I feel I must confess a violation of one of my long held principles.
I have organized a Sunday evening dinner on the rear patio of my apartment complex with my fellow complex occupants. I indicated that I would make lasagna and bread; and Joel committed to bringing the libations, though I bought some backup libations in case we run out.
I could not find lasagna pasta at any of the places I normally shop so I asked Joel, my next door neighbor, where I could buy lasagna noodles. He unhesitatingly answered, “Walmart.” Every time I have asked Joel where I might find something I’m looking for he answers “Walmart.” I have explained to Joel that as a matter of principle I cannot shop at Walmart and would rather give my money to the local shop owners.
So today I violated my principle and paid my first ever visit to Walmart. I must say, the store has everything imaginable but its food prices are higher than at the State operated food store up the street. I ended up buying about $40. worth of food and household goods, including two boxes of lasagna noodles in hopes of avoiding future visits.
So, there, I’ve confessed to my transgression.
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4 comments:
Shame on you amigo! I buy dogfood and toilet paper at WalMart.
I almost forgot, my main reason for shopping at Wallys is a self esteem booster. I always feel good about myself after leaving walmart and seeing all the fat and ugly which represent the masses.
Take care my numero uno amigo.
Jody and I are appalled. Any self-respecting activist should do anything to avoid shopping there, even make their own pasta! Here's a recipe for homemade lasagne noodles. It will require a pasta machine which, of course, you can purchase at Walmart.
Neil and Jody
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Fresh Lasagne Noodles
Ingredients
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
* 3 large eggs
Method
Place the flour on a smooth countertop. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. With a fork, gently beat the eggs, incorporating some of the flour as you stir, until a paste forms. Using your hands, continue to incorporate as much of the flour as possible, creating a stiff ball of dough. Knead the dough lightly, adding more flour as needed to keep it from becoming sticky. It should be very firm and fairly uniform in texture. Wrap the dough in plastic and allowed it to rest 15 to 20 minutes before kneading in the pasta machine.
To knead with the pasta machine, divide the rested dough into the same number of parts as eggs used (e.g., 3 parts for 3 eggs). Set the machine on the widest setting. Dust the dough with flour and feed it between the rollers. With each pass through the machine, fold the dough in thirds, one side overlapping the other, to form a neat square. Dust and repeat as needed to create a pasta of the desired firmness and smoothness. How much flour you add at this step depends on how firm the dough was in the previous step. Usually, three or four dustings with a total of ten passes through the machine will produce the proper consistency. Two good indicators are the dough should appear smooth without wrinkles and be light in color.
Before you begin the final stage of stretching and cutting, establish a place to set the pasta while you work. Dusting a large dish towel with flour or using a pasta rack will save a lot of frustration. Pass the portions of pasta through each setting of the machine. With each pass, the pasta will become thinner and longer. As the pasta lengthens, you may wish to cut the pieces in half for easier handling. The final thickness determines the type of pasta you will make before cutting. For lasagne, use #6, the thinnest setting possible.
Before cutting the pasta, allow it to air dry on a flour-dusted dish towel or pasta rack for 10 to 15 minutes. If it is slightly dry on the surface, but still supple and not brittle, it will be less likely to stick together when handling and cooking.
To cut the pasta into lasagne noodles, lay a sheet of pasta next to a baking dish and cut it to length. The fresh noodles do not need to be boiled. They will cook as the lasagne bakes. Recipe makes enough noodles for a 4-layer lasagne in a 13x9 or 14x11-inch baking dish.
Thanks for expressing your shame Life Long and for passing on the fact that you are appalled Neil and Jodi. At least give me credit for the fact that I confessed. To me shopping at Walmart is as bad as needlessly driving and SUV (you guys no doubt had to see that one coming). And thanks for the pasta recipe. The only problem, I imagine, is that I'd probably have to go to Walmart to find a pasta machine.
I think I will refrain from offering to make lasagna until I'm able to find a source for noodles other than Walmart.
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