Christmas Present from "THE IN-LAWS"!

I absolutely love Amber's parents so the title of this post is just for funniness sake. This Christmas, they gave me a HUGE piece of a custom cherry-wood plank they ordered for their kitchen remodel and I've been SO EXCITED to use it! We have the tile granite counter tops so it's hard to make rolls, pasta, or something that requires a large, completely smooth-flat surface.


I was going to make dinner for Amber and I last night but we were tired (WE RULE) and ended up getting takeout instead. TONIGHT however, I was going to try out something that I learned on my mission in Italy. "Pasta Al Mano" is not for those that like quick meals.


I didn't photograph the entire process but you basically start by making a pile of semolina in the middle of your counter, dig out a hole in the center, add a couple eggs, and start kneading. You keep kneading until the dough is "smooth as a baby's bottom" (not my line). You then begin rolling it out. You roll, and turn, and flour, and roll, and roll, and roll, until you can see your countertop clearly through the dough. At this point, you can cut it into squares to make handmade stuffed pasta but I decided to do linguini tonight.


Noelle, Layne, I LOVE my cutting board!!! The pasta turned out better tonight than any time I've made it in the past and I think the block had a ton to do with it!! FUN FUN FUN!!!