Roll. Setting. Roll. Setting - The "Art" of Pasta Making

My half Italian side may kill me in my sleep.  It's been decided - my homemade pasta making skills need A LOT of work.  Flour everywhere.  Bits of pasta littered in the carpet.  And boxes of dried Barillo laughing at me in the pantry.

Now, I understand the basics.  Make the dough.  Roll the dough.  Set up pasta roller.  Roll the dough again.  Adjust setting.  Roll.  Setting.  Roll.  Setting.  Roll.  Hang it on a clothes drying rack.  Boil quickly.  Enjoy.

...But it seems to always end up mushy.  And as I watched my ravolis (which were no where near the standard half dollar size) slowly come apart in the boiling water, I realized I may have been a little too aggressive on doing stuffed pasta.

However, it was a great third attempt.  And more attempts will follow in the coming years (Years, not days).  From what I've learned, it just takes patience and repetition.  The ingredients are basic and its a great "together" activity on a lazy Saturday or Sunday.  You'll need a pasta roller (and hopefully one that has a clamp that fits on a kitchen counter and not just on a dining room table) and a few simple ingredients (flour, salt, olive oil, eggs).

Footnote:
Most women probably haven't rolled pasta.  So don't take yourself too seriously (they'll probably be at least one flour fight).  Take turns rolling or guiding the dough into the roller.  It most likely won't turn out perfect, but its pretty cool to look around and see sheets of pasta hanging from all places in your house.  They'll be that anticipation and excitement of something new.  Have a drink, let it dry.  And then enjoy.