Why so crabby?

People ask if I'm more of a baker or a cook. That's a tough question for me to answer. Why?

Sometimes I feel like I'm more of a cook because I'm not always exact in my baking measurements. I try to "follow recipes to the tee" but I usually stray a little. I'll add an extra tablespoon of this or 1/16 cup of that. What can I say? I'm kind of a free spirit.   (Ps 1 tbsp=1/16 cup)

Other times I feel like I'm more of a baker because... I'm always baking.

Maybe I'm a baker with an attitude of a cook.

Anyways, it doesn't matter if I'm more of a cook or a baker.
It just matters that people don't die or get food poisoning after eating my food.

For Father's Day, I made Crab Alfredo with Fresh Pasta

...and no one has gotten sick from my food, yet.

I tried to keep large chunks of crab intact.

I used an oven mitt to protect my hand.

As for the pasta, I made a little flour dam and filled it with eggs.

Beware of spillage if your walls are not high enough.
My walls were not high enough.

It became quite hectic and messy so I couldn't take a picture.

I had flour spots all over my dough
but they went away after going through the pasta machine.

I cut the pasta dough into smaller pieces before popping it through the machine.

Our pasta machine was bought around 9 years ago (maybe even longer)... and today was the first time I used it. I was 13 years old when I learned to use a pasta machine. I was making Fimo flower beads in my elementary art class. I would explain more but I this blog post is about pasta, not Fimo. Maybe another time.

Anyways, my pasta machine has 3 different rollers:

• - a smooth uniform roller that can be adjusted to make pasta of different thicknesses 
• - a thick cutter roller to cut pasta into wide strips
• - a thin cutter roller to cut pasta into thin strips

First, feed the pasta through the top.

Then collect it from the bottom.

Start with the smooth roller until your desired thickness, 

then put it through either the thick or thin roller to cut the pasta.

Or you could just leave it for lasagna.   

 After the pasta is cut, let it rest for an hour.

If you let it hang, they don't clump together.

Left: Skinny pasta with the thin cutter roller. 

Right: Wide pasta with the thick cutter roller... Fettuccine?

Recipe for Fresh Pasta

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- 5 eggs "not straight from the fridge" (I interpreted this as: not using cold eggs, so I let them sit in some hot water for like 2 minutes)
- 500 g flour (a little less than 4 cups)


Mix with a fork until uniformly mixed.
Knead if needed. 
Cut into small pieces.
Feed through the pasta machine.
Let it rest for an hour.
Cook for 2-5 minutes in salted boiling water.