How to choose ... a pasta maker

Purists may argue hand-rolled is better, but a pasta machine makes life a lot easier for the cook.

What is it? A machine that rolls dough into a thin sheet then cuts it into various widths of pasta. Some have attachments that can shape ravioli. Other machines work by forcing the dough through perforated plates to make long, thin noodles. However, home versions of this type of machine are considered inferior because the dough has to be much softer than that used with heavy-duty commercial machines.

How do they work? Rolling machines have round metal plates that can be moved closer and closer together to roll the dough progressively thinner; the sheet of dough is then rolled through another part of the machine that cuts it into noodles.

What are the differences? The 'machines' can be either manually operated (hand-cranked) or have a motor. Others work with existing equipment, such as the pasta-making attachment on the KitchenAid stand mixers. Hand-cranked machines can be a little tricky to operate at first. You'll feel like you need three hands - one to turn the crank, another to feed the dough through the plates and a third to catch the sheet of dough as it comes out of the other end. Once you get used to it, it's easy. Machines with motors are easier to operate but can be noisy.

What to look for: some machines have additional attachments if you want more than just two widths of pasta.

Where to buy: PanHandler