FRESH PASTA

PASTA

No one pasta recipe is correct or the best or the right way or universal for all pasta shapes and types. We’ve tried all kinds of ratios and ingredients and this is the math that never fails us and always comes out great across the largest variety of shapes that we eat. Multiply it and make bigger batches if you want! We found that the largest manageable batch for Melissa was 8x the recipe, and the sweet spot for having friends over was 2-3x.

This batch will feed four people modestly, two who are ready to go hard. 

INGREDIENTS

6 Large Egg Yolks

1 Whole Large Egg

100g All Purpose Flour 

100g 00 Flour 

Semolina for working, about half a cup

 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Let yolks and egg temper before using.  They don’t have to get all the way up to room temp, but less of a chill will make for a better dough.

Combine both flours in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the flour onto a clean work surface. Use the bottom of the bowl to form an impression in the pile of flour. 

Pour the eggs into the impression in the flour. Using a fork, scramble the eggs pulling in a tiny bit of flour at a time, gradually working your way around the edges. Once the eggs start to get thick, use a dough scraper to mix the eggs and flour. 

Scoop under, then use the edge to chop the mixture up. Scooping and chopping will make the mix come together into a shaggy dough. Once it starts to clump up, use your hands to press it all together and bring it into a rough ball.

Knead the dough for about ten minutes. Depending on temperature and humidity and egg sizes and all kinds of environmental factors, you may need to adjust your dough as you go. If it’s sticking to the surface and is too wet, lightly dust with 00 Flour and knead it in until the dough moves smoothly. If it’s way too stiff and way too dry, sprinkle on a little olive oil and work it in until the dough moves smoothly.

The dough should take some work to knead, but smooth and pliable enough that it shouldn’t feel like a fight. 

Shape the dough into a ball. If you gently press a finger into it and the dough bounces back, you’re ready.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for at least half an hour, up to 4-6. After that it’s still edible, but you may see some off putting color changes and it might smell eggier. 

Dust your work surface with semolina and have some extra on hand. Think of the semolina as being used to coat the dough so it doesn’t stick to itself or to anything else. The semolina is a barrier, but it does get worked into the pasta as you roll it out. Pasta should have texture. That’s what makes the sauce stick to it and that’s what makes it so delicious.

You can roll this dough out by hand, or put it through hand crank rollers or through a Kitchenaid attachment or equivalent, but don’t use this recipe with an extruder (it’s a mess). When rolling the dough out, follow instructions on your machine for thickness. If you plan to stack the sheets of pasta as you roll them out, dust with more semolina before you lay them on top of each other.

When cutting pasta for fettuccine or spaghetti or similar, be generous with your semolina to keep it from becoming one large clump that sticks to itself. This all takes practice, so if you don’t get it on your first few tries, keep adjusting and you’ll find it!

We use this recipe for all kinds of shapes, filled pasta, and lasagna. It’s very flexible and workable, and it never lets us down. If you’re making tedious shapes and the dough starts to get dry after being out of the fridge, store the dough you haven’t worked yet under a damp towel.

We’ve had success with drying this pasta, but we typically keep it in the freezer. It seldom lasts more than two weeks because we eat it, but we forced ourselves to leave it longer and found it’s good for about three months in the freezer. After that, still edible, won’t harm you, but doesn’t taste as fresh.