Basic Pasta Dough

Basic Pasta Dough is quite simple, just a few staples primarily flour and eggs for any variety. It can be mixed by hand or machine then shaped into different lengths, widths or shapes. It is very satisfying and fascinates children.

Ingredients

320 – 330g Tipo ‘00’ or plain flour
good pinch salt
2 x 55g eggs
3 teaspoons (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Place flour and salt on bench, board or stone. Combine and pile making a well in the centre. Whisk together eggs with ¼ cup (60 ml) water and olive oil. Gradually add to the middle of the well, working the flour in from the outside until a dough has been formed.
Alternatively, place flour and salt in food processor, add eggs, ¼ cup (60 ml) water and olive oil and whiz together only until combined. Add more water or flour as required. Do not over process or you will toughen the dough.
Knead into a smooth ball, wrap in plastic wrap and rest for one hour (in the fridge in summer). This allows the gluten particles to expand. Dough will keep in the fridge for 1 day.
Rolling the dough in a hand machine: Have machine on widest setting of rollers. Divide dough into three and flatten out with floured hands. Dust with flour. Feed one piece into the rollers and roll through. Fold the dough into three and put the cut edge into the machine and repeat 6 – 8 times, folding the dough each time. You may need to sprinkle it with more flour. When the dough is smooth and satiny pass through the various numbers, down to smallest or second smallest setting until the desired thickness is achieved. The dough should be smooth, unsticky and silky. Rest while you continue with the other pieces of dough.
Select which size cutter you would like to use. If necessary dust pasta sheets with flour again and roll through to cut. Toss in flour, hang over broom handles or cook immediately.

Notes

Variations: For green pasta replace water with same quantity (1/4 cup) blanched, drained, finely chopped English spinach (1 bunch) or blanched chopped parsley or basil. For red pasta replace water with grilled, peeled and liquidsed red capsicum. For pink pasta replace water with cooked and pureed (or canned) beetroot.

Lyndey’s note: For a very rich pasta just use egg yolks or a mixture, replacing one egg with two yolks. Pasta can be made without water but this recipe is much easier for the home cook.

Basic Pasta Dough

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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