbook. At some point, for my own purposes and to illustrate the vast differences between various dough recipes, I will post what I have available, as well as detailed notes as to what book it came from, and if any history at all is attached to said recipes.

The recipe I have been taught at Lago is one used by Justin Kenney, and I have been told produces a very very consistent pasta. I can confirm this in so much as that I have had the best results using it, as opposed to the other two-four variations in my notebook.

Where this recipe came from, I haven't asked(tisk tisk on me.). But I have been curious for a while, through what I would call a mild form of curious interrogation of many people involved in the history of Cafe Lago, I have ascertained(and can be corrected by either Jordi or Carla, when I ask about it the next time I see them) is that the original recipe came from either one mother or another, or possibly a grandmother. Jordi mentioning that his mother did make pasta when the restaurant had originally opened. Where she got the recipe is another story. I am sure if I ask, the answer will be given to me. 

Going back to my previous point. While Pasta making on paper looks, and I stress looks easy, it is not. The level of nuance and skill required to produce something that is both good, and consistent enough to sell to people requires years of experience. 

It requires humility before it. I was lucky enough to have some idea of the difficulty working with recipes that require feel as well as skill. But regardless. There is a reason good cooks can become obsessed with crafting the perfect noodle, and spend years reaching that zenith, where they know the nuance and have the experience to help young visionary lads such as myself along. 

I am lucky to work with such skilled and talented people. It makes a journey that could be equated to wandering a densely thicketed forest much easier, knowing the hidden, well used paths.

Pasta Log 03212009

Pasta Made:

Pappardelle

Fettuccine

Recipe Used:

(Prepared by Justin Kenney)

Notes:

In regards to yesterday, a discussion between Justin and myself has yielded the following conclusion, the dough did no form up properly because egg yolks were possibly too small. Pasta did not meet laminating standards because when working with an all morebread flour recipe, more passes are required.  The dough did strangely meet all qualifications, sans a cook test though. 

Advised to do a test batch when using a different recipe. Can't rely on data supported on differentiations.

Yield:

Unknown, as I did no make the pasta dough today. It was done when I came in. Doughballs weighed in at 2 3/4 pounds. 

Using 6 pounds of dough, I was able to produce 22 4oz orders of Papardelle. I was also able to produce 23 4oz orders of Fettucine.  The dough felt good, it had a nice smooth feel, and smelled subtly of eggs, both good signs and produced the proper tensions in my hands. inspection against previous batch was not possible today, as previous batch may have been faulty.

No Cook test could be procured this afternoon.

Notes:

Willie made no mention of the pasta cooking too quickly, or too long, though from my own personal inspection during the night shift, the pasta looked fine. Was advised by Carla(one of the two wonderful owners) it was perfectly okay to put the name of the business down. 

Did not get to participate in rolling gnocchi today.

Pasta Log 03202009

Pasta Made:
Linguine

Fettuccine

Recipe used:

Notes:

No Semolina available, Pasta dough didn't form with ratio of water/egg yolks, added more water, roughly another six ounces per doughball to gain form.

Yield:

3 3 1/2 pound doughballs. 

Notes:

Dough had assumed feel and smell, and tensile strength that is normally looked for. Did confront issues with first doughball breaking apart during first run through machine, Possibly because of extra water needed to help form the doughball, looking back to 031809, Dough was similarly unacceptable, though instead of adding water to form doughball, JV forced dough through rollers at 7 until rough sheets were formed. Notably, we were running low on semolina. Pasta was fine on 031809.

WS noted that the Linguine was cooking too quickly. and Fettucine was inconsistent, inconsistency may have been based on previous two days worth of Fettucine, as noted by JV.  Will have to discuss the Linguine issue with Justin later.

Purposes.

The general idea of this blog relates to something I read in cooking by hand, by Paul Bertolli.  He keeps a detailed notebook on the various characteristics of heirloom tomatoes, flavor, uses, ability to be turned in to sauce, whatnot. 

I have been keeping a paper journal of some basic notations of my pasta making thus far. It is pretty basic stuff, such as

03.18.09 Pasta dough unacceptable. Did not form as desired.

So while that is pretty much what this is, I intend to go more in depth, and do some analysis. Well as much analysis as I can, what I will call analysis will nominally be more in the form of vague generalizations as I come to grasp the nuance of pasta making. The writing will be pretty dry, because I intend to use this not only as a kind of interesting public project, but also because well this is my journal about pasta making, in a form that I hope will last a little longer than my now well beaten collegiate notebook.

On Background:

The idea of making pasta was something I had jokingly entertained for a while before I began working at my current place of employment, owned and ran by two wonderful people. I had asked rather genuinely when I started working there, "When do I get to learn how to make pasta?"

The response was a polite refusal.

The seed was planted however, and after what I would term as harassment, I was given my first lessons, and the results were, well lets lean towards interesting. I have a background in working with dough, being a pizza maker, and this was astronomically difficult compared to that. Anyways that is how my obsession with making pasta began. and all the story I feel like writing at the moment.