Bucket list- Pasta

So a while back I talked about a bucket list. I can not express how important this list is!! Not just for people with a limited life but for ALL! My hope is that every person checks off a list item once a week. Remember, things put on this list do not always have to be sky high and hard to reach. Sometimes the more simple ones can bring just as much joy and sense of accomplishment and can be so satisfying!! Recently I checked off making pasta. It is just something I have always wanted to do. So my sister, Tina and I were able to spend a few days together and we decided to make it. The dish was pappardelle pasta with a homemade beef ragu. The sauce was spectacular and I highly recommend making it! We used a pressure cooker with stewed beef chunks, celery,carrots, garlic,crushed tomatoes,beef stock and a little tomato paste (I think that’s it), a very simple but delicious sauce. When we started making the pasta, I have to admit, we were nervous. TV always makes it seem so difficult and easily screwed! Don’t overwork or underwork the dough, too dry or too wet, do not overcook or undercook even by seconds!!! This was a lot of pressure lol So we said screw it! We are going to have fun and make this pasta!! ( we had a bag of dry store bought just in case 😉 ) So away we went sifted our dry ingredients made the oh so important “well”. We are still trying to figure out the purpose of this “well”, why is it so important? Why can’t we just add the wet mixed ingredients to the dry slowly? Oh so many questions…  Whatever, if that is the way it is done, then that is the way we will do it! It was messy and we thought we were doing it all wrong but slowly it started to come together and then voila! pasta dough!! No pasta machine, no problem!! A rolling pin was all we needed! Rolled it out, cut it up and popped into boiling water! We had such a great time! My nephew and daughter helped and it was such an amazing memory to be made! Our dinner was a hit for all and we are looking forward to making it again.

So, an easy cheap bucket list item checked off the list!! Start to think of things you have always wanted to do. Big or small! Experience and adventure are waiting for you, just open your mind and start doing, start living!!! You will not regret it!!

Mixing

Mixing

more mixing

2 balls

2 better balls! woo hoo pasta dough

rolling the dough

perfect!

rolled up and ready to cut

so cute!!

unrolling the dough

that;s a lot of pasta

almost ready

done!

plating

ready for sauce

yummy sauce

so ready to eat!!