Fresh Pasta

Pastaworks has been making fresh pasta in Portland since 1983. Our pastas made following traditional methods and recipes. Shaped pastas are made from flour (semolina in most cases) and water and pressed through bronze dies to give them their individual shapes. Flat pasta are made from durum patent and semolina flours, water and eggs and then sheet rolled and cut into separate sheets. The sheets then can be but into four distinct widths---tagliarini, linguine, fettuccine or tagliatelle---or left whole to use for lasagne. Sheet rolled pasta is also used to encase fillings for ravioli and tortellini. Additionally, sheet rolled pasta is used for Pastaworks distinct hand filled ravioli.

Whenever possible local ingredients are used to flavor and/or fill our pastas. Ingredients change seasonally

A Perspective on Gluten

For several years we have used Shepherd's Grain flours to make focaccia. We are now pleased to announce Pastaworks is using Shepherd's Grain Semolina to make its fresh sheet rolled and shaped pastas. Every month or so Shepherd's Grain puts out an informative newsletter., and we thought the February, 2013 issue might be of particular interest to you.


Shepherd’s Grain Newsletter
February, 2013

Is the gluten of today the same as your great-great grandmother’s gluten? The simple answer is yes but know where your gluten comes from. The development of the current wheat grown worldwide today is an offshoot of the wheat developed 10,000 years ago and has been in play since before 1900. This issue is key as the current outcry that recent wheat breeding is leading to an increase in celiac disease. Celiac disease is quite serious and is affecting a little over 1% of our US population. I want to spend some time in this newsletter to talk more about the next 7% of the population that have some level of incidence related to intake of gluten. There has been a great increase of knowledge brought forth in the recent months to counter some very negative claims that unfortunately are put out without science or rational thinking to gain some notoriety. This knowledge is not new but the need to make it available to all is. Donald Kasarda, ARS, USDA, Albany California states in response to claims that increase in celiac disease is attributed to wheat breeding in the US with the following. “The results do not support the likelihood that wheat breeding has increased protein content (proportional to gluten content) of wheat in the US. Changes in per capita consumption of vital gluten as a food additive need to be discussed.” He further states wheat flour intake reached a high of 200 pounds per year per person in 1900 as compared to 134 pounds per person per year in 2008. Vital gluten intake however has tripled since 1977. Vital gluten is gluten fractionated from wheat flour by washing starch granules from dough and is often added to food products to achieve improved product characteristics. About 80% of vital gluten is imported.
It has been my opinion that increases in processed food intake which includes flour is at the basis of this increased gluten sensitivity. I believe this research supports that. Processed foods are not going to buy high quality flour and if you have a low quality protein flour you may need to add vital gluten to get that desired product characteristic. So the bottom line is know where your gluten comes from. Eating wholesome locally made breads and pastas made from high quality north American wheats and durum’s will provide you the flavor, joy, and nutritive properties necessary in all diets (sans celiac). In other words, find those products made with Shepherd’s Grain and you will be able to continue to enjoy them.
As always, thank you to those who support the Shepherd’s Grain family of farms continuing to raise high quality protein wheat and durum for your baking needs.

The Shepherd’s Grain Producers

Pasta Recipe

Pasta with Four Herbs

Adapted from: The River Cottage Family Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall & Fizz Carr. Serves 4.
• handful each rosemary, flat leaf parsley, thyme and basil
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1 lb. Pastaworks fresh fettuccine
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Meanwhile, pull the rosemary needles off the stems and cut the stems off the parsley. Pull the basil leaves and thyme leaves off their stems. Chop the herbs finely. Grate some Parmesan into a small bowl and set it on the table.
Put the butter in a small saucepan on the stove and melt gently over low heat. Add the herbs to the butter, stir with a wooden spoon for a few seconds, and turn off heat. Let herbs sit in the butter while you cook the pasta.
Add a tablespoon of salt to the boiling water, then add the pasta. Cook according to time directions until done. Drain the pasta in a colander and put back into pot. Add the buttery herbs, grind in pepper and add salt. Toss well and serve.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Adapted from: The River Cottage Family Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall & Fizz Carr. Serves 4.
• 1 lb. Pastaworks fresh spaghetti
• 1⁄2 clove garlic (optional), peeled and minced • 6 slices bacon, cut into thick strips
• 2 oz. cheddar, Parmesan or other grating
cheese, grated
• 2 Free-range eggs
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Put a large frying pan over medium heat, add the bacon and fry until it is brown and just turning crisp on both sides. Turn the heat down and add the garlic.

Put the grated cheese into a small bowl. Break in the eggs and add the cream, then using a fork, mix the eggs, cream and cheese well.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until done. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot which should still be warm.
Toss the bacon with the pasta and pour in the cheese mixture. Leave for a minute, then mix thoroughly with the pasta using a wooden spoon, The heat of the pasta will gently scramble the eggs and melt the cheese. You may need to briefly turn the heat back on if the eegs don’t scramble. Serve immediately, passing around more cheese.