The Best Tool Ever for Kneading Dough (Pasta, Bread, Pizza)
We had a very social weekend this weekend; it was filled with food, beverage and friends. We were very, very fortunate to have the weekend we did.
Part of our social marathon included a 3-year old birthday party. The party was for a friend’s daughter and was a lovely time. Beyond enjoying seeing old friends and making new ones, the fete featured food made by the toddler’s family. The whole family chipped in to help the efforts of Chef Massimo Bruno who decided to switch to homemade panzerotto (or calzone) from hamburgers when the weather called for rain.
He must have made 100 of these:
Massimo takes great pride in the cuisine of his homeland, especially things like these which come from him home region of Puglia.
Mass’ work was a good reminder of how far my learning has come – and how far remains on the journey – in terms of making dough. They were exquisite.
Beyond his technique and results I was most amazed at a rudimentary piece of equipment that graced his kitchen:
I was given a quick history of the board he uses to roll pasta on: it had been in his family for a long time and had belonged to his aunt who passed it on to him.
The board was massive – about 3 feet by 4 feet. And while it’s easy to see the 3 raised sides that keep the flour on the board (and off the floor or counter), the real magic is difficult to see in this photo. The fourth side has a hidden lip – one that reaches towards the floor. This lip catches the side of the counter and prevents the board from sliding when it’s placed on your counter.
There could be other modifications made to the design (like a no-slip pad) that would further help but it seemed perfect just the way it was. It kept the mess off the floor, was easy to clean, would allow you to knead dough anywhere (perfect for a hot day or busy kitchen) and didn’t let the dough stick to it.
Stay tuned for a coming project and lessons learned from it!
What’s an obscure piece of kitchen equipment you have and adore (or you secretly covet)?
Comments
Brilliant!
My favourite piece of kitchen equipment is this:
A small cutting board (made out of one piece of hardwood, not joined or glued together) that belonged to my late grandmother, Alice Hahn Johnson.
There were so many years of cutting vegetables on it the cutting board has a concave shape (dips down in the middle of the board). Although it is a small cutting board and I prefer to use a larger cutting board in the kitchen, I still think of my grandmother every time I use that board!
My other fave is a 1960′s avocado green eggbeater I picked up at a garage sale. I have found children to be fascinated with it and it is kinda fun to use!
Love your blog, keep up the good work!
Deb R
And to think. all this time I’ve been using a proofing board on a wet towel.. this is brilliant!
OMG! I just discovered your site today and THIS makes me so happy I can’t even tell you! My ex was from an Italian family, and they had something that looked almost exactly like this. His Nono (grandpa) Rocco used it when they would roll out the dough for homemade ravioli. (I still have their recipe for the filling but have never made it as it calls for a mix of beef, veal and brains.)
And I have my mom’s old meat grinder that clamped onto the table. I rarely use it, but it holds a special place in my kitchen and my heart.