KitchenAid KPRA Pasta Roller: Good Upgrade If You Have KitchenAid Stand Mixer

If you have a KitchenAid stand mixer and you want to make fresh homemade pasta in your own kitchen, then the KitchenAid KPRA pasta roller is a must have.

Anybody who is a true fan of pasta knows that nothing beats freshly made pasta.

This stand-mixer accessory is a great addition to any kitchen and easy to use.

The kit comes with a roller that will take your prepared dough and roll out pasta sheets ready to be cut into your favorite style of pasta noodles.

KitchenAid KPRA Pasta Roller also includes two cutters that will take your pasta sheet and convert it into fresh spaghetti, linguini or fettuccine pasta noodles, ready to hit the boiling water and be prepared into your favorite pasta dish.

Design of KitchenAid KPRA Pasta Roller

The set of one roller and two cutters are made of stainless steel and attaches easily to any KitchenAid stand mixer.

They are designed and constructed in Italy with the same care and quality the KitchenAid Company has built its brand on.

The roller knob can be adjusted to eight different settings so you can personalize the thickness of the pasta you want. The attachments measure at 9 by 3 inches and can easily fit into a kitchen drawer.

Features

• All three KitchenAid KPRA Pasta Rollers are made entirely of stainless-steel for durability and easy maintenance.
• Fits easily on all KitchenAid stand mixers.
• Comes with a wooden cleaning brush and toothpicks for easy cleaning.
• A 1 year warranty is included with the price.
• The pasta sheet roller takes your dough and flattens it into sheets that can be fed through the cutters. The roller has 8 different settings to personalize the thickness of your sheets.
• Number  1-2 can be used for thinning and kneading the dough. Setting 3 is good to make thick Kluski noodles.
• Setting 4 works great for making egg noodles.
• Adjust  number 4-5 is ideal for spaghetti, fettuccine, lasagna and ravioli.
• Setting 6-7 can be used to make thin fettuccine, linguini and tortellini.
• Settings 7-8 can be used to make ultra-thin angel hair capellini and linguini.
• The two cutters slices the pasta sheets into fresh spaghetti, linguini or fettuccine noodles.
• Comes with a manual that includes maintenance and pasta recipes.

Cleaning

Cleaning the KitchenAid KPRA Pasta Roller is very easy and fast. You let parts air dry for about an hour so that the excess dough can be easily brushed off using the provided brush, it is important to thoroughly clean each piece.

The toothpicks can be used to remove any dough that may have blocked an opening. You should never immerse any of the attachments into water or use any detergents. You should never wash in the dishwasher either.

Do not run any type of cloth through the rollers to clean them. To maintain the attachments it is recommended to use light mineral oil to lubricate the rollers annually or after about 50 uses.

How to Use

The first thing you want to do is attach you pasta maker onto your KitchenAid stand mixer.

After making sure the mixer is turned off and unplugged, you take your pasta sheet roller or cutter and insert into the attachment hub and then tighten the attachment knob until the roller is completely secured to the mixer.

After the roller is attached to the mixer you can prepare your pasta dough.

You can use the recipe that is included in the manual to prepare your pasta dough into several smaller pieces about a centimeter thick and then flatten slightly.

To set the adjustment knob on the Pasta Sheet Roller, you simply pull the knob out and turn to your desired thickness.

Adjust the roller to 1 and then turn the mixer to speed 2 or 4. Carefully slide the flattened dough into the rollers to knead. Then fold the pasta dough and repeat the kneading process again.

You will go through this process a few times, making sure that the dough is smooth and pliable. To help with the drying and separation, you may want to lightly dust with flower while going through the folding process.

When your pasta dough is ready, adjust the setting on your roller to 2 and run the pasta sheet through again. Then you adjust to three and continue the process until you are at your desired thickness.

You can follow the chart provided in the manual to see the suggested roller setting for whatever type of pasta you are planning on making.

After you have achieved the desired thickness of your pasta sheets, exchange the Pasta Sheet Roller attachment for a cutter of your choice.

Then you slide the flattened pasta sheets through the cutter and you have just finished making your very own fresh homemade pasta.

Tips for Making the Perfect Pasta

Making good pasta dough is essential for making perfect delicious pasta noodles, so here are some tips to keep you on the right track. To test your dough, you want to make sure it is firm and leathery to the touch.

The dough should not stick to your fingers or fall apart. The secret to making perfect pasta dough is making sure you are using the correct measurements for your flour and liquids. Other factors may also apply, including humidity, type of flour and size of eggs.

A good way to test your dough is to pinch a small amount with your fingers, the dough needs to stay together without sticking to your fingers.

Before feeding your flattened pasta sheet through the cutter to make spaghetti or linguini, you may want to cut the sheets into shorter pieces so it will be easier to manage when it comes out.

When using recipes to make pasta dough out of wheat or spinach, you may need to separate the noodles with your hand if cutting with the fettuccine or spaghetti cutter. Wheat bran and spinach are harder to cut and may stick together.

Your freshly made pasta can also be dried or frozen for use at a later time. To dry the noodles, lay them on a towel in a single layer or on a drying rack, allowing them to air dry.

They should then be stored in an airtight container. To freeze, first allow to air-dry, then seal in an airtight container.