MARCATO Atlas 150 Pasta Machine, Made in Italy, Includes Cutter, Hand Crank, and Instructions, 150 mm, Stainless Steel Import To

The ONLY non electric version to buy!I first learned how to make pasta decades ago by the amazing Marcella Hazan who answered a question from a student who wanted to know the difference between this machine and an extruder for making spagetti. Her answer still makes me chuckle and I tell the story often. This was her answer: “You live on the third floor of an apartment building and you need to get down to the street, you can walk down the stairs or you can jump out the window…both get you to the street but in different states…the extruder is jumping out the window, this machine is walking down the stairs”.There is no better way to make pasta than with this machine, known by all the best chefs…I’ve never known one to break. Now in full disclosure I have been using my KitchenAid pasta attachment for years as I like having both hands free, but miss the simplicity of the non electric option and my atlas remains with my previous employer…I like knowing if the lights go out I can still make pasta. Although the 180 model is wider, I find all my ravioli molds, like the norpro are the perfect width for this machine. It would be useful for those that use the ravioli rolling pin, as they are about 18 inches wide, but for most people the 150 model is just perfect.As most other reviewers will tell you, making the perfect pasta does not mean mastering this machine…it’s really very easy to use…it’s mastering the perfect pasta dough. If your dough is the perfect consistency it will go through the machine effortlessly. Although there is a learning curve involved…your not breaking the genetic code here…you just need trial and error and some patience. Youtube videos are great but nothing but trial and error will teach you the “feel” of perfect pasta dough. The best advice I can give you is to tell you the dough is a lot dryer than you would think…in the bowl it’s granular the size of peas or smaller but if you take a handful and squeeze a fistful it will hold together. I will also tell you that even with my KitchenAid with the 475 watt motor, the dough hook will strain when kneading and I do most of my kneading by passing it through the number one setting multiple times (10-12). The first few times you pass it through you will think you are a failure…it will not come out in one piece but in various jagged pieces and look like a mess…that’s okay, the gluten has not fully formed yet even if you DID knead it and let is rest 30 minutes. Just do your best to put the pieces together and keep passing it through…after many passes…maybe a dozen more or less you will see the dough change as the gluten develops. A slight sheen to the dough and more uniform and pliable. Once you can form one piece of this dough through the number one setting, you can go on to number two…some people go through number two twice…sometimes I do, sometime I don’t and I have no reason as to why…just my mood of the minute. After that go through each setting only once. I strongly suggest looking at some youtube videos to give you more confidence before trying. The following are just some various tips:I don’t use the automatic ravioli machines from any makers because the pasta must be thick enough not to tear apart (usually setting 3) and I find that too thick for good ravioli (I usually use 4). The Ravioli makers with a press like the norpro are easy to use and make a better ravioli.I make big batches of dough at one time and freeze my fresh ravioli or pasta…if you do this you will need to work with small balls of dough…if they are too big your sheets will be too long to handle. Make sure to keep the other pasta dough from drying by covering with a damp paper towel and check frequently because it will dry quickly…I usually redampen the towel after each sheet. For a sheet of ravioli that will give me a top and a bottom for my mold I use a piece of dough about the size of a tangerine. Three cups of semolina flour with three eggs ect…give me four balls of dough and I gather the scraps from each tray and it gives me enough for another full tray when I’m done.Check your roller each time before adding the dough to it…even the smallest crumb of dough left behind will cause your dough to rip.If you don’t have a pasta drying rack but you have a dishtowel rack, the kind with three long bars you attach to the wall to hang multiple dishtowels to, it works better than most racks because your pasta can be really long.Add ins to your pasta are great but many will cause tears at thinner levels, especially fresh cracked pepper. Even if you buy chopped spinach, put it through your food processor in small batches for best results.When you get the confidence to try ravioli, ignore all the OCD comments about making sure all the air is out of the “pillow”, I read where once reviewer actually used a toothpick to get out air bubbles. I gently press the top layer of dough over the filling once in the tray, but I have never gotten anal about it and never had a ravioli burst on me. Also when cooking use a gentle boil not a rolling boil for ravioli, this will also prevent bursting. I have used water to seal my edges before going over with a rolling pin and I have used nothing…I found no difference. When using a mold like the norpro, put in more filling than you would think…once you press down it will fill in the voids and give you a nice filled “pillow”.Please learn this lost art and teach it to your children and grandchildren…it is a wonderful way to spend a weekend day and you can make tons to freeze in serving portions for later use (freeze first on cookie sheet than transfer to plastic bag or foodsaver). Nothing you can buy is as good as you can make for a fraction of the price.

A must have for the authentic pasta loverThis pasta maker is excellent, built with high quality material and works exactly as described and delivered promptly. I will now order some extra attachments! I highly recommend.

Perfect for anyone learning to make pastaI recently began making my own pasta at home, and am extremely satisfied with this pasta machine. It’s really easy to use, and understand, and low maintenance. It’ll last a lifetime. Definitely recommend.

Great machine and fast shippingThe best manual machine to buy

Yup. Buy this one!I only recently got into making my own pasta. First couple times around I did it all by hand, including rolling out the dough and doing the knife-work. Didn’t take me long to know I had to get a pasta machine!I searched and searched for information about small machines like this. I asked people who had other similar machines. I even looked at the attachments for KitchenAid…. I could have bought a car….There WAS a similar machine that came with a LOT of attachments for about half the money, but, after seeing one close-up and personal, I decided it wasn’t of the quality I had hoped. It was, of course, made in China.The Marcato Atlas, on the other hand, actually IS made in Italy! (If you order the Marcato and it doesn’t say that it’s made in Italy right on the machine, you’ve been swindled!)This thing is AWESOME!Heavier than it looks!The adjustments are easy and PRECISE!Operation is SMOOTH!Best of all, unlike the others I’ve witnessed first hand, this thing CLEANLY cuts the pasta! (of course, the irregularities in squareness of the dough will make a few strays, but that’s all on the operator!)There is a motor attachment available, but I have a wife… and she’s already paid for… so…..Looking forward to trying other attachments! Looks like there are also other manufacturers that make some nifty attachments that fit! This one came with the cutter attachment that will make fettuccini and tagliolini.If you’re looking for a small-batch manual pasta maker, this is the one I most frequently see on pasta-lovers benches, and it’s now the one on mine.i HIGHLY recommend!