Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Shauneyz]

Anyone have an idea where I could find a pasta machine in Daegu...or any websites that I could buy off of without having to worry about really high shipping costs from buying something back home?

[frankly speaking]

I don't know specifically for Daegu, but I got a nice 6: hand crank italian model for 80,000 won at a restaurant supply store. I have bought them in Busan, Daejon and Seoul. You should be able to find one if you look for it. Don't get the cheap Chinese copies. The italian ones go from 1-10 with 1 being thicker. The chinese ones go in the opposite direction.

I am not sure that I ever found semolina flour in Korea. You could use normal flour but it is a little more gummy and not as appetizing. 100gms of flour 1egg. Can't get more simple than that.

[Shauneyz]

Awesome...that's exactly what I need. My current one broke during the shipping process (and because it was old), so I want a new one.

Could you possibly point me specifically to a store? I really wouldn't mind a day trip just to buy one.

[blackjack]

http://www.gmarket.co.kr/challenge_eng/neo_search/search_total.asp?page=1&prev_keyword=Pasta&sort_field=&page_size=&gdlc_cd=100000008&gdmc_cd=&gdsc_cd=&value_id1=&value_id2=&value_id3=&price_unit=&brand_nm=&maker_nm=&gd_state=&maker_no=&link_type=LIST&SearchClassFormWord=goodsSearch&anchor_flag=Y&HalbumonthYN=&DiscCouponYN=&RtnOldGdYN=&DelFeeX=&isKR=&isMulti=N&OverSeaTrans=&gdlc_nm=SMALL+APPLIANCES+%26+AUDIOS&gdmc_nm=&gdsc_nm=&trad_way=&premium_brand_yn=&brand_no=&show_more_yn=N&keyword=Pasta&search_type=goods

[Shauneyz]

Perfect...cheers man.

Having never heard of it before...I'm assuming that site is reliable? Have you bought something from it?

[Hyeon Een]

It's quite easy and fun to make your own pasta.

Just mix flour and eggs and make a dough. That's the end of the recipe. You're done.

You should probably use Korean Bread Flour (available in every store).

It works, and it is delicious. If any readers don't know how to make pasta I suggest they google "how to make pasta"and they'll find a video which will lay it out there.

Fresh made pasta is good. Even when it's made with local Korean bread flour.

[blackjack]

[Sector7G]

[bassexpander]

We had some kind of pasta made out of tofu recently, and man... that was good. Not sure what they put in it, but it had a lot of taste (unexpected).

[curiousaboutkorea]

The quality of the pasta lies in the pasta . As far as store bought and homemade, the difference still lies in the quality of each.
The stuff you would be making at home (with egg and wheat flour) is fresh pasta (sometimes this is also sold refrigerated at the store, though I don't think it's in Korea). The stuff you generally buy in the store in a box like Barilla, is dry pasta. Dry pasta is made with semolina and water. That stuff is pretty difficult to make at home

That being said, there's good dry pasta and there's good fresh pasta. There's also bad dry pasta and bad fresh pasta.

The sauce is an accompaniment. The focus of the dish is the pasta itself. I've learned and heard this countless times from chefs. I have a culinary background, an experience as a pasta cook, and it's always been about the pasta itself. Good sauce is nice, and is an important element. But without good pasta, the dish falls flat. It's like asking what the most important part of a hamburger. The meat and bun, or the condiments? We know the answer

[Hyeon Een]

[Sector7G]

Thanks for the info curiousaboutkorea and Hyeon Een. It's food for thought.

[frankly speaking]

The relationship is between the type of sauce and the shape and thickness of the pasta. If you are making a thick and heavy ragout then actually a dried pasta is better. For a subtle marinara or other delicate sauces then a fresh pasta enhances the flavor and texture.

If you can get Semolina flour, I would recommend making one batch with it and one with bread flour as someone suggested. I am certain that you will prefer the semolina. Bread flour is gummy and not as satisfying. I use it when I don't have access to semolina but it is by far inferior.

remember to let your pasta hang and air dry at least 30 minutes to an hour before cooking it. It really needs that air to dry to take out the extra moisture that helps cut down the gluten mess. Also cooking fresh pasta usually takes less than 1 minute as to 7 minutes for dry pasta.

[Shauneyz]

[Shauneyz]