Pasta for Easter, Drying

Not everyone dries pasta this way - you could also lay it on a large cutting board, or make little 'nests,' which is the way I remember my grandmother doing this. Of course, before she had her pasta machine, she also cut the pasta by hand, rolling out a long u-shaped line of dough, then cutting it, fast, with a big, sharp, knife. She'd then separate the strands, and roll a small bundle into a 'nest,' which dried in a big wooden platter. She'd cover them with a towel, turn them a few times to be sure they dried all over, and there they'd sit, on the table, covered, until we used them. Keeping them this way for a few days was never a problem - and the pasta was always gobbled right up - no leftovers!

There are still no leftovers, but we dry them on wooden rods, and then transfer the dried strands to a sheet of newspaper.