Yikes :shock: No. I use a frozen pasta sheet that is pretty darned good . . . tender and right thickness. I have made my own small batch pasta before for home use, but do not find the cost savings adequate for the convenience right now. I may go to a pasta making operation next summer when we get our nicer dining room going, but that is a big maybe. I’d rather leave it to someone else to make, and let me buy it fresh. Stocking, storing and managing spoilage of shell eggs is not something I would call pleasant with no walk-in cooler.
Duck, cranberry and goat cheese ravioli calls to me now that you mention it, though.
I do actually have a skeleton business plan for making fresh pasta as a business in one of the back room spaces in the shop. The right mixer and flour, and we could be selling fresh pasta all over the county . . . or even further. We’ll see if it ever gets off the ground, though.
you don’t need 2 use frozen pasta or even boil the pasta b4 building…sauce/noodle/layer/repeat…cover w/parchment paper & foil…bake 1 hr in MM 369…noodles will cook thru…chill/cut/wrap…micro 4 2 minutes…place in oven w/sauce & a bit of cheese on top.
Good stuff. Thanks guys for all the info. I do have one more question about the pricing: I’m thinking about using 7" and 9" containers (small and large). How would you price them? Here’s what I’m thinking…
Spaghetti and meatballs
Fettuccine Alfredo
Lasagna
And, if you have ideas on other types of dishes I can serve without the need to purchase different types of ingredients I would appreciate it. In other words, I’d like to create as many dishes I can but using what I’ve already got in the store.
I think you should look at only doing penne. The noodles are big enough that they hold up well. They are hollow to hold sauce, and they are easy to eat. Check some menus at some of the American Fare places like Applebees or something along those lines… Unos etc. Mostly penne on the menu.
We get 6.00 for 8oz cooked noodles plus sauce, 1oz meatballs, side salad and bread. We get 9.00 for 12oz noodles, 2oz meatballs, etc. Your portion weights may vary. FOOD COST: large=15% small=17.5%
LASAGNA: we get 8.50 for a large portion with salad and bread . . . . 6.50 for ‘petite’. The larger portion is about 7 or 8oz cooked and the petite is around 3.5 to 4oz cooked. FOOD COST: large=18% small=20%
If you go with the penne, then you can do a baked penne thing as well . . . sauce, cheese, noodles, maybe ricotta if you have it. Really, toss the pasta with red sauce, layer of noodles, a little alfredo and cheese, more noodles and cheese on top. It is like lasagna, but a different variation that you can hawk. We used to sell it a good bit. Toss in some sausage or beef with the middle cheese layer for variety.
Penne works with sauce and meatballs as well.
Meat sauce made using your red sauce, beef and/or sausage. Good add-on/upsell option
Meatballs can become meatballs parmesan appetizer baked several to a serving in 7" round with sauce/cheese (we call it pulpitone) . … 6oz of meatballs we sell for $5.00 FC=25%
toss penne with garlic butter (or garlic olive oil), heat, then toss or top with corn, diced avacado, diced tomato, shrimp, and artichoke hearts for a tasty hot pasta alternative!
Penne with garlic olive oil, sun dried tomato, portabella mushroom, chicken, and red pepper flakes and gratyed parmis still another nice, light option.
Cooked, chilled Penne with chopped olives, feta, bell pepper, diced tomato and red onion, with greek or italian salad dressing becomes cold pasta salad. You got corn, avacado, shrimp and all sorts of really interesting salad options.
Penne is your pasta canvas for creating and selling, my brother. A little alfredo heated with cheddar cheese becomes an upscale macaroni and cheese for kids!
THANK YOU! That’s the kind of info I wanted to see. I want to thank EVERYBODY for sharing their thoughts with me (Scott, Patriot’s, dewar, Tango, Dennis, Dave, Brad, pizzabarntn, haarvick, Rob, Ricky joker and especially JOHN SMITH in PMs). I really needed to hit this from every angle so all thoughts were appreciated.
Need a special for that passover season? Penne might even make a passable Keugel. Lent? How about tuna casserole like we all ate as kids?
Seriously, if you get the option, penne rigate is my preference (it has ridges - rigate). Holds the sauces better, and has a more interesting look to it. You can do just as well with ziti, if that is the game in town.
Fusili or rotini can work, but it m more fragile when cooked and less flexible in our settings.
Rigatoni is way to large
Conchighle - medium or small shells - is another interesting option
you may want to consider plain old, reliable spaghetti noodle as a back-up for those who really, really love spaghetti. I have customers who almost cry when we run short of prepped spaghetti late at night and only have penne . . . they’ll break down and order pizza instead.
WHATEVER YOU DO never consider packaging your noodles tossed just in red sauce (through the conveyor) then with three or four 80% cooked chicken strips on top covered in sauce and mozz (2nd run through conveyor). People will think you’re serving chicken parmesan and expect a salad and breadsticks before they’ll pay $10 for the meal.