Fresh Pasta

Almost seventeen years ago, my Aunt Clem bought me a pasta maker for my wedding gift. Today, I finally used it. I don't know what allowed me to let it rest peacefully in the appliance graveyard in our basement, but a good friend got me thinking about fresh pasta and I decided to give it a whirl. I'm glad I did.

This recipe is simple, and you don't need a pasta maker to do this. A hand held, crank pasta machine will suffice, as will rolling the dough thinly and slicing with your pizza cutter. If you are going for a noodle, and I used it for fetching, the pasta maker or hand crank works well. If you are making a flat or shaped pasta, such as a ravioli or tortellini, do the whole thing by hand. Follow the directions for your pasta maker. The directions below are for hand crafted or crank pasta. It makes about a pound of pasta, just enough for four as a main course.

You need:

2 1/4 c. all purpose  or semolina flour
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
1 to 2 tbsp. water

Mound the flour on your board. Form a well in the middle. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and pour into the well. Add the salt, olive oil, and one tablespoon of water. Mix with a fork, gradually lifting the flour into the center and incorporating the ingredients. Once fully incorporated, gently knead until dough is smooth. Shape into a flattened disk and let rest for about a half an hour.

Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut the kind of pasta you need.  To cook, add to boiling water, just about 2-3 minutes.