The winter season can be depressing - our work gets more and more stressful... why not relax by whipping up a little pasta party?

See also: Tomato, spinach pasta, etc.

Pasta recipes

Kneading pasta is a great way to get rid of stress! Done on your own, with friends or family, it perks up the spirit, whets the appetite and provides the inspiration for great culinary creations.

Choose a special flour, ideally 100% durum wheat semolina instead of a semolina-flour blend.

While the current enthusiasm for making pasta at home has to do with the convivial aspect, incomporable flavor and great versatility, it's also nice to note that homemade pasta costs only about 20% of store-bought.

Making fresh pasta
There's no secret to making good pasta. Simply combine all the ingredients until smooth and elastic, then knead well.

1. Place the flour on a large work surface and form a well in the center. Place the other ingredients into the well and work with your fingertips to form a ball. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Knead for about 10 minutes, folding and turning in a regular motion until the texture is smooth and elastic.
2. Brush with a little oil, cover with an overturned bowl and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Rolling the dough by hand

1. Use a wide heavy rolling pin. Divide the dough into 4 parts.
2. Roll each part into a thin layer, flour lightly, fold into quarters and repeat at least 6 times. Wrap each piece in a clean cloth and set aside until the process is complete.
3. Cut the dough with a cutter for stuffed pasta or roll into a cylinder and cut with a knife into the desired width for long pasta.

With a pasta machine

1. Divide the pasta into eight parts and deal with each one separately. Lightly flour the dough and roll through the machine on the thickest setting. Fold in half, flour and roll through again. Repeat 5-7 times.
2. Change the setting, flour and reroll the pasta. Repeat, gradually narrowing the setting until you reach the desired thickness.
3. Wrap in a clean cloth and set aside until all the pasta has been rolled.

For filled pasta, cut out with a cutter. For long pasta, select the cut according to the desired width and roll through, beginning with the first sheet. You can find very useful manual machines in kitchenware stores and department stores - though not as fast as electric machines, they are sturdy and do a good job. Besides, at under $50, they're much more affordable.