Homemade Pasta from scratch
Making pasta from scratch is a labour of love. Over-cater on the egg yolks as there is little to beat the flavour of a richly golden dough. Plus the leftover egg whites are the perfect excuse to make mini meringues to serve with after-dinner coffee.
INGREDIENTS
• 400g flour plus extra for dusting
• 75g semolina
• 12 large egg yolks (save the whites for meringue)
• 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
In a large shallow bowl or on a clean countertop, mix together the flour and the semolina and make a well in the middle. Pour the eggs yolks and the olive oil into the well and, using a fork, slowly pull the dry mixture into the wet.
When the dough becomes too thick to mix with the fork, use clean dry hands to knead it until smooth and elastic. Cover with clingfilm and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
To roll out, cut portions from the dough, keeping the main part in a clean damp tea towel. Flour the dough and roll through a pasta machine from the thickest setting to about 1mm, dusting the dough with flour at each interval.
Fold the rolled dough and cut out strips at your desired length – about 1cm for tagliatelle and 2cm for pappardelle. Hang the pasta on a drying rack while you finish the rest of the dough.
Cook for about 2 minutes in boiling salted and oiled water and add a glug of extra virgin olive oil to the draining pasta to prevent it sticking together.
To serve, arrange a twirl of pasta in a wide shallow bowl.
Recipe and images courtesy of Georgia East via Le Creuset