Dough Tips

Source: Jessie James,  CELIAC@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU

It is difficult to roll out cookie and pastry dough to an even thickness throughout. This works -

Use a long rolling pin or a piece of dowling as a roller. Get two rulers, pieces of wood, metal, or two of anything the desired thickness for guides for the rolled dough. Put the dough on a very level, floured board. Place one of the guides on each side and roll the dough out making sure that the 'rolling pin' travels back and forth along the guides. Anyone with a table saw can cut you a couple of guides.

To prevent the dough from sticking to the roller, instead of flour you can use wax paper or transparent wrap coated with Pam over the dough.

To hand roll PASTA use the above method with thinner guides, about 1/8 inch thick. Roll the pasta dough into a large rectangle with a narrow end facing you. Then carefully roll each narrow end of the dough fairly tightly towards the centre. You end up with two connected rolls of dough side by side.

Using a sharp floured knife, start at one end and cut across both rolls right down to the board about 1/4 inch from the edge. Making sure the sections stay in place continue cutting across the two rolls about 1/4 inch apart until you reach the other edge.

Then the fun part - push the back of your knife under one of the rolls until it reaches the middle where the rolls are joined. Tip up the back of the knife carefully and lift the pasta dough from the board. The little rolls unwind and you have fresh pasta draped from the back of your knife. Gently transfer it to a piece of dowling and hang it up in the kitchen to dry. Flattening the knife blade slightly makes room to slide the dowling in. If you want to use it fresh oil it very lightly and keep in fridge.