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Ingredients
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Fresh Pasta Dough
Optional finishing / cooking
Method
Fresh Pasta Dough
Prepare the work surface
Clean and dry a large work surface (counter or large cutting board). Mound the flour into a roughly 8-inch diameter pile and create a deep well in the center with your hand, leaving the flour wall sturdy so eggs won't escape.
Add eggs and seasonings
Crack the 4 large eggs into the well. Add 1/2 tsp fine sea salt and 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil into the eggs.
Form the dough
Using your hands, bring the remaining flour together with the egg mixture and begin kneading. If the dough feels dry and crumbly, add up to 1 tbs water total, a few drops at a time. If it's sticky, dust lightly with a bit more flour (no more than 1-2 tbs). Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky.
Rest the dough
Shape the dough into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap (or place in an airtight container) and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Resting relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.
Divide and flatten
Unwrap the dough and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Keep pieces you’re not working on covered. Lightly flatten one piece with your palm into a disk so it will feed through a roller or be rolled with a pin.
Roll the dough (pasta machine)
If using a pasta machine: set the rollers to the widest setting. Feed the flattened disk through the rollers once, fold the sheet in half, and pass through again. Repeat 2–3 times to smooth. Then set the machine one notch thinner and pass the sheet through without folding. Continue reducing settings one notch at a time until you reach the desired thickness (usually settings 5–7 on many machines for tagliatelle/linguine, thinner for ravioli). Dust with a little flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Roll the dough (by hand)
If rolling by hand: lightly flour the surface and use a rolling pin to roll the disk evenly, rotating and turning to keep thickness even. Roll until the sheet is about 1–2 mm thick for ribbons or slightly thicker for filled pasta.
Cut the pasta
For long ribbons (tagliatelle/linguine): dust the sheets with a little flour, fold loosely (do not compress) and slice to desired width (e.g., 1/4 inch for tagliatelle). Unfold and separate the strands. For fettuccine, cut a bit wider. For pappardelle, cut wider still.
Dry or rest the cut pasta
Spread cut pasta on a lightly floured tray or hang on a drying rack in loose nests for 10–20 minutes while you prepare the pot of water. If not cooking immediately, allow to dry slightly; fresh pasta can be left at room temperature for a few hours or refrigerated for up to 24 hours (dust with flour and cover).
Optional finishing / cooking
Boil water
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt to the water so it tastes like the sea.
Cook the pasta
Add the fresh pasta to the boiling water. Fresh pasta cooks very quickly: ribbons will take 1.5–3 minutes depending on thickness. Stir gently to prevent sticking and test for doneness: it should be tender but slightly toothsome (al dente).
Reserve pasta water & drain
Before draining, scoop out and reserve 1/2–1 cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta quickly in a colander.
Finish in pan
Heat 2 tbs unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss with the butter. Add 2–4 tablespoons of reserved pasta water as needed to create a smooth, glossy coating that clings to the noodles.
Add cheese and season
Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano and toss vigorously to emulsify into the sauce. Season with freshly ground black pepper (about 1/4 tsp) and taste—adjust salt if needed. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley if using.