Homemade Egg Pasta
Equipment
Pasta roller with noodle cutting attachment (optional), Bench scraper (optional), Rolling pin, Sheet tray, Fork, Plastic wrap or clean cloth, Measuring cups, Measuring spoons, Weighing Scale (optional)
YIELD:
4-6 servings
ACTIVE COOKING TIME:
35 minutes
TOTAL TIME:
1 hour 5 minutes
Section 1: Ingredients
Pasta Dough
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour + more for dusting.
2 whole large eggs
4 yolks from 4 large eggs
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Section 2: Directions
Fresh Egg Pasta Dough
Making the Dough:
1. |
On a large, flat work surface, pour the flour into a mound. Using your hand shaped like a claw, make a well in the centre big enough to fit your eggs and egg yolks, around 4-inches.
2. |
Pour your whole eggs, egg yolks, olive oil (if using), and salt into the well. Using a fork, start gently whisking the eggs until combined. Then, while whisking, gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs until a wet, sticky dough has formed.
3. |
Scrape the sticky excess dough from your fork and fingers and begin to fold additional flour into the dough until it feels firm and dry and can form a craggy-looking ball (2-5 minutes).
4. |
Start kneading the dough by pressing it with the palm of your hand, pushing forward and down. Rotate the ball 45 degrees and repeat. Continue kneading until the dough develops a smooth, supple, and elastic texture.
5. |
The dough should feel tacky but not sticky, with a texture similar to a firm ball of Play-Doh, and springs back at you when poked. If the dough doesn't spring back, it needs more kneading. If the dough feels too wet, add flour one teaspoon at a time. If the dough feels too dry, add water slowly.
6. |
Wrap the dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and rest on the countertop for 30 minutes. Ensure the wrap is airtight as it will tend to dry out.
Rolling the Pasta:
7. |
Lightly dust your unwrapped, rested dough, and cut into four equal pieces. Set one quarter on the work surface and rewrap the remaining dough. With a rolling pin, flatten the dough into an even oblong shape, about 1/2 inch in thickness.
8. |
Set pasta roller to the widest setting and pass the dough three times through the roller at this setting.
9. |
Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Fold both ends of the dough in so that they meet at the centre. Then, fold the dough in half where the endpoints meet, trying not to incorporate too much air in the folds. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough to the same 1/2-inch thickness and pass through the rollers an additional three times.
10. |
Narrow the setting by one notch and repeat Step 9 two more times. The process is called laminating, which helps the pasta retain a springy and toothsome texture in the end.
11. |
Then, continue passing the dough through the rolls, narrowing the setting by 1 notch each time until it reaches the desired thickness. It should now be very delicate, elastic to the touch, and slightly translucent, so handle it with care by draping it over your hands rather than holding it with your fingertips.
12. |
Place your rolled dough onto a work surface or sheet tray, lightly dusted with flour or lined with parchment paper, folding the dough over as necessary so that it fits. Make sure to sprinkle with flour or line with parchment paper between folds to prevent sticking.
13. |
Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel to prevent drying, then repeat Steps 7 to 12 with the remaining dough segments.
14. |
If making noodles, cut dough into 12- to 14-inch segments.
Cutting into Noodles:
15. |
Adjust pasta machine to the noodle setting of your choice. Working with one dough segment at a time, feed dough through the pasta-cutter. Alternatively, you can cut it by hand with a chef's knife to desired noodle width.
16. |
Divide the cut noodles into individual portions, dust lightly with flour, and curl into a nest. Place on a parchment-lined sheet tray and gently cover with a kitchen towel until ready to cook.
How to Cook Pasta:
17. |
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta, stir gently, and cook until noodles float to the top and have a definite bite to it, about 1 and 1/2 to 2 minutes. Drain, toss with sauce, and serve.
Storage
Place fresh pasta directly on the baking sheet, transfer to a zipper-lock freezer bag, and store in the freezer for up to three weeks before cooking. You can cook frozen pasta directly from the freezer.
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