Making Artisan Pasta

Making Artisan Pasta: How to Make a World of Handmade Noodles, Stuffed Pasta, Dumplings, and More    By Aliza Green, Quarry Books, 2012. Paperback. $25; 176 pages

Like the best DIY manuals, this cookbook so thoroughly covers each project—through written detail and how-to photos—that you’ll feel inspired and confident to make everything from ravioli to udon to matzo balls. Green opens the world of artisan pasta to all, showing how to mix pasta dough by hand, in a stand mixer, or in a food processor, and demonstrating how to roll it with either elbow grease or a pasta machine. Besides basic pasta dough are ones flavored and colored with roasted bell pepper, spinach, beets, saffron, red wine, porcini mushrooms, and even chocolate.

GIVE THIS TO: Kitchen-project enthusiasts.  —Tiffany Vickers Davis