Pasta Roller
A pasta roller serves to simplify the process of rolling and stretching the pasta into thin sheets, which can then be laminated into required shapes. Having a pasta roller will undoubtedly streamline the work of cutting the fresh pasta into strands while reducing wastage and maintaining consistent texture. This guide will take you through the various types of pasta rollers out there, their specific use cases, and how to get the right roller for your kitchen.
What Is Pasta?
Pasta is a food variety that's prepared using durum wheat flour, eggs, and water to form a sticky dough, which is then cut into strands of pasta or other shapes. There are two main categories of pasta: dried pasta that you typically buy from the stores and fresh pasta, which requires fresh ingredients and can be made at home. Fresh pasta can either be cooked immediately or hung on a pasta drying rack and allowed to dry, after which it’s packed in airtight containers for long term storage, usually up to 3 months.
What Is A Pasta Roller?
A pasta roller is a kitchen tool designed to simplify the process of rolling and cutting pasta dough into the required sizes and shapes. The basic design relies on a set of rollers that progressively press pasta dough into the necessary thinness—the cutting wheels, which can be adjusted to change the pasta strands’ length. Electronic varieties take this same principle and apply motors and actuators, which are set to automatically cut and press the dough into the required form and size.
Why Use A Pasta Roller?
1. Save Time
Using a pasta roller to press pasta dough into shape and cutting it on the same machine will save you a considerable amount of time that could have otherwise been spent on manually trying to roll the dough into shape with a traditional; rolling stick. Having an electric pasta roller with all the required attachments can even automate the entire process allowing you to carry out other tasks while the roller does its work.
2. Reduce Wastage
Rolling pasta using a rolling pasta machine will reduce the amount of wastage that would have otherwise happened if you relied on manually cutting and shaping the pasta shapes by hand. Most pasta rollers are also equipped with a lower plate that catches all the tiny bits of dough, which might escape the rollers reducing the overall mess left behind after rolling the entire batch.
3. Consistent Quality
A rolling pasta machine can be set to roll pasta at a consistent thickness and length. As a result, all of the pasta strands and pieces have a uniform texture, and when they dry, they will retain a consistent quality through storage for up to 3 months. A pasta machine will produce precise cuts every time, avoiding losses in terms of irregularly shaped fresh pasta.
Considerations Before Buying A Pasta Roller
Brand
When shopping for a pasta roller, always go for brands that have a strong brand presence online and with genuine reviews from actual customers. Brands with such a presence cannot afford to mess up and will always try to ensure maximum customer satisfaction by providing quality products. Picking a brand with an online presence will also make it much easier to obtain after-. Although they are more prone to breaking, they still do offer a bargain in terms of prices, especially if you need a simple pasta roller that will not be used regularly.
Price
The pasta roller’s price is probably the most significant consideration when it comes to choosing the specific machine for your own use case. This is because pasta rollers range in price from lower-end plastic builds to mid-range priced brass and chromium coated varieties—eventually, the top range varieties mostly made of stainless steel, which vary in terms of size and complexity. Always come up with a budget of how much you want to spend on such equipment, the cost of upgrading it in the future, and the probability of acquiring additional attachments to increase its capabilities down the line.
Types Of Pasta You Can Make
Not all pasta rollers are built equally; some are designed to roll and cut a specific pasta shape. Others contain additional rollers to output several pasta sizes by merely adjusting the equipment. If you are just looking for a simple pasta roller to make fresh pasta strands at home, then you should just get a simple crankshaft operated roller. In contrast, large scale pasta production will require specialized pasta rollers for each variety produced.
Attachments Included
Some pasta roller manufacturers opt to include additional attachments with each roller to add extra capabilities on top of just rolling and cutting fresh pasta. Some of the popular attachments to look out for include set cutters- which are specifically designed to cut a specific pasta shape. Cleaning brushes to remove those stubborn stains while cleaning your roller and even stainless steel plates to hold the pasta strands as they are continuously cut into desired shapes.
Types Of Pasta Machine
Electric Pasta Machine
Expected Price Range: $100- $300
Where To Buy From: Amazon.com
Overview
Electric pasta machines rely on an electric motor to rotate the set of rollers in it to continually roll fresh pasta into the desired thickness. Most manufacturers also include a set of cutters and pasta discs to cut the pasta into desired shapes on the go. When shopping for an electric pasta machine, you should consider its ease of use, the output power of the DC motor, and additional attachments included with each device.
Our Recommended Electric Pasta Machine
Philips Kitchen Compact Pasta Maker
Price: $179.95
Where To Buy From: Amazon.com
Capacity: 6 oz of pasta per each batch or three pasta servings
Overview
Meet the latest Phillips offering, the compact pasta maker. Unlike other pasta rollers that rely on mechanical rollers to press the pasta into the desired shape, this compact pasta maker instead relies on a dual extrusion process. This provides a more consistent job and is much faster. On top of this, the Phillips compact maker does not require you to knead the dough separately; just manufacturer includes three classic shaping discs: fettuccini, spaghetti, and penne.
Hand Rolling Machine
Expected Price Range: $50- $150
Where To Buy From: Amazon.com
Overview
Hand Rolling Pasta machines have a physical crankshaft that needs to be cranked in order to apply force on the rollers and press the pasta into shape. Hand rolling pasta makers are much cheaper compared to electric varieties and are mostly made of stainless steel rollers and blades to cut the pasta strands in precise size.
Our Recommended Hand Rolling Pasta Machine
Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine
Price: $69.95
Where To Buy From: Amazon.com
Capacity: 150MM wide pasta
Overview
The marcato atlas 150 is specially designed to roll pasta at a consistent 150 mm width, and the thickness can be adjusted from 0. 6 to 4. 8-Millimeter. This hand-cranked pasta maker is made of stainless steel and a hardwood crank handle for smooth operation. The equipment is also easy to clean after each operation. Suppose you want to upgrade your marcato atlas pasta maker in the future. In that case, you can choose from the up to 12 different attachable cutting accessories (sold separately) or even equip it with an electric motor in place of the hand crank.
What's The Difference Between Noodle And Pasta Roller?
There’s no difference between a noodle roller and a pasta roller; they are all designed under the same principles of applying pressure onto dough to flatten it out into a thin sheet, which is then cut as required.
Common Questions
What does a pasta roller do?
A pasta roller presses the pasta dough into a thin flat sheet, which can then be cut into required shapes and sizes of fresh pasta strands.
What is the best pasta roller?
The best pasta roller would depend on the specific situation whereby a small hand-cranked pasta roller is best suited for preparing small serving amounts in the kitchen. In contrast, commercial electric models are best suited for regular everyday use in restaurants and busy kitchens.
Is a pasta machine worth it?
Yes, a pasta machine is essential to have if you intend to prepare fresh pasta in your kitchen.
What flour is best for pasta?
The best wheat flour for pasta is durum wheat flour, as it has the right amount of gluten to hold the pasta into shape, and it also produces the best-textured pasta.
By Susan Grey
Written July 2023
