#angel hair pasta
As we’ve noted before, Neelix is a genius in fixing meals from strange ingredients (leola root, anyone?!). This time, we’ve got pasta made from the mature hair follicle of the Alfarian (VOY: Parturition). However, I would advise just *eating* the pasta, not throwing it at your rivals like Neelix did! The recipe below is for the pasta only - you can top it with a tomato sauce or channel Neelix and get creative with your toppings.
If you have never made pasta from scratch before, I would advise you to give it a go! You do need to set aside some time but it is a nice way to spend an hour or two. While it is a lot easier to make pasta with a pasta roller, you can just roll out your dough on a well-floured surface, rolling as thin as possible. The dough can then be cut in whatever shapes / strips you wish or used to make ravioli. To replicate the Alfarian hair pasta, cut the strips as thin as possible.
Replicate your own
(Makes enough to serve 3-4).
9 ounces / 255 grams plain flour
3 eggs
Place the flour in a medium bowl and make a well in the middle. Crack the eggs into the well and mix with a fork until you have a shaggy dough.
Knead the dough until it is smooth, about 5 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
Cut the dough into quarters to make it easier to work with. If using a pasta roller, begin with the thickest setting and continue to roll out the pasta until you get to setting 4 or 5. Alternatively, flour your benchtop and a rolling pin well and roll out as thin as possible. A heavy rolling pin helps with this.
When your pasta is thin enough for your liking, slice strips as thin as possible to create the individual pasta strands. Bear in mind they will thicken when cooked. A sharp paring knife works well.
The pasta can be hung and dried, or cooked straight away. If cooking straight away, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add a tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and if needed, give it a quick stir to stop it sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. The pasta will only take a couple of minutes to cook and is ready when it floats to the top.
As soon as the pasta is cooked, remove it from the water and run under cold water to ensure it doesn’t overcook. Drain it and serve immediately, topped with a tomato or bolognese sauce. It is useful for throwing at potential romantic rivals but will be more tasty if you eat it.
