Pasta machine troubles - sticking noodles

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Pasta machine troubles - sticking noodles

by Peg
(Maryland, USA)

I have only made homemade pasta three times, for which I have used a newly purchased hand-cranked pasta machine, bought from Bed Bath and Beyond.

Stretching and thinning the dough works well, but when I go to make the actual noodles the machine doesn't cut the dough all the way apart. I have to separate them by hand.

Is this something wrong with my dough or the pasta machine? I love homemade pasta!

Peg.

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Pasta machine troubles - sticking noodles

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Some follow-up Qs for you Peg...
by: Matt - Pasta Recipes Made Easy

Hi Peg,

Great to hear you love making and munching freshly-made pasta too!

I've sometimes had to just separate noodles out myself. What usually happens when I use the Imperia pasta machine is that I run the full sized dough sheets through the fettuccine cutter, and while these come through fine, they do need separating after they've collected into a small pile under the cutting attachment.

Is that what you mean? Or are the noodles not even coming through the cutter separately?

If your machine isn't even cutting them properly, then that does seem not up to scratch. Which exact machine are you using? And is it a particular attachment (i.e. spaghetti etc.) that's the problem?

Do tell, and thanks again for the question!

Matt.

Machine not cutting the dough
by: peg

Matt,

Thanks for being so fast in responding. Love your site.

My machine was made to be distributed by Bed Bath and Beyond, so it's a no name.

The noodles are not completely cut as they go through the spaghetti part of the attachment. Instead of 25 individual spaghetti noodles I get a sheet of noodle dough with perforations. It doesn't make a complete cut in the dough.

Does this help? Could it be the dough doesn't have enough flour? Or is it the machine?

Peg

Probably the machine...
by: Matt - Pasta Recipes Made Easy

In my opinion this sounds like a dodgy cutter Peg.

If the pasta dough doesn't stick to your hands or your rolling pin when you first flatten it a little, then it's probably not too damp. In that case, it sounds like the machine is not working as it should be.

To be on the safe side, try flouring the dough a little more just once, and see if that makes any difference.

Good luck!

Took it Back
by: peg

Well I watched quite a few videos on YouTube and such, and I feel like the problem was not with me and my technique. So I found my receipt from last April, called BBandBeyond, and they graciously let me return the maker.

But now I am without a maker. Although I want a good one I can't overspend. Kitchen and Company has one called Cucina Pro 5Fresh Pasta Maker for $60. It does five types of pasta. The good thing is I would have 90 days to try and return it if I didn't like it.

I like the idea that if there is a problem I won't have to pay to have it shipped. The bad thing is I don't know what to look for in a pasta maker. I am not sure if it will make regular spaghetti like my old one was supposed to.

Could you look at their website and give your opinion, or the very least tell me what to look for? Thanks for all your help!

I'd say Imperia all the way
by: Matt - Pasta Recipes Made Easy

Hi Peg,

That was very good of BB&Beyond, nice to hear.

In terms of the best pasta maker to buy, Amazon sells a ton of these. I actually have a page on this site that details the 3 machines that receive the best Amazon customer reviews. You can find it here.

As you can read there, the Imperia pasta machine (rather than the $10 cheaper Cucina Pro equivalent), is highly rated by lots of pasta addicts. And I agree... as this Imperia SP150 is the machine I use in my kitchen.

It's super solid, works a treat, and it allows you to cut either spaghetti or wider, flatter fettuccine. You can also buy a whole range of extra cutting attachments for this machine, including a ravioli maker (which I also own but have yet to try).

I have a full review of this Imperia machine here or you can find it direct on Amazon US here.

(Note: You may also see Cucina Pro 'Imperia pasta machines' being sold. I'm not 100% sure, but whilst I believe these are maybe made for Cucina Pro by Imperia, from what I've read online they don't seem to be quite as solid, handle-wise, as the real-deal Imperia model.)

Do let us know which you buy Peg and how you get on with it.

All the best,

Matt.

PS: On the subject of fresh pasta, you might also find my pasta cookbook of interest. This comes with printable versions of my fresh pasta making guides and exclusive downloadable videos of the same.

Thanks
by: peg

Thanks for all the info and help. Will probably get the Imperia.

Peg.

Sticking spaghetti
by: Anonymous

I also bought the Bed Bath and Beyond pasta maker. The same thing happened to me. I wasn't sure if it was the pasta or the machine. i made wheat dough so I thought it was that. Well, after reading about yours doing the same thing now Im not sure if I should keep mine. If you buy another and have better luck let me know.

Thanks

Bought the Imperia SP150
by: peg

I did buy the Imperia and it is wonderful. Lots more quality in the machine. Very easy to use and clean. Worth the money.

Flour thought
by: eleanor

Not enough flour on the dough when you pass it through the first time.

It's The Dough
by: Pasta On My Mind

Wel I am glad you bought a new machine and it may very well may have been the culprit. But more often its the dough. The dough needs to be dry... not just 'not wet.' flour it, and let it dry for a bit then run it through. Personally I do not even use water in my dough, just eggs and four!

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Pasta machine troubles - sticking noodles

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Pasta machine troubles - sticking noodles