What Else Can You Use a Pasta Maker For? [9 Awesome Ideas!]

Have you been considering buying a pasta maker, but unsure if it’s worth the purchase? Perhaps you received a pasta maker as a gift and have no idea what all you can use it for? We have researched pasta makers and were pleasantly surprised at how many non-pasta uses they have!

You can use a  pasta maker to:

1. Laminated dough for pastries
2. Pie crust
3. Marzipan or fondant cake icing
4. Crackers
5. Wonton or Egg Roll Wrappers
6. Flatbread
7. Graham Crackers
8. Cookie Dough
9. Craft dough

As you can see, a pasta maker is a pretty versatile kitchen tool. Continue reading for a more in-depth look!

What Else Can You Use a Pasta Maker For?

As you can see from the list above, there are quite a few things that you can use your pasta maker for. If you need to flatten a malleable substance that is not too sticky, you could probably use your machine to get the job done.

Laminated doughs for pastries

Dough for baked goods like croissants and danish are typically crafted from ultra-thin layers of puff pastry. You can use your pasta machine to get each layer to the desired thickness with consistency.

Pie Crust

What baker hasn't struggled to roll the perfect pie crust? Too thick, and the pie risks being chewy and too thin, and the pie filling will bubble through, soaking the crust. Avoid these issues by using a machine instead of trying to accomplish this feat by hand.

Marzipan or Fondant Cake Icing

When decorating a cake using marzipan or fondant, it is critical to get an even and smooth layer for the surface, so use a pasta machine to achieve the perfect finish.

Crackers

Roll a sheet of cracker dough to the perfect thickness, then sprinkle with all kinds of good toppings, like cheese, sea salt, or sesame seeds. Cut the dough into bite-size pieces and bake until crisp for an easy and delicious snack.

Wonton or Egg Roll Wrappers

Attaining the near see-through consistency of an egg roll or wonton wrapper that will deliver marvelously crispy appetizers is possible using your pasta machine!

Flatbread

You can see your pasta maker roll out doughs that are a little thicker like flatbreads. Just adjust the thickness settings to get the perfect flatbread pizza crust.

Graham Crackers

The dough of graham crackers is typically thicker and more coarse than regular cookies or crackers, making it a perfect candidate for a pasta maker. Handle with care and roll in small batches to keep these delicacies from falling apart.

Cookie Dough

If you are terrible at hand rolling cookie dough or are just a stickler for consistency in your cookies' thickness, use your pasta machine. By doing so, you can be sure to get them rolled out quickly so you can cut and bake before the butter gets too warm and causes them to spread.

Craft Dough

You can even use your pasta maker to roll out non-food doughs. Craft dough can be flattened easily with your machine, giving your ceramic work a consistent thickness.

Is it worth getting a pasta maker?

In a single word, yes, a pasta maker is definitely worth the purchase. Pasta makers are relatively inexpensive for all the benefits that they can bring to your kitchen. And with all of the uses you can get out of the pasta maker, you will be shocked to learn just how compact these kitchen appliances genuinely are.

Cost

Believe it or not, a pasta maker is very cost-efficient. Depending on what you are looking for, there is a pasta maker out there to meet your needs.  A basic hand-crank pasta maker will only set you back around $30-$60.

If you search for something a little less hands-on, you can always buy an automatic pasta maker. The automatic pasta maker takes all of the noodle-making process's hard work but will cost you upwards of $300. Although using the automatic pasta maker will save you time and effort in the pasta-making process, the average beginner will find that the cheaper hand-cranked pasta make will get the job done just as well as it's automatic counterpart.

Click here to see the hand-crank pasta maker on Amazon.

Click here for the automatic pasta maker on Amazon.

Space

Not only are pasta makers relatively inexpensive, but they are also rather compact. They are perfectly sized to fit right on a countertop, using up very little space. Or if leaving the pasta maker on the counter is not an option in your kitchen, they could be easily concealed in a cabinet or drawer until you are ready to use it.

Can you roll out pastry with a pasta maker?

Not only can you make delicious homemade pasta with a pasta maker, but you can also roll out pastry dough! Cut your time and effort in half by using your pasta maker to roll out pastry dough such as pie crust and cookie dough instead of doing it by hand. It makes rolling out the dough more effortless, and it will remain more uniform and level so that your pie or cookies will bake more evenly.

How to use your pasta maker for pastry dough?

Don’t know where to start using your pasta maker for baking? It’s easy! Set your pasta maker at the appropriate thickness you want your dough; it's usually best to start with the widest setting. Once your pasta maker is set, place your dough through and begin rolling it out. You can control how thick or thin the dough by adjusting the setting on the pasta maker. Just be careful not to overwork your dough. After the dough is rolled out to your liking, place it into your pie tin or start cutting out your cookies into fun shapes!

Not only can a pasta maker assist in the baking process, but also in decorating! You can easily use the pasta maker to save yourself the tedious work of rolling out any fondant you might need to decorate your desserts. Roll it out using the pasta maker just as you would for pastry dough, and there you have it beautifully decorated desserts in half the time!

What Can I make with pasta dough scraps?

Did you overestimate the amount of dough you were going to need for dinner? Don’t know what to do with the leftover scraps? Don’t just waste your time and money by tossing the scraps in the garbage. You can easily save the pasta dough for later or even make a delicious treat with the remaining dough.

How to save extra dough for later?

Saving the leftover dough for later is an excellent alternative to tossing out your scraps. Not only does saving the excess dough save you time prepping a meal later in the week, but it is not difficult to store at all. Flatten the dough out, wrap it in cling wrap and then place it into a freezer bag. Now your dough is ready to be stored. Depending on how long you intend to keep the leftover dough, you can store it in the refrigerator or the freezer. If you decide to store the packaged dough in the fridge, plan on using it within two days. If you wish to extend the shelf life because you don't want to make pasta for a second time so soon, you can put the extra dough into your freezer, and it will keep for up to four weeks before use.

When you are finally ready to use the excess dough, pull it out of the refrigerator or freezer and come to room temperature. Once the dough is thawed, you can place it in the pasta maker and use it as though it was freshly made. Simple, time-saving, and delicious!

What else could you make with pasta dough?

Don’t feel like freezing the dough for later? Not a problem! You can make the extra pasta dough into a quick and tasty treat simply by deep frying the dough. Just pop tablespoon bits of dough into the hot oil for a few minutes until golden brown. Once the dough is fried to your preference, you can sprinkle cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar over the bits of fried dough, serve and enjoy! Now you have a tasty homemade dinner and a delicious dessert with little to no effort at all.

Another alternative to noodles or desserts is that you can easily make dumplings for your soup with the extra dough. Place small pieces of the dough into your already cooking soup. Allow them to boil for just a few minutes along with your soup before serving. It's as simple as that! Two homemade meals from one day's work.

Conclusion

So now, what did we learn about the pasta maker? Not only are pasta makers cheap and space-saving, but they are also incredibly easy to use even as a beginner. You can easily make noodles, pie crusts, and cookies using the pasta maker. From dinner to dessert, a pasta maker can fill all your needs. So if you haven't already purchased yourself one, what are you waiting for? Or if your pasta maker has been collecting dust on your counter, wipe it off and get cooking!

To learn more about these super useful machines, check out the following posts from Kitchenseer.com!

Pasta Maker Doesn't Cut-What to Do?

5 Best Pasta Machine Brands You Should Be Looking Into