Corn it Up with Some Masa Pasta

For a few weeks I had been itching to make some fresh pasta, and on the day I decide to get off my butt and do it, I was almost out of flour. So, I started to weigh my options -- durum, whole wheat, multi-grain, or my huge stock of masa harina...

Masa Pasta, or Corn Pasta, is an egg pasta that uses equal parts flour and masa harina that I discovered at Food Down Under while hunting for masa-based pastas. Like most fresh pasta options, it's an easy dough: Eggs, water, and a little olive oil are mixed together and then incorporated into the flour and salt mixture.

Unlike most fresh pastas, however, Masa Pasta is ready in a flash -- before I was even ready for the noodles, they were soft and ready to go, offering up some of the creamiest pasta you can get. Of course, this means it's not the best bet for al dente fans, but it is a nice change. I paired my pasta with some leftover homemade tomato sauce and meatballs, but I plan to take one of the extra nests and try something simple -- maybe even just butter and garlic, to really revel in the flavor and texture.