Shape and sauce used to be the two instrumental variables when cooking pasta. Extruding noodles in your kitchen changes that. Now we can control the grains used, flours chosen, liquids for hydration, and, ultimately, the flavor of the dough. We have been extruding our own noodles for 3 years and have ridden the roller coaster of flavor. Originally, we started with semolina and water. That was when the dam broke. We explored as many flavoring options as we could think of, from yuzu kosho to horseradish to garlic bread. When we exhausted the idea of adding flavors, we switched gears and started messing with the grains. We made 100% emmer noodles (way too intense) and 50% whole wheat noodles (still quite strong). We played with masa and rye. Not every noodle was a home run, but each noodle taught us something: from how to create the best doughs to how to calibrate each dough for the best extrusions, and about our personal preferences. Having the tools to create is essential to encourage explorations. Many of our exploits could have been achieved by hand, but it was the right machine that made the process easy enough for greater avenues to be pursued. From food processors to pasta machines, sometimes the right tool is all you need to set your imagination free.
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