Read my guide below on how to make beautiful pasta and incorporate soft seasonal herbs into yolky sheets.
Serves 8
Ingredients
550g 00 pasta flour
130g egg yolk
120g eggs
30g soft fresh herbs e.g. tarragon, mint or parsley, picked (optional)
semolina, for sprinkling
Method
To make the pasta, place the pasta flour in a food processor. Weigh the eggs in a jug and mix briefly.
Turn the food processor on to a medium speed and slowly pour in 3/4 of the egg mix until you have a breadcrumb-like mix. Turn the food processor off and using a spatula, scrape up the mix from the bottom to ensure the egg is evenly distributed.
Return the lid to the food processor and turn on to a high speed. Slowly add the remaining egg mix and blitz for 30 seconds. To check your pasta is done take a handful of the mix and squeeze it together in your hands. If it sticks together easily it’s ready. If it doesn’t quite stick or is a little flakey turn your food processor to a high speed again and add some water, a tbsp at a time, until the squeeze test works. Note your pasta dough will not come together in the food processor. You want it to be clumpy but still crumbly (if it comes together completely in the mixer it will be too wet).
Pour the crumbly mix into a large bowl and use your hands to squish together to form a dough. Cut your dough into 2 pieces and flatten with a rolling pin until they are 2.5cm thick (1 inch). This will make it easier to roll the dough out later. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and place in the fridge to rest and hydrate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
To roll the pasta take one piece of the wrapped dough out the fridge and cut in half (keeping the second half covered). Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to form a narrow rectangle that is no bigger than the width of your pasta machine. Roll until the dough is thin enough to pass through the highest setting.
Roll through a couple of times on the highest (widest) setting on the pasta machine. Fold in each rounded end and then fold the dough in half lenghthways so you are left with a neat rectangle. Press down on the dough using the rolling pin to secure the shape and continue to pass through the pasta machine two more times at the highest setting.
Gradually work your way down the pasta setting levels, rolling through twice at each level, until you reach the second-to-last setting and have a nice thin sheet of pasta. This thickness is perfect for making pappardelle, tortellini, fettuccine, taglierini and various other shapes. To make ravioli, silk handkerchiefs, tortelloni or cappelletti, roll the pasta through once or twice more on the lowest setting.
Cut the pasta into the desired shape and sprinkle liberally with semolina to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Repeat this process with the remaining dough. Whilst rolling, always cover your finished pasta with a tea towel to stop the pasta from drying out. If making ahead, store in an airtight contained or on a tray securly covered with cling film.
To add herbs to your pasta
Cut a sheet of pasta rolled to the second lowest setting in half widthwise so you have two ideantical sheets of pasta. Arrange a handful of the soft herbs on one sheet of the pasta and cover with the second sheet. Roll over briefly with the rolling pin and return your pasta to a mid-setting on the machine and roll through once. Gradually lower the settings and pass the pasta through the machine. You’ll start to see the herbs elongate to create a beautiful effect. Note be careful when picking the herbs that all hard stalks are removed as these can rip the pasta.
Use the herb filled pasta sheets to make ravioli, pappardelle or any other pasta shape you wish. I find pappardelle carries the herbs well. To do this cut the pasta into 30cm x 2.5cm strips and sprinkle generously with semolina to prevent them from sticking together. Cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 1 minute and top with your favourite sauce or some simple extra virgin olive oil, grated parmesan and black pepper.
Notes on pasta making
Pasta dough is easily affected by the outside temperature, humidity, brand of flour etc. On a hot day you may need to add a little water to your dough, or on a cold day none at all.
You can easily keep the dough ready made in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, remove from the freezer and allow the dough to defrost thoroughly.
Pasta flour varies widely from brand to brand, lots of flours will lose their colour if kept in the fridge overnight or frozen and become grey and unappetising. I find “Molino Spadoni Gran Mugnaio typo ‘00’ farina” from the Emilia Romagna region of Italy keeps its colour even when made days ahead or frozen. Find in good Italian deli’s or online. In London I buy mine from Cibo Deli Wholesalers near Manor House Station.
Got any questions on pasta making? Drop me a message!