Ever wonder if there's a big flavor difference between typical store/dehydrated pasta vs. homemade? According to professional chefs and the dozens of avid cooks I questioned, there are absolute differences! The one thing I heard over and over was: "Homemade pasta is the bomb!"

The best part of making your own food is the ability to experiment! Sure, you can get spinach or tomato pastas in the store, but is there something else you've always wanted to try? Why not add some chili peppers for a Mexican flair, or ginger and leek for Asian foods, for instance.

When I asked "WHY, exactly?" The typical answer I got was that homemade pasta is a different and more complex pasta than you can buy at the store. My cooking-loving friends all agreed that once you've made your own pasta, you won't be satisfied with anything else. They all agreed that aside from flavor, there is a really major texture difference between freshly made compared to store-bought dried.

And other comments on flavor and texture: "Handmade is so much lighter, and not chalky like store-bought." and "It's smooth as silk." One neighbor told me her daughter (age 8) makes all of their pasta. This little cook sits up on the counter next to the Kitchenaid (fitted with the pasta attachment), and just feeds the dough through. It's that easy.

That was the other thing I heard a lot - that it's easy to do. You can create ANYTHING and any type of pasta at home. There's some tinkering you might need to do, depending on type of flour you're using, but I was reassured over and over that this isn't rocket science. Also, a side benefit from making your own pasta is that you can save money - you're spending pennies compared to a few dollars when doing it yourself.

I also heard that homemade pasta cooks much faster and absorbs flavors better.

When I asked about favorite types of pasta to make, many answered that homemade ravioli was the best. The reason? It's easy to roll out and it can be stuffed with just about anything imaginable - squash, eggplant, crab etc. As long as the filling is not too watery, it's fair game!

The pros all advised that if you decide to make your own pasta, be sure to use semolina flour and fresh eggs.

Then, thinking some of you might be interested in pasta making and therefore would wonder about which machine is best, I asked that very question of my pasta-making friends. Their answers were fairly unanimous: The KitchenAid® attachment makes the best pasta. Two friends who cater said they also loved how you can also use the rollers for other things like rolling out very thin crackers and fondant for decorating!

And how do the amateur opinions stack up against the professional cooks of the world? They're in agreement. Most pros I researched recommended the pasta roller attachment for the KitchenAid®.

Finally, fresh pasta contains only three ingredients: flour, salt, and eggs. And for those of you that are thinking this might be fun to try, here are a few tips from the pros:

•  Semolina, a high-protein flour made from Durum wheat, makes better pasta than all-purpose flour. It creates a stronger gluten structure, allowing for more pliable dough.
•  Salt provides flavor, and the eggs create richer dough, along with binding the dough together.
•  Olive oil adds the finishing touch - just be sure to use a high grade extra virgin, cold pressed oil.

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Sources:
www.sheknows.com
www.yellowbrickoven.wordpress.com
www.thewimpyvegetarian.com
www.best-food-processors-reviews.good-stuffblog.ingo www.katom.com