Fresh Pasta Dough

Easy recipe For 6/8 pp

• 500 g of 00 flour (or all-purpose/plain flour)

• 2 eggs (about 110 gr)

• 8 egg yolks (about 170 gr)

• Extra flour to dust

Beat the eggs with a fork and incorporate the flour gradually. When the ingredients start to bind together knead by hands with energy. Remember, during this step it is important to stretch and pull your dough while kneading to allow the flour’s gluten to start working and therefore obtain and elastic dough. After a few minutes of working it will slowly come together and result in a smooth and homogeneous dough. As not all eggs are the same, if your dough feels too sticky to your hands, feel free to add a spoon of flour, if too dry and not binding, you can add a touch of egg white left or even a splash of water.

When ready, wrap your dough in film and leave to rest for about 30 minutes, this will allow the dough to ‘relax’ and not being too elastic when shaping your pasta.

Proceed to roll the dough into thin pasta sheets. If you have a wooden board great, if you don’t a clean surface will work.

Slice the pasta into thick sheets and flatten them with a rolling pin. With the help of a pasta machine, roll the pasta out. (This can also be done by hand using a rolling pin and elbow grease as well).

It is good practice to fold your rolled pasta on itself and start over a couple of times, this process with give you a smoother and rectangular sheet that will be easier to work with at later stage.

Pass the pasta gradually from the largest setting to the narrower settings to make thin pasta sheets accordingly to the pasta shape you have to create.

It is a good habit to allow your pasta sheets to dry for 5 minutes on your board before cutting it into any shapes and remember to dust with extra flour only if it feels to wet and humid on your hands.

Chef’s tips: If you can get your hands on free range ‘rich yolk eggs’ please don’t hesitate, will make your pasta glow! These eggs are great for pasta and pastry. To produce them chicken are usually fed a diet rich in corn.

The pasta dough can be done maximum 1 day ahead being used or it will significantly discolour.

Keep the excess egg whites in the fridge and use them for a light egg whites frittata with caramelized onion the day after you have stuffed your face with pasta or if you are a bold type, why not make some spumini? (easy Italian meringue cookies)

TAGLIATELLE

To shape the tagliatelle you have to start with a pasta sheet no longer than 30/40 cm, no larger than 20 cm and I would say about 1.5 mm thick (the second to last setting on a pasta machine, I like the tagliatelle to retain a bit of bite when cooked).

Dust well with flour on both sides and let it dry for 5 minutes on the board. Now fold the sheet on itself from both ends lengthwise and not too tight and stop when the 2 edges meet each other in the middle (do not let the 2 overlap). With a sharp knife cut the rolled sheet into tagliatelle about ½ cm thick but more than anything please please please remember that the tagliatelle don’t have to be perfect to be tasty, so don’t stress to much with a measuring tape!

Now pass the blunt side of your knife under the sliced ‘tagliatelle roll’ and lift them up to allow the tagliatelle open up and separate from each other. Dust with flour and use straight away or keep refrigerated.

FARFALLE or BOW TIES

 This is a funny one.

As per the tagliatelle, start with a pasta sheet with the same dimensions. Cut the sheet into little rectangular strips about 3 cm wide and 5 cm long. To do that you can use either a pastry wheel cutter or a sharp knife.

Now you have to kind of pinch these little rectangular strips in the middle and fold them while you do that. The 2 edges will stick together creating a beautiful bow tie appearance but more importantly a groove to collect sauce when cooked.

Believe me, it is easier to make them then explaining how to.

 FUSILLI AL FERRETTO

Consider these the ancestor of the classic fusilli you now find normally in stores. Ferreto means little metal rod but as you can see I am using a simple wooden skewer. Anything similar will work.

Before anyone get confused, let me say that there are loads of similar fusilli in type and in most regions, they have their own name for it. Start by cutting thick strips of pasta and then with the palm of your hands roll it on the table to thin it out. Press gently and while you do that also move your hands apart from each other.

Cut the strips into 5 cm pieces and make sure they are as thin as skewer you are working with. You can keep rolling them even after you cut them.

Now attach the end of the pasta strip under the ferretto, just around it and roll all the way forward with the palm of your hand. With this gesture the pasta strip will curl over the skewer creating a beautiful spiral shape. Again, these are easier to make than explain how to.

Chef’s tips: If you keep the fresh pasta shaped in the fridge for ½ days make sure it is properly dusted with flour for the humidity and kept in a covered container/tray. Alternatively, you can freeze it in sealed boxes and cook it straight from the frozen into boiling water.