Pasta 2- Fresh Pasta (Auckland - North Shore) Traditional Cache
Pastamaker: Time to free up this location for a new hide. Thanks to everyone who searched for it.
Pasta 2- Fresh Pasta (Auckland - North Shore)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Second in the Pasta series, a 400ml System A container with some slightly more realistic cammo than Pasta 1.
Hidden in another of those little suburban oases of bush. Approach is on well made path but can be quite steep in places so wear sensible shoes.
Hope you enjoy it.
Once you've sampled the taste and texture of fresh pasta you'll never go back! It's so simple to make you'll wonder why you've put up with dried pasta all these years.
Pastamaker's fresh pasta
Ingredients:-
As in the immortal words that Shrek uttered to Gingy as they were about to storm the palace to rescue Fiona from Prince Charming, "We're gonna need flour! Lots and lots of flour"! Use a good quality high grade flour. Start with white then you can experiment as you get more confident.
Eggs (please use free range)
Salt
A little water
Method:-
Measure out your flour. I find that 350 grams makes plenty for a hungry family of four. With a side of garlic bread you could feed six. Empty the flour onto a clean work surface, sprinkle in a good pinch of salt and make a well in the middle to take your eggs.
I use 3 eggs with this amount of flour but as eggs vary in size, I have a little water standing by if the dough is too dry. 1 egg per 100g of flour is a good rule of thumb to start with but be prepared to add more flour or water to get the consitency right. Crack your eggs into the well in your flour and using a fork, begin to work the eggs into the flour, gradually working outwards until the egg has been mostly socked up. Now it's time to get your hands dirty!
Work the dough with your hands until all the flour is worked in and the consistency is smooth but not sticky. Add flour or water in very small increments until the consistency is just right. It should feel a bit like play dough and be nice and smooth. It will take approx 10 mins of working to get it this way.
Wrap the dough in cling film to stop it from drying out and leave to stand for half an hour or so.
Have a glass of wine (if you're over the drinking age in your country of course!)
Now it's time to roll and cut your pasta. I use a proper pasta machine and this is undoubtedly the best way to achieve consistency of thickness and cut but to start you will probably be using a rolling pin (or even an empty wine bottle if you had more than one glass!) and cut with a sharp knife and metal rule if you have one. Roll the pasta as thin as you can and make sure everything is well dusted with flour at every stage to stop it sticking.
Cook your pasta in plenty of salted boiling water until it is just "al dente". Serve simply, tossed in melted butter or olive oil and dusted with grated parmesan and perhaps some dried oregano or basil. Always have freshly ground black pepper on hand!
At time of planting the cache contained:-
Log book, pencil and gel in a snap lock bag
(Please leave these in the cache and don't eat the gel - does anyone do that?)
Float an Flutter travel bug
Blue stone bracelet
Pottery flower
Cute plastic mouse
Pukeko stickers
Pasta photo (of course)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Oruvaq "pbzcyrk" gerr, qhpx cnfg gur ivarf gura ybbx ybj.