Fresh Pasta

I don’t make pasta every time I eat pasta, but when I do, I always inordinately pleased. Worth the effort.

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk

• 1 T. extra-vergin olive oil

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

• Kosher salt

Instructions:

1.        Whisk together eggs, yolk and olive oil with a fork in a spouted measuring cup.

2.       Combine flour and a large pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse briefly to combine.  With the food processor motor running, gradually pour the egg mixture through the feed tube and let it run until the dough forms a ball around the blade.  If the dough is too sticky to form a ball, add a tablespoon or so of flour and process again.  If it is too crumbly to form a ball, add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time and process again.  Once the dough forms a ball, process until smooth and springy, about 20-30 seconds.

3.       Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead several times until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.

4.       Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.  (The dough can be made 1 day ahead, wrapped and refrigerated.  Let it come to room temperature before rolling.)

5.       Anchor a pasta machine to your countertop or secure the pasta attachment to a stand mixer.  Set the machine to the widest setting.  Unwrap the dough and cut into 4 equal pieces.  Wrap the remaining 3 pieces while you work with the first.

6.       Flatten the dough into a rectangle and lightly dust with flour.  Roll it through the pasta machine at the widest setting.  Fold the dough into thirds like a letter and feed it thought the pasta machine again.  Repeat the roll and fold 2 more times.

7.       Adjust the pasta machine to the next smaller setting.  Flour the dough as necessary and feed it through the machine.  Repeat.

8.       Continue to the next lower setting, roll the dough through twice at each setting and so on until you have reached the second-thinnest setting.  You should be able to see you hand through the dough at this point. 

9.       If you are cutting your dough into noodles, stop rolling, cut the dough in half, and run each half through the cutting attachment of your pasta machine, or cut by hand.  Lightly toss the noodles with a little flour on a baking sheet to prevent sticking and cover with a dry kitchen towel while you process the rest of the dough.  Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes.

10.   If you are making a filled pasta, run the dough through the pasta machine on the thinnest setting.  Proceed according to your recipe’s instructions.