Fresh pasta rolled with a pasta maker, suitable for lasagne, hand-cut noodles, ravioli, fettuccine, and spaghetti.
(makes ~2 large servings)
INGREDIENTS
3.5 oz durum pasta flour
3.5 oz 00 flour or all purpose flour
2 large eggs
3 Tbsp chopped herbs (optional)
1Tbsp lemon zest (optional)
In a medium bowl, mix the flours with a fork to combine. Empty the flours on to your work surface. Push the mixture together into a pyramid and make a hole in the center. Crack one egg at a time into the hole, using a fork to break up the yolk and integrate the flour.
With the help of a bench scraper, gather the flour into a loose ball. Add fresh herbs if desired. Knead the dough by hand un
til the surface is smooth. This will take about 10 minutes. If your dough is dry and hard to work with, dampen your hands with water and continue kneading, using the residual moisture to improve the dough’s texture.
Once the dough has formed a smooth ball, enclose it in a container and let rest for 30 minutes in a cool place. Set up your pasta maker for the next stage. Make sure the base is secured with the provided clamp and the rollers are set to the widest setting (the lowest number).
After 30 minutes, let your dough come to room temperature. Flatten the dough into a disc 1 inch thick. Cut the dough into 2 equal pieces. Divide each piece again to make the rolling process more manageable. Flatten your first piece to ¼ inch thick. Fold into thirds. Roll through the pasta maker’s widest setting. Fold the rolled piece into thirds, flatten to ¼ inch thick, and roll again using the largest setting. Repeat the folding and rolling process for a third time to achieve a consistent texture. Set aside and repeat with the remaining segments of dough.
Once all of the dough has been rolled through the widest setting, each piece can be processed through the increasingly narrow settings, one piece at a time. Start at number 1. Align the short edge of your dough with the roller bars. Slowly lower the dough straight down into the roller as you turn the crank. Continue turning the crank as the rollers pull the dough through. Use your other hand to keep the dough flat and guide it to the work surface. Repeat the process on the remaining roller settings or until the desired thickness is reached. Patch any holes and trim any uneven edges if necessary. If the dough is sticking together, separate gently and dust with brown rice flour. Dust each finished sheet with brown rice flour or semolina to prevent sticking to the work surface.
Use the finished sheets for lasagna or ravioli. To make fettuccine or spaghetti, use the pasta cutting attachment and align the crank with the desired style. Set up a plate or tray dusted with brown rice flour or semolina to catch the finished pasta.
For easier handling, trim your pasta sheet into segments, roughly 12 inches long. Align the flat edge of each segment with the blades. Carefully feed the pasta through the blades as you turn the crank. Do your best to keep the pasta level with the blades to avoid any snags.
Dust your finished pasta with brown rice flour or semolina and dry flat or on a drying rack while you process the remaining segments.
Recipe by Devon Lee, inspired by David Lebovitz and the Seattle Culinary Academy.