Oh come on. It'll be fun.

Every so often I am struck with an overwhelming desire to cook something more than poached eggs. Being that I write a blog about food I am sure you are thinking that urge must strike me fairly frequently. Yes, you are correct in that assumption. However, occasionally I am motivated to produce a meal of more than meager proportions -- the most recent Indian feast for example. That wasn't my typical Tuesday night supper. Nor is the following pasta feast, although I did manage to make it on a Thursday eve.

I had this similar ambition on Tuesday when I wanted to attempt baking bread again, but I was struck down with a migraine. Perhaps that was the universe reminding me that baking and I are on fragile grounds and not to push my luck. Okay, I can take a hint.

Pasta, though, I can comfortably tackle without raised blood pressure. I've been making pasta since I was kid. My mom had the brilliant idea one Christmas to give our family members and friends homemade pasta and sauce. Lovely idea, huh? Yes, until child advocates should have been summoned to rescue me and my sisters from the sweatshop my mother had created in her kitchen. You know what is kind of sick and quite ironic, I have recreated that same gift twice now as an adult torturing my fair share of unknowing participants just as my mom had once done to me. "Oh come on! It will be fun, and it's super fast." Six hours later, beet and spinach extracts dying every kitchen orifice and nerves severely frayed, always worth the effort.

I tell you that anecdote not to scare you away from making your own pasta, because it really is fun! And boy does it taste fabulous. The pasta is delicate and oddly, tastes like pasta, not like cardboard. I tell you that story so you know full well what you are getting yourself into -- a bit of mess, a bit of elbow exertion and lots of memorable moments, I assure you. Fresh pasta is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. It is such a treat, and I hope you take the time to make a batch with your kids, your spouse or your roommate.

Some lessons I've learned over the years: use smaller amounts of dough in the roller -- more manageable. Also, before you thread the pasta through the roller, make a clean cut so you have a straight edge -- it helps to alleviate wonky bends in your dough as it goes through the roller. Have patience! Some batches work out seamlessly, other batches require blood pressure medicine and mediation. You will never want to eat dried pasta again after you eat this fresh pasta. You'll become a pro and before you know it you'll be experimenting with flavored and shaped pastas and sending me your tricks!

I tried a new pasta recipe -- Jaime Oliver's. I usually use Giada's recipe, which calls for olive oil and creates a more luxurious pasta in my opinion. It was interesting to see the difference. This recipe was delicious, too, but I'll return to my standby next time. I also made Jaime's teensy meatball and sauce recipe, which I'll post soon.

If the weather is supposed to be as gloomy in your neck of the woods as it is forecasted in mine, making pasta would be an excellent inside weekend diversion. Otherwise, I hope the sun is shining, and you're planting tomatoes!

Most certainly not from a jar or a bag.

Instruments of torture.

Spaghetti or fettucini.

(Be sure you read that with a thick, Italian accent).

Eggs and flour in the food processor.

Pulse to form this breadcrumb-like consistency.

Knead it all together to form this ball of goodness.

Flatten the dough out a bit to allow it to fit through the rolling contraption.

Phase one.

Probably about phase five (there are six in total).

Phase six -- ready to be cut.

Fettucini.

Beauty.

Jaime's egg pasta

5 cups flour

6 whole eggs

Place eggs and flour in a food processor. Pulse until mixture forms a consistency that resembles breadcrumbs. Pour carefully on a floured surface. (I had to add a bit of water to make my dough stick together). Knead with the palm of your hand until the dough becomes smooth and elastic -- about ten minutes or so. You earn this dinner. Allow to rest in the fridge for thirty minutes before rolling.

Thread the dough through a pasta machine or roll out and cut to you desired width (you are a better man/woman for attempting the second venture. Pasta rollers are a good investment -- about $30 will last a lifetime if you care for it). Cover the unused dough in plastic wrap to avoid drying out. Cook the fresh pasta in boiling salted water for about three minutes. It will float to the surface when it is finished cooking.