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How to Make Striped Pasta
Have you ever seen ravioli made with striped pasta dough or dried pasta that looks like ribbon candy and wondered, how do they make that? I decided to give it a try and share with you a few of the techniques that worked for me. I tried two different methods, which I explain below and also tell you the pros and cons of each method.
Striped pasta looks very attractive but it does take some effort to make. You can roll the pasta sheets out with a rolling pin but a pasta machine makes the rolling much easier. You begin my making some Basic Egg Pasta Dough and then make the colored dough by adding vegetable purees. The purees add color but do not add much in the way of flavor. So if you want to make red pasta dough you would use beet puree. If you don't like the flavor of beets, don't be concerned because you won't taste it. For the pasta shown on this page, I used plain egg pasta dough with beet and spinach pasta dough. The red and green pasta is especially nice for Christmas but you can choose any color combination that you like. Match striped pasta with a simple sauce that doesn't hide the beautiful colors of the pasta.
Striped pasta looks very attractive but it does take some effort to make. You can roll the pasta sheets out with a rolling pin but a pasta machine makes the rolling much easier. You begin my making some Basic Egg Pasta Dough and then make the colored dough by adding vegetable purees. The purees add color but do not add much in the way of flavor. So if you want to make red pasta dough you would use beet puree. If you don't like the flavor of beets, don't be concerned because you won't taste it. For the pasta shown on this page, I used plain egg pasta dough with beet and spinach pasta dough. The red and green pasta is especially nice for Christmas but you can choose any color combination that you like. Match striped pasta with a simple sauce that doesn't hide the beautiful colors of the pasta.
Method #1
With this method, colored strips of pasta are arranged on top of a sheet of white pasta, and then pressed together. This is the technique that I prefer because it is a little easier to manage the pasta sheets as you roll them through the pasta machine. But this method produces pasta with a white side and a striped side.
With this method, colored strips of pasta are arranged on top of a sheet of white pasta, and then pressed together. This is the technique that I prefer because it is a little easier to manage the pasta sheets as you roll them through the pasta machine. But this method produces pasta with a white side and a striped side.
Make the pasta dough ... here I used plain egg pasta and red beet pasta dough.
Roll out the dough into sheets a little thicker than ultimately required. Cut the sheets to approximately the same length. The white sheet will be the base color.
Roll out the dough into sheets a little thicker than ultimately required. Cut the sheets to approximately the same length. The white sheet will be the base color.
Using a pastry wheel, cut the colored dough into strips, about 1/4 to 1/2-inch wide. The stripes will be wider once they are pressed in the pasta machine.
Lightly brush the white base strip with water. The water will help to adhere the colored strips to the base.
Place the colored strips an equal distance apart on the white base strip. Gently press then down with your hand.
Lightly brush the white base strip with water. The water will help to adhere the colored strips to the base.
Place the colored strips an equal distance apart on the white base strip. Gently press then down with your hand.
Set the thickness desired on you pasta machine gauge.
Carefully roll the pasta sheet through the machine.
Place the pasta on a lightly floured surface.
Proceed with making ravioli or cut into desired pasta shapes.
Carefully roll the pasta sheet through the machine.
Place the pasta on a lightly floured surface.
Proceed with making ravioli or cut into desired pasta shapes.
Remember that with this method, one side of the pasta is plain white. If you make ravioli in a ravioli press, place the first pasta sheet striped side down over the mold, as this will be the top side of the ravioli.
Farfalle or pasta bows are made from rectangles, varying from 3/4 x 1-1/4 inches to 1-1/4 x 2-1/2 inches. Cut long strips of dough with a straight or fluted pastry wheel. Then cut across the strips to form rectangles of the desired size. Pinch each rectangle together in the middle. Let dry on a surface lightly dusted with flour.
Method #2
With this method, strips of pasta of different colors are arranged side-by-side and then pressed to fuse them into a pasta sheet. With this technique the pasta is a little more difficult to manage when putting it through the pasta machine. However, this method produces sheets of pasta where the colors go all the way through the sheet, so both sides of the pasta have stripes.
With this method, strips of pasta of different colors are arranged side-by-side and then pressed to fuse them into a pasta sheet. With this technique the pasta is a little more difficult to manage when putting it through the pasta machine. However, this method produces sheets of pasta where the colors go all the way through the sheet, so both sides of the pasta have stripes.
As in the above method, roll out the 2 sheets of dough a little thicker than ultimately desired. Cut the sheets to approximately the same length. Using a pastry wheel,cut both strips of dough into strips. Lightly moisten the edges of the strips. Lay the strips side by side, alternating the colors and slightly overlapping, to create one sheet of pasta. Set the thickness desired on you pasta machine gauge. Carefully roll the pasta sheet through the machine. Place the pasta on a lightly floured surface. Proceed with making ravioli or cut into desired pasta shapes.
Ideas for Using Striped Pasta
Twisted Ribbon Pasta
For this pasta, I used Method #1. Make plain egg pasta dough and 1 or 2 colored pasta doughs.
Cut the colored pasta using the linguine or fettuccine cutter on your pasta machine and place the strips on a base of white pasta dough.
Cut the pasta sheets into long strips using a pastry cutter to get frilled edges. Cut the strips fairly wide, about 1-inch, so that the colored stripes are visible. Twist the strips like bread sticks.
For this pasta, I used Method #1. Make plain egg pasta dough and 1 or 2 colored pasta doughs.
Cut the colored pasta using the linguine or fettuccine cutter on your pasta machine and place the strips on a base of white pasta dough.
Cut the pasta sheets into long strips using a pastry cutter to get frilled edges. Cut the strips fairly wide, about 1-inch, so that the colored stripes are visible. Twist the strips like bread sticks.
Candy-Shaped Ravioli (Caramelle)
For this pasta, I used Method #1. It is the same technique as described above. Cut the dough into rectangles of your desired size. Place a dollop of ravioli filling (any flavor) in the center of the rectangle. Lightly brush the edges of the dough with water.
Bring the 2 long sides together to form a cylinder; press gently to seal. Place the seam side down. Gather the ends together on both sides of the filling and pinch to seal. Cook the pasta as you would fresh ravioli. If desired, tie the ends with pieces of chive or a scallion cut into strips before serving. Recipe for Ricotta Caramelle >>
For this pasta, I used Method #1. It is the same technique as described above. Cut the dough into rectangles of your desired size. Place a dollop of ravioli filling (any flavor) in the center of the rectangle. Lightly brush the edges of the dough with water.
Bring the 2 long sides together to form a cylinder; press gently to seal. Place the seam side down. Gather the ends together on both sides of the filling and pinch to seal. Cook the pasta as you would fresh ravioli. If desired, tie the ends with pieces of chive or a scallion cut into strips before serving. Recipe for Ricotta Caramelle >>
PASTA RECIPES > ARTISAN PASTA > STRIPED PASTA
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