Guide to dough handling for extruded pasta with Philips Pasta Maker
If you're used to making pasta by hand or with a manual machine, working with extruded dough may feel like a completely different experience. Unlike traditional dough, extruded dough requires a grainy texture. This isn’t a mistake – it’s the ideal condition for achieving good results with pasta dies.
The correct consistency should resemble coarse sand. When squeezed in the palm of your hand, the dough should compact easily; when rubbed between the fingers, it should crumble again.
A good method is to mix the dough, pause the machine just before extrusion (depending on the model), and turn it off. After a short rest, restart and mix again. In some cases, letting the dough rest for 20–30 minutes helps the flour absorb moisture more effectively.
For this reason, it’s best not to add extra liquid until the final mixing phase is complete. If the dough seems very dry, simply letting it rest is often enough to improve hydration naturally. Conversely, dough with high hydration can become too soft and difficult to extrude if left to rest too long.
As a general rule, with proper hydration, it’s advisable to mix twice before starting extrusion.
If extrusion is difficult, the cause is often incorrect hydration. In these cases, it can help to remove the die, break up the accumulated dough, put it back into the machine, clean the die, and start over.
Philips Pasta Maker Restart Issues
Sometimes, after turning off the machine, you might have trouble restarting it. Here's what to do:
- Fully reset the machine
- Select the dough type (egg or water)
- Hold the “Play” button for several seconds (up to a minute)
- Release, wait a few seconds
- Wait a moment longer – it should restart If it doesn't, repeat the process a second time.
The machine is also programmed to reverse periodically during extrusion – this creates what we call a “dough coil.” Break it up with your fingers, put it back into the machine, and let it extrude again.
If you need the machine to extrude for longer, switch to extrusion-only mode: turn off the machine, reset it, and press only the “Extrude” button. Repeat as needed until all the dough is extruded.
Working with Long Pasta
When making long pasta, keep one hand under the pasta to guide it – this really helps.
- Use one hand to guide, the other to cut
- Place a surface just below the machine for support
- Use our pasta cutter (available here) to cut the pasta
- You can also use the cutter included with the machine
When to Use Eggs in Dough
Eggs are used to make pasta that will be rolled into thin sheets, such as:
- Fettuccine
- Lasagna
- Pappardelle
- Cannelloni
- Tortellini
- Ravioli
- Tagliolini
Most pasta served in broth is made with egg-based dough, except for a few cases like riso or risone. Eggs give the dough structure and richness, making it more elastic and less soft.
When to Use Semolina and Water
Semolina and water are ideal especially for extruded pasta, for example:
- Spaghetti
- Linguine
- Orecchiette
- Penne
- Paccheri
- Sardinian gnocchetti (malloreddus)
- Rigatoni
- Casarecce
- Cavatelli
- Trofie
- Pici
You can use lukewarm water (around 36°C–40°C), but room temperature water is recommended. Adding eggs to these shapes may alter the flavor and make the pasta rubbery.
Article written with the contribution of Elise Avella Feiner.
