Cooking with Arthritis
helping the physically challenged regain their independence in the kitchen
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| Forum Home > Chatter Room , The open Chat room ! > Making Pasta with Arthritis | ||
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Site Owner Posts: 851 |
Before I developed RA I enjoyed making pasta from scratch. After my disease progressed I thought my pasta making days were over. As you know or may not know when you have any illness eating a healthy diet is important. Due to pain and deformity in my hands I started buying pre-package pasta and was never happy with the results. Determened to find a way to make pasta without using my hands was a challenge , but I have. When making pasta one places the flour on a counter top and makes a well and then slowly works in the eggs and so on. How could I do this? I played with recipes until I found it can be made in a stand mixer using a dough hook, (note the texture is a little different ) using the same basic pasta recipe I always used . After my pasta dough is complete I roll out my dough using my forearms and the weight of my body to get the perfect square. Next using a pizza cutter by Zyliss I cut the dough into smaller squares. Now for the fun stuff, I simply thread the dough through the automatic pasta machine and I have pasta. However; that was not the only challenge I was facing. At my home my counter top connects to my stove from the sink. So I would just use a plant stand with wheels to move the water from the sink to the stove. At my friends home where we were making the pasta that is not the case. My friend had a work table with wheels, like the one I have at home but smaller. So I placed the pot on the table and filled it with a plastic measuring cup and then pushed the table over to the stove. Problem sloved.
Once the pasta was done I used my trusty spider which is a kitchen gadget that has a wooden handle with something that looks like a spider we on the bottom . I placed my strainer on an empty pot and used the spider to remove the pasta and place it in the strainer on top of the movable work table. My friend and I enjoyed the wonderful meal but more importantly we create a solution to our pasta problem and made some really fun memories.
I have found several versions of these tables or carts in several department, kitchen and home improvment stores. But the best priced ones were in wharehouse clubs , like Sam's or Costco's. I hope you find this tip useful
Tip: When making the pasta make extra and freeze it for later use. | |
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-- Keep on cooking real memories are made in the kitchen - Melinda Winner
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Member Posts: 537 |
You amaze me in all you do, you go girl ! good tips | |
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-- Seeing the world through a Lens !
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Member Posts: 29 |
I never tried to make my own pasta. But I really like the moving work table on wheels idea. | |
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Member Posts: 256 |
I'll give it a try, thanks | |
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-- Baker Man !
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Member Posts: 436 |
Melinda you always offer the best advise and tips ! | |
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Member Posts: 370 |
Good tip , mel . I like to cook but never tried pasta. I was surprized how many have not. thank you | |
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-- May your life be filled with good friends and good food !
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Member Posts: 27 |
You are amazing!.....I have never made my own pasta...!!!!!! | |
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Cooking terms and abbreviations:
c. = cup
T. = tablespoon
tsp. = teaspoon
lb. = pound
lg. = large
Pinch = app. 1/8 of teaspoon
Allemande: one of the four mother sauces. It is an egg-enriched velouté. A velouté is a white stock-based sauce.
Al dente: usually referring to pasta—slight crunch to the bite.
Au jus: the drippings released from meats as they are slow cooked.
Bake: to cook food in the oven, usually with little fat or liquid. Also refers to the cooking of baked goods.
Bard: the process of wrapping meat in a thin layer of fat to retain moisture.
Baste: to pour or spoon liquid over food while cooking.
Béarnaise sauce: an emulsified butter sauce made with egg yolks and clarified butter, seasoned with tarragon, shallots, and vinegar. Usually served with steak.
Béchamel sauce: This is also one of the four mother sauces. It is a white sauce made from a butter and flour roux. There are hundreds of sauces that start with this classic white sauce.
Beurre blanc sauce: a classic French sauce made from a wine and vinegar reduction finished off with butter.
Blanch: to immerse food into boiling water briefly to par cook. The food will then be finished using a second cooking method. This method is also used in the canning process of fruits and vegetables to remove the skins.
Braise: to simmer foods on the stovetop in a very small amount of some form of fat to brown.
Break: usually means a cream sauce has separated during the cooking process.
Butterfly: to cut food in half but not all the way through; when completed, it will resemble a butterfly with open wings and will lay flat on any surface.
Caramelize: to cook food over a fairly high heat until the foods’ natural sugars are fully released, and the food turns caramel in color.
Chiffonade: to roll leafy vegetables and cut into small strips.
Chutney: an Indian condiment made from fresh fruits, vegetables, and spices; usually spicy and sweet.
Confit: usually refers to duck or goose that has been slow cooked in large amounts of fat and stored in the fat until service.
Deglaze: to use liquid to remove the remits of the item cooked in a pan, such as meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables. Wine is usually the first choice for deglazing—some use stocks, broths, and water.
Egg wash: equal parts of water and beaten egg used to brush on baked goods for added color during baking and to seal pastry before baking.
Espagnole: one of the four mother sauces. It is a brown stock-based sauce used to make various other sauces. For example, to make this sauce you could start by using a beef stock and finish with seasonings and slurry.
Fillet: To remove the bones from fish, meat, or poultry.
Ganache: a creamy mixture of melted chocolate and heavy cream used over cakes and desserts.
Julienne: to cut vegetables or any food into small, even strips.
Leaven: the act of rising in baked goods. This usually happens when leavening agents are used such as baking soda, baking powder, potato starch, air, and whipped eggs.
Marinate: to soak foods in a seasoned liquid to enhance flavor.
Mince: The procedure used to chop food in tiny little pieces. This is usually performed with a chef’s knife.
Mirepoix: celery, carrots, and onions that are chopped and used as a soup base and to season other foods while cooking.
Mother sauce: There are four basic sauces that are referred to as mother sauces simply meaning they are the base sauce where many other sauces are created from them. Some believe there are five, the fifth being emulsified sauces such as mayonnaise and hollandaise sauce.
Pipe: This is when you are decorating cakes, cookies, and pastry using a pastry bag and a decorating tip. It is also when you are filling foods with a filling using a pastry bag.
Poach: to cook food in liquid.
Puree: to puree, grind, or mash solid foods to a smooth consistency.
Reduce: to boil liquid to concentrate its flavor and thickening.
Render: to cook down, melt the fat in meat.
Roux: flour and butter or any fat mixed to form a paste. Used to make a base for sauces or stews.
Sauté: to cook food quickly on the stovetop over high heat with little fat.
Sear: to brown quickly over high heat.
Simmer: to cook food over low heat for long periods of time.
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1/4 tsp 1 mL 1 ml
1/2 tsp 2 mL 2 ml
1 tsp 5 mL 5 ml
1 Tbl 15 mL 20 ml
1/4 cup 50 mL 60 ml
1/3 cup 75 mL 80 ml
1/2 cup 125 mL 125 ml
2/3 cup 50 mL 170 ml
3/4 cup 175 mL 190 ml
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Weight
1 ounce 30 grams 30 grams
2 " 55 " 60 "
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212 " 100 "
250 " 120 "
275 " 140 "
300 " 150 "
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350 " 180 "
375 " 190 "
400 " 200 "
425 " 220 "
450 " 230 "
475 " 240 "
500 " 260 "