Hand Made Pasta Recipe

Prepare work surface and flours

On a clean work surface or in a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and semolina flour and mound into a well (if using a countertop) approximately 3–4 inches wide in the center.

Add eggs and fat

Crack the 3 whole eggs and the extra yolk into the well. Add the olive oil and sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon salt over the eggs. If the bowl method is preferred, place flours in the bowl and make the well there.

Incorporate flour into eggs

Using a fork, gently beat the eggs in the center and gradually draw in a few tablespoons of flour from the inner wall of the well at a time, incorporating until a shaggy, sticky dough begins to form. Keep the walls intact initially so liquids don't escape.

Form the dough

When the mixture becomes too stiff to mix with a fork, use your hands to gather the dough and begin kneading on the floured surface. If dough feels very dry and crumbly, add the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time; if overly sticky, dust with a little more flour (up to 1–2 tbs).

Knead the dough

Knead vigorously for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. The dough should spring back when pressed with a fingertip.

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. Resting relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.

Divide and flatten

Unwrap the dough and divide into 3 or 4 equal portions. Keep portions you are not working with covered to prevent drying. Lightly flatten one portion with your palm or a rolling pin so it fits through a pasta machine or is small enough to roll by hand.

Roll the dough (machine method)

If using a pasta machine, set rollers on the widest setting and feed the flattened dough through once. Fold the sheet in thirds like a letter, flatten lightly and pass again a couple of times on the widest setting to further develop gluten. Then progressively reduce thickness settings, passing the sheet once at each setting until you reach the desired thickness (usually 5–7 passes down to setting 6 or 7 for tagliatelle; for thinner pasta, go to 8–9). Dust with a little flour to prevent sticking.

Roll the dough (hand method)

If rolling by hand, use a rolling pin and roll from center outward repeatedly until the sheet is very thin (about 1–2 mm). Turn and rotate frequently, dusting lightly with flour so it doesn't stick.

Cut the pasta

For ribbons (tagliatelle/fettuccine): fold the lightly floured sheet loosely into thirds or roll up jelly-roll style and slice to desired width (6–8 mm for tagliatelle, 3–4 mm for spaghetti-like strands if thin). Unfurl the cut ribbons and lay them on a lightly floured tray or hang on a drying rack for 10–20 minutes. For shapes or hand-cut pasta, form as desired so pieces are uniform for even cooking.

Boil salted water

Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil and add the 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Fresh pasta cooks quickly so have your sauce/finish ready.

Cook the pasta

Add the fresh pasta to the boiling water and stir gently to prevent sticking. Fresh pasta typically cooks in 1–3 minutes depending on thickness. Test for doneness: it should be tender but with a slight bite (al dente). Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water.

Finish with butter and cheese

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add the drained pasta and toss quickly, adding a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Stir in the 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano until melted and coating the pasta. If sauce seems dry, add more reserved water a tablespoon at a time.

Season and serve

Remove from heat, taste and season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped fresh parsley and an extra grating of Parmigiano if desired. Serve immediately.