Excellent machine. I read many of the reviews (so helpful, thank you) before purchasing this. It's a beautiful gadget, very solid. I used Biba Caggiano's recipe (Trattoria) of 2 eggs and 1 1/4 C of flour and it's come out perfectly every time (have now made it about 8x). I mixed the dough by hand once (making a well with the flour, etc.) and all the other times I've used the Cuisineart to mix it quickly. No noticeable difference, a lot less mess with the Cuisineart. Also, based on recommendations in the reviews, I watched a few videos on You Tube before I tried it the first time. There is not much variation out there (from Mario Batali to Marcella Hazan) so I've stuck with Caggiano's ratio of flour to egg since it works so well. A few reviews said you need help, but I find (while help is more fun) that as long as the machine is clamped to the counter, I can easily do it myself. I wanted fresh pasta for canneloni and lasagne noodles (I prefer dried pasta for everything else) and these come out beautifully and delicious. I did make some fettucini since it comes with that attachment and it was also good. I recommend going through the process to #7 and then running it through 2x on #7 rather than going to #8 which is a bit too thin for fettucine. 8 is great for lasagne sheets. I paid attention to everyone who said DON'T wash with water and I find that if you wipe the machine (while cranking the handle) well with a damp cloth or paper towel, it comes quite clean. I also run a paper towel through it once I've done the wiping down part. I'm comfortable that it's clean. When the fresh pasta craze hit in the 90's (?) I thought eveyrone was nuts. Dried pasta is so good (Di Cecci being my favorite) and why would anyone want to go to this much trouble to make fresh pasta, which to me always seems foamy in restaurants. I only got this machine because I was giving a young friend (13) a cooking lesson, and I thought we'd go all the way by making our own noodles. What fun! There's something really satisfying about doing this and I found myself coming up with excuses to make a batch of pasta and mostly giving it away (I still prefer dried for strands or shapes, but you can't beat fresh lasagne sheets). The "fresh" lasagne sheets you can buy at the market is still foamy to me, but what you'll make at home with this machine tastes exactly right. Have fun!
Product contains at least 95% organic material.
As certified by
USDA Organic
USDA Organic is protected by law, inspected by experts, traced from farm to store, and shaped by public input. USDA develops and enforces the organic standards, which require products to be produced using farming practices that maintain and improve soil and water quality, minimize the use of synthetic materials, conserve biodiversity, and avoid genetic engineering, among other factors. Crops can be certified organic if they’re grown without prohibited substances such as most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides for three years prior to harvest. Livestock are raised on pasture and treated humanely without growth hormones or antibiotics. Organic products do not contain GMOs or artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Products that contain a minimum of 95 percent organic ingredients and use the USDA Organic seal are part of Climate Pledge Friendly.
