Pasta rolling machine

Question

Apologies in advance if this is a question that has been asked before but I can't see anything.

I have a past rolling machine and I am comfortable with the pasta dough making. My problem sits with the machine itself. The first couple of runs through it with the dough are fine. I start by running it through on the widest setting, folding in thirds and running it through again. Once I have repeated a couple of times I gradually start turning the notches on the machine. This is where the trouble usually starts.

When I get to some of the middle settings, I start running the sheet through. However it doesn't run through perfectly and is pulled over to one side of the rollers and ends up being folded back on itself. This has the effect of thinning the sheet that is being rolled in the machine.

My questions are thus:

1) Is it me or my machine that is making this happen

2) any machine rolling tips?

Thanks to all in advance

Answer 1

Primary advice: use shorter lengths. Also, make sure the dough is the right consistency, not too wet. Make sure you are aligning correctly. Allow it to drape over so that you are not inadvertently pulling it toward you when you are feeding it.

Answer 2

If you pull backwards lightly on the dough as it's going through, it'll stretch slightly and narrow. This keeps it away from the edges and allows you to steer it a bit. (If you pull too hard it'll lose traction on the rollers. Also, it won't work well on the first few times through, since the gluten hasn't fully developed.)