Pasta is something that most people add to their preps. It's fast and easy to cook and can be used in a variety of dishes. I have some elbow and seashell pasta stored. The reason I store those two particular pastas is because I like them in salad mixtures and can't make those shapes myself.
If you read the pasta box you will see that it is made from flour. The ingredients don't list water but it was used to make the pasta too. Then they added a few vitamins and call it enriched. They enrich it because they remove most of the vitamins when they mill the flour.
Hopefully, you have stored some whole grains and a grain grinder in your food storage. If you have wheat or other grains and a grinder then you can make all kinds of pasta and save the space and expense of buying and storing storebought pastas. At the very least you should have stored some already ground bread flour or all purpose flour which can be used to make pasta.
I don't have an electric pasta machine and I don't want one. I do have a hand cranked pasta roller that I love and use. I bought mine used at the thrift store. If you don't have a pasta roller and can't afford one its very easy to roll out the pasta dough by hand.
I find that I really don't need a recipe anymore. I'm sure after you make some homemade pasta that you will see that it really doesn't take a recipe. Any recipe you have won't be cut and dried anyhow because so much about pasta depends on the weather and the moisture in the air. Below I will give you a very basic recipe and directions for making pasta:
1 cup of flour
1 egg
3 tablespoon water
To combine your ingredients to make a dough pour your cup of flour in a large bowl or on a clean counter. Make a well in the center of your flour to hold your egg and water. Add the egg and about a tablespoon of water. With your hand mix the egg and water together and begin to incorporate the flour. If the mixture seems really dry then you can add another tablespoon of water. You may or may not need the third tablespoon. Mix the dough until it forms a ball. If its sticky add a teaspoon of flour or so. Too dry means you need more liquid. When your dough comes together and begins to feel smooth then you will begin to knead it on a floured surface. Sprinkle a little flour down and begin kneading for a few minutes. When the dough feels smooth and not sticky then form it into a ball and let it rest for about ten minutes.
After letting the dough rest you can cut it in half and begin running it through the pasta roller starting with the first setting. After each pass fold the dough over twice so that you have three layers and run it through a second time. Continue rolling it through the rollers increasing the setting which makes a thinner and thinner pasta sheet. Each time remember to run it through, fold the dough then run it through a second time. If the dough cracks it is too dry and needs more water. If it is too sticky then it needs more flour. Keep the dough lightly dusted as you work with it. If it becomes too long just cut it in half with a knife. Don't worry if you don't have a machine because the same process can be done with a rolling pin. Roll out, fold, roll out again trying to roll it into long sheets like the machine would produce.
When you get done with the dough and have the sheets on the counter then you can cut them with a knife, pizza roller or krinkle pasta roller/cutter. You can hang the pasta to dry then package and freeze or you can dry it then add it to boiling water to cook. You can make different shapes and sizes with the dough. It's easy to cut the butterfly pasta and pinch the center to form it. Manicotti is simply straight sheets that are filled, cut and rolled to form the tube. Lasagna is left in wide strips. Ravioli it two sheets with spoonfuls of filling in between then moistened and pressed together before cutting in between. If you cut out circles for ravioli and fold them over around the filling to make half rounds that is fine too. Pinch the half round ravioli and bens it around your thumb before crimping the ends together to make tortellini.
That is all there is to making homemade pasta. After you practice and get the feel for the dough then you can create hundreds of different pastas from your food storage. You can use the same recipe but add chopped fresh or dried herbs like rosemary, basil, lemon thyme, parsley, cracked pepper, cinnamon or whatever herb or spice you have.
You can also replace the liquid (egg and/or water with canned Puréed vegetables or fruit. You can also use just the juice from the canned vegetables as well. Or you can mash the vegetables and use them as the liquid in the pasta then use the liquid from the canned vegetables to boil the pasta.
You will find that the combinations are limited only by what you have on hand. Be creative and create some truly gourmet pastas.Try spinach pasta, mushroom pasta, apple pasta with a caramel sauce, sweet potato or pumpkin pasta, black bean or chickpea pasta, sour cream pasta, carrot pasta, tomato basil pasta. Do you see the potential? Change the grains that you use for the flour or just add some cracked grains with the plain flour for something really different.
With the different varieties you can create combined with many different sauces or just tossed with olive oil and canned chicken, you can create truly nutritious and tasty food from your simple food storage. Eating wtshtf doesn't have to be bland or unhealthy. You could have a different pasta dish every night and never get food fatigue or lack for nutrition. Have fun now experimenting while you learn to make pasta and use your food storage.
Southern Wood Elf