Homemade Egg Pasta
There is something so special about making your own pasta from scratch. It's time to dig out the pasta machine from the back of the cupboard! This is a great go to recipe if you are making fresh pasta for the very first time, and you don't quite have the 'touch' and the know how quite yet.... (and that's okay, we all have to start somewhere!). I'll give you some handy pointers below, so you know what to look and feel for (it's all in the touch, baby!).
I chose to go forth and create fettuccine from this dough, but the world is your oyster, as you could go onto do ravioli, lasagne sheets or whatever pasta shape you fancy.
This recipe has been adapted from Stephanie Alexander's book, 'The Cook's Apprentice.'
Materials:
Pasta machine (with cutting rollers attachment, the wider roller will be for fettuccine).
Medium sized bowl
1 x fork
A clothes airer/ broomstick/ chairs/ coat hanger (something to be able to hang your pasta up to dry).
Ingredients:
800g flour (00 flour is best, but if you don't have that all purpose plain flour will do!)
8 fresh eggs, lightly beaten.
2 tsp salt (optional)
Extra plain flour, for dusting.
Method:
Lightly whisk the eggs in a bowl.
2. Tip the flour (and salt if using) onto a clean countertop. Create a well with the flour. Using one hand, tip the egg gradually into the well, whilst with the other hand, gently incorporate the flour into the egg with a fork in a circular motion. As you do this circular motion, gather the flour from the edges into the middle of the well where the egg is. Be careful not to break the wall of the well, otherwise egg will go everywhere if it is still runny.
3. When all of the egg has been incorporated (it's okay if your dough looks a bit craggy here, it will all come together soon), bring all the dough together with your hands into a ball.
4. It is now time to knead the dough. With one hand hold the dough in place, and with the other stretch the dough away from you with the heel of your hand. Fold the dough back in half and turn the dough sideways. Keep kneading the dough, stretch, fold, turn, and so on, for about 10 minutes. The dough is robust, so get your muscles in there and give it some tough love! The dough will transform into a beautifully silky texture, and will have the consistency of firm but slightly stretchy bubblegum.
5. Phew... we can have a rest from physical labour now. Let the dough (and yourself... you've earnt it) rest for about 1 hour at room temperature in a covered bowl. Whilst you're relaxing, the gluten in the pasta dough is too, which helps prevent tough pasta when cooked.
6. After resting time, clear your workbench. Make sure your space is clean and dry. Position your pasta machine at the ready, with relevant attachments ready to go. Dust your workbench with flour, and keep some handy to the side as you will need to keep dusting often. Split the dough into eight even pieces. Flatten one piece of dough so it is nice and flat. Cover the remaining pieces with a tea towel until needed.
7. Feed a piece of dough through the lowest setting (setting 1) on the pasta machine 2-3 times, and fold in half. Repeat this process on settings 3, 5 and 6. Keep lightly dusting the sheets of dough with flour, as you move through the settings.
8. Be careful not to pull the dough as it appears, rather, gently guide it out. If the dough gets too long to handle, you can divide the dough into 2 or 3 smaller pieces and go from there. Lay out the pasta sheets on your workbench when you have finished with each piece. Repeat with each piece, or until you are satisfied with the amount you have.
9. Next, feed each pasta sheet through the fettuccine roller. Dust with flour as you go.
10. Hang the fettuccine on a clothes airer or on the back of a chair until dry for about 10 minutes.
11. To cook, place the fettuccine in a big pot of generously salted, boiling water until al dente. Stir occasionally so ensure the pasta doesn't stick together.
To store, freeze fresh fettuccine or leftover pasta dough in an air tight container or zip lock bag. If you go through the process of drying out the pasta, it can be stored in an air tight container in your pantry.
Makes approximately 700g of fresh pasta.
Enjoy your beautiful fresh pasta ! I trust that yourself and whomever you chose to share your pasta with will be able to taste the extra love and care.
Helpful hints & resources:
Each pasta machine will vary slightly in terms of roller and cutting accessories. It is sometimes trial and error to find the correct consistency for each type of pasta, when it passes through the rollers. If the fettuccine is too thick, it will be too dense and gluggy when cooked. On the other hand, if the fettuccine is too thin it will be flimsy when cooked.