Pasta Recipe
fresh pasta made every morning at Pasta dal Cuore
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Ingredients
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Fresh Pasta Dough
Finishing & Serving
Method
Fresh Pasta Dough
- 1
Measure and mound flour
Sift or spoon 3 cups of flour onto a clean work surface and form a mound. Create a wide well in the center large enough to hold the eggs without breaking the walls.
- 2
Add eggs and seasonings
Crack 4 large eggs into the flour well. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt to the eggs.
- 3
- 4
Knead the dough
When the dough is cohesive enough to handle, use your hands to gather it and begin kneading. Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. If the dough feels too dry and cracks, add water 1 teaspoon at a time (up to 2 tablespoons). If too sticky, dust lightly with extra flour.
- 5
Rest the dough
Form the dough into a ball, coat lightly with a little olive oil, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.
- 6
Portion and roll
Unwrap the dough and cut into 4 equal pieces. Keep pieces you are not working with wrapped. Flatten one piece with your palm to a rough rectangle, then pass through a pasta machine starting on the widest setting once or twice, folding once if necessary to make it uniform. Gradually reduce settings, passing the sheet through each thinner setting 1–2 times until you reach the desired thickness (for tagliatelle ~2–3 mm; for thinner noodles use a narrower setting). Alternatively, roll thinly with a rolling pin to desired thickness.
- 7
Cut into shape
Lightly dust the rolled sheets with semolina or flour. For fettuccine/tagliatelle: fold the sheet loosely several times (do not press) and cut into strips about 7–10 mm wide. Unfold strips and toss gently with semolina to prevent sticking. For spaghetti/linguine, run through the appropriate cutter on the machine or use a knife to cut into thin strands.
- 8
Dry briefly (optional)
For easier handling, hang the cut pasta on a rack or spread on a floured baking sheet for 15–20 minutes, or proceed immediately to cooking if you prefer very fresh, tender pasta.
Cooking & Serving
- 9
Boil salted water
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt so the water tastes like the sea.
- 10
Cook the pasta
Add the fresh pasta to the boiling water. Fresh pasta cooks quickly: 1–3 minutes depending on thickness. Stir gently to prevent sticking and test for doneness by tasting—pasta should be tender but have a slight bite (al dente).
- 11
Reserve pasta water
Before draining, scoop out 1/2 to 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta quickly in a colander.
- 12
Finish in pan with sauce or butter
Return the drained pasta to a large sauté pan over low heat. Add 4 tablespoons butter (or warm prepared sauce) and a splash of the reserved pasta water to emulsify and coat the pasta. Toss gently until the sauce clings to the noodles and the texture is glossy, adding more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed.
- 13
Plate and garnish
Divide pasta among plates. Sprinkle with 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino and garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley if using. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.