Philips Compact Pasta and Noodle Maker with 3 Interchangeable Pasta Shape Plates - White - HR2370/05

What a crazy mess my first experience was! I’m surprised nobody else I can find mentioned the poor instructions in the black & white booklet that gives the wrong units of measurement for the egg/liquid ingredients. Instead of ml, like it’s marked on the included measuring cup, the manual’s written instructions labels the liquid in g, aka grams. I was thrown off by it and blame it in part for not getting good results the first try using semolina combined with whole wheat flour.I forgot to double the amount of egg & water to the 400 g doubled flour amount. It called for 150 g semolina and 50 g white flour. Liquid measure was supposed to read, 75 ml after you add 1 egg and top the liquid up to make it that amount. Double that would have been 150 ml. Instead, I was tearing my hair out wondering why it said to add grams instead of ml. My husband was probably right when he told me at that point that I shouldn’t have drunk any of the whiskey he had just brought home from a trip out to the local liquor store. lolI ended up with a big ball of dough that I knew, from past experience with an old machine I used to own, was too wet. I had to stop & rethink everything. I didn’t want to throw all that dough & egg away. I decided to split it into 2 halves & add another 100 g of flour, acc. to the included dry ingredients measuring cup, to each of the 2 separate batches I was about to remix.I didn’t have white AP flour I could use for adding to the dough. A few days prior, the new bag I just recently bought at the grocery store had a worm in the top when I opened it. I had to throw the whole bag away! I didn’t know I had another bag of white flour in storage until after I finished making the pasta in this machine! I found some bread flour I had in storage and added that in place of the white AP flour to the over-moist semolina dough mixtures.Somehow miraculously, it all worked out and I was able to extrude 2 good batches of pasta when all was said and done! FYI, I liked very much that the machine automatically went back to remixing the dough left in the machine so that it could extrude more of it out. But even after that, there was still residual dough left in it that it was unable to pick up and push through the extruder.The solution: take it out of the machine and push it back into the rectangular opening where the screw turning mechanism pushes it through to get it to extrude it. When you’ve done this enough times and you still have a small amount of dough left, make it into noodles by hand. Stretch it out between the palms of your hands and roll it into round noodle shapes. Having been a pottery artist for many years, this is very easy for me but I don’t think it’s hard for anyone to do.Another thing I had fun doing was pushing out the “buttons” of pasta dough that gets stuck in the dies, and cooking them in with the rest of the past without changing their shapes. You can reshape them if you want. And you can do the same with any and all the little bits of dough that gets left out.If you really want to get into it & you’ve made a bigger mistake that leaves a larger quantity of unextruded dough, you can get out your rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a flat sheet. Then cut it in noodle-shape slices. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!Another issue I had with the instructions is how it says to place the die on the opening by putting the non-existent arrow at the top. There are lines in die opposite each other but they don’t end up centered at the top if you push the die in firmly enough so that its little teeth fit into slots on the machine end that hold the die in place. This was very confusing. I didn’t know if I should keep the die loose and not push it into the machine or push it hard enough to make the teeth mesh with the gaps molded in on the machine. Very hard to describe the problem but if you’ve tried this, I think you’ll know what I’m talking about.Positives- I like the improvements they’ve made to this type of machine such as the built-in storage drawer on the bottom. The whole process being automatic from mixing to extruding is very nice. It’s nice and compact which is a big reason I bought this instead of the larger model. The scraper with metal rods built in at both ends is very handy for poking dough out of the holes in the dies when they need cleaning or if you need to clear a few holes while it extrudes and they get plugged up.Can’t wait to try this again with a better start the next time we want to eat pasta. Not sure if this machine’s motor is strong enough for it to last. I bought the added coverage in case it breaks down. I also bought the extra dies elsewhere that will fit this machine & await their arrival so that I can try them out.

I've owned a Marcato Atlas 150 pasta maker for quite some time, and so I'm familiar with making my own delicious noodles and pasta. I decided to give the Philips Compact Pasta Maker a try (versus it's big brother) because we're empty nesters and 2-4 servings would usually suffice for us.My first batch didn't turn out well at all. Instead of interpreting the instructions for liquid correctly, I added 80 mL of water plus an egg. What I got was a mixture that was far too moist and couldn't even extrude! It took quite a while to clean up the the pasta maker and remove the dough from the paddle and extruder. Not to be daunted, and recognizing my mistake, I tried again.My second batch was perfect. I used the basic recipe of 200 grams of flour to 80 mL (total) of liquid and the pasta started to extrude after about 3-4 minutes. It is a bit drier than what you'd expect if you've ever made pasta with a manual machine, but has the advantage of not sticking together when you trim it and place it on a plate or bowl. In addition, the dough doesn't need to "rest" for 30 minutes before processing, a definite time saver.The cooked pasta was delicious. I boil my pasta with a healthy dose of salt in the water, and it had a freshly made taste that went perfectly with a homemade tomato sauce and meatballs. Cooking time to al dente was approximately 5 minutes.I think cleanup of the machine parts is a bit more work than using a manual pasta maker. With my Marcato Atlas 150, I never have to do anything but quickly wipe it with a damp cloth and put it away for the next time. The Philips has several parts that need to be cleaned, and the shaping disk really has to be cleaned by hand with the attachments to the scrapper blade. I haven't tried using my dishwasher for cleanup, but the parts are supposed to be dishwasher-safe.Like most kitchen appliances, I suspect I'll get better at using the Philips Compact Pasta Maker as I use it more. It reminds me a bit of the first time, years ago, when I purchased a Robot Coupe food processor. The first few times it seemed like more work than it was worth, but now the Robot Coupe has earned a coveted place on my limited kitchen counter and helps me prepare meals every day.Here are some tips from one new user to another.1. Weigh out the flour with a kitchen scale. I have an electronic kitchen scale from Amazon  Inateck Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale, Stainless Steel, Accuracy 0.1 g (Measurement Range 0.5 g to 3 kg), 2 x AAA needed(not included)  that measures grams or ounces. The plastic cup that is supplied by Philips is of limited use. 200 grams of flour mounds over the top and a level amount using this container is not an accurate measure. It makes more of a mess than is necessary.2. The other plastic measure supplied with the machine is used for liquid. I have great eyesight and the markings are very difficult to interpret. Unlike a Pyrex or Anchor measuring cup where the markings are painted red on clear glass, the markings on the cup are simply molded into the container and are very difficult to read. Use a real measuring cup to measure out the quantity of liquid you're using and you'll have an easier time.3. If you've ever made pasta dough manually, don't be fooled by the dough's consistency in the machine. The recommended basic recipe is the right ratio of flour to liquid. Making the dough too moist will result in a mess in the machine and a lot of cleanup. You're better off erring on the side of less liquid than more.I'll report back as I gain experience at using it. It would be nice if a pappardelle and lasagne shaper were available, but I understand that this is a new model for Philips and that those parts will be available in the future.UPDATE October 19, 2017: Tried making fettuccine with Red's Semolina flour. I weighed out 200 grams and added the egg and water (80 mls) and the result was excellent. It's not exactly the type of fettuccine I would make manually as it's definitely a bit thicker, but very tasty and disappeared from everyone's plate very quickly!UPDATE Friday, November 24, 2017: I have discovered that there are no other pasta disks for this machine as there are for the Philips HR2357. Disks made for HR2357 will NOT fit the compact pasta maker. I don't know why they're offered as add-ons on the same page, but believe me, they won't fit. Hopefully Philips will consider making this machine even better by adding a sheet and pappardelle disk.UPDATE Monday, January 13, 2020: Philips has released a few more dough shapers for angel hair, ravioli and lasagna. I bought them but have yet to try them. Also, I found that by following the recipe included with the machine when using semolina results in a better pasta. I was using all semolina. Philips suggests 150 grams of semolina and 50 grams of all purpose flour. After trying both, I agree.One last note. The pasta made with this machine is thicker and a bit doughier than commercial pasta or pasta that you can make with a standard pasta machine, like an Atlas. The difference is that you can control thickness in a manual pasta maker. With the Philips, you can only use the extruding faces, so there's no controlling the thickness of penne. Inateck Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale, Stainless Steel, Accuracy 0.1 g (Measurement Range 0.5 g to 3 kg), 2 x AAA needed(not included)

There was a bit of a learning curve at the beginning, but now that I've gotten the hang of it I Love this thing! Nothing compares to the taste of fresh pasta and it's even better when you throw some herbs in too! Overall it's pretty easy to use, just have to make sure you follow the recipes exactly. If it looks too dry, it's not! Just let it do its thing

I have just finished making my first (experimental) batch of pasta and loving this machine.1. Very easy to use.2. Manual and recipe booklets are well written and clear (English; didn't read French/Spanish). Recipes gives several options for making pasta with different flours and liquids. Very well thought out.3. Very easy to clean. When I was washing the parts, I was happy to see how well made/study the pieces are. Having attempted at pasta making by hand, it can require some strength.I would definitely recommend this product if you are looking to make pasta with little effort.Note: first batch was experimental (local flours not in the recipe book so need to work on liquid:dry ratio). Will update once do regular batch.

Ever since I have met my wife my entire way of cooking has had to change. She has celiacs disease and it is so bad she can't even touch regular flour without it entering her bloodstream...I used to think going Gluten Free was for Gwenyth Paltrow and her goop troop. But I have adjusted and just simply gotten used to eating crappy pasta. Because let's face it....gluten free pasta sucks.Until now.I ended up buying this because making Italian food is one of my favorite dishes to make...I miss the flour everywhere...I miss the warm pasta feel as you make it etc. But with gluten free pasta I was hovering dangerously close between cardboard and pasta so heavy that it would make some unladen Jewish bread seem like a chewy treat.****THE REVIEW***When I unboxed this thing I had my doubts. How in the hell was this thing going to make any kind of decent pasta. But my wife was excited again for pasta and so we just went for it. Pictured above is actually our first batch. You can literally still see the box and instructions on the right. Our first batch came out literally perfect. We used King Authors 1:1 gluten free flour. We ate a couple of noodles straight off that rack and they were amazing. Even better with some homemade sauce we had made just prior.FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE PASTA MAKING KITand for people like me that ignore that sentence because we know better let me say it againFOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE PASTA MAKING KITI seriously can't express this enough. Our second batch I decided I knew better. I changed the ratio based off another recipe I had been making hand made pasta with...put that recipe into the maker and it was total garbage...the first noodles to come out were almost as good as the first ones...then the ratio was off and not enough liquid for the rest of the flour and it ended up blocking up the mixer. I ended up throwing out the batch. I tried again using more eggs then what my recipe called for and the noodles weren't garbage ready but they were not the caliber I am used to serving in my house to guests...and then I went back to the recipe as it is on the website using the flour weight instead of cup measurements...and voila! Back to perfect noodles.again...shouting warningWEIGH YOUR FLOUR. DO NOT PACK IT INTO A MEASURING CUP...seriously. I did this wrong twice and forgot another time...your end result will almost always tell you how you messed up...now if Philips could make a fridge warning me I am putting the cereal into it instead of the milk I would appreciate it.Clean up is not so much fun...but seriously when is it ever...there is flour, egg, and mess everywhere and in every nook and cranny...while it is fairly easy to take apart and put back together...if you miss anything...the next time you take it out though it will be as if you left concrete inside of your machine.We have owned it about a month now and we have made 11 batches of pasta and only 3 were horrible...and all of those were my mistake. If you want gluten free pasta (I am sure regular pasta too but there is so much good pasta out there why make your own) that tastes amazing...with the ability to make almost ANY kind of pasta (lemon pepper pasta and tomato basil are our favorites so far) I seriously cannot recommend this enough.