Egg Pasta Dough
DON'T GIVE UP
Pasta Dough
This recipe calls for mixing and kneading the pasta dough by hand or either an electric stand mixer or Food Processor.
If you will be rolling by hand your dough will need to be a little wetter than if rolling by pasta machine. If it is too wet, it may stick to the rollers. If rolling by hand if it is too dry, it will be harder to roll. When first learning to make pasta, this is something you will need to learn. But don’t give up. All of us great pasta makers have gone through this. It is part of the process. But the recipe below is a good way to start.
You may need more flour to roll it out by hand or by machine. With only 3 ingredients, it is simple but has a learning curve. You can do it!
Using a kitchen scale is essential for measuring your ingredients. However if you do not have a scale, use one egg per serving and ¾ to 7/8 cup per serving of flour as a starting point, adding a little at a time until it all comes together. But I suggest getting a good scale that measures grams. Flour by the Cup vs grams will always measure our differently. Grams is always a perfect measurement.
Measurements and Ingredients For Perfect Pasta:
100 grams High Gluten or Pasta 00 Flour per serving
60 grams whole eggs per serving
Course Semolina Flour (to keep pasta sheets from
sticking to each other)
Rule of thumb you will use 60 grams of egg per serving. Use Extra Large eggs or Jumbo for best measurements and least amount of waste. Here is a table to help:
|
SERVING SIZE/ NUMBER OF PEOPLE |
AMOUNT OF EGGS |
AMOUNT OF HIGH GLUTEN OR PASTA 00 FLOUR |
|
1 |
60 grams |
100 grams |
|
2 |
120 grams |
200 grams |
|
3 |
180 grams |
300 grams |
|
4 |
240 grams |
400 grams |
|
5 |
300 grams |
500 grams |
|
6 |
360 grams |
600 grams |
|
7 |
420 grams |
700 grams |
|
8 |
480 grams |
800 grams |
Note: If making Lasagna, 4 to 5 servings is usually plenty for 4 to 5 layers
Making Pasta Dough by Hand:
Using a wooden surface to knead the dough is the best and desired method as the wood gives structure to the pasta and allows sauce to adhere better.
Put the flour on a board or counter and remove a little of the flour to the side to add as needed. Around 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup. You may need it all or you may not depending on the humidity in your home. But you rarely will need more than the flour you measured out. You will use the flour pushed aside to use as your bench flour to sprinkle on the board and dough if it gets too sticky.
With the larger amount of flour, make a large well in the middle of the flour, large enough to hold all the eggs.
In the middle of the flour break the eggs and whisk the eggs with a fork like you would do for omelets or scrambled eggs. (or you can break and scramble the eggs in a bowl and place inside well)
With the fork, add a large forkful of flour at a time and whisk into egg mixture, stirring into the flour and not breaking your wall so egg runs over and out beyond your well, until it comes together and you have the looks of a soft dough.
I like to use my dough scraper to fold the flour and egg over so it mixes faster and I have control of any egg that may escape, scooping it up and putting it is its place.
I always feel it’s like herding sheep or cattle, grabbing egg from this side and grabbing egg from that side. Once the egg is mixed into the flour and can’t run anywhere, you can use your hands and knead it into a little in a ball of dough, taking any dough on your hands off and adding to the mixture, kneading so it is all combined and is looking like it is all mixed together and resembling pasta dough.
At this point, you will want to remove any crumbs from your hands that are too hard to remove. Go wash your hands well, using a nail brush or clean sponge with the pot scrubber side until your hands are completely clean of dough.
Clean your board off well using your dough scraper. This is when we get into serious kneading and do not want any hard crumbs to enter the dough. We have trying to achieve an extremely smooth dough with no bumps or lumps when you roll it out. So any crumbs at this point is not worth adding. IT IS YOUR ENEMY!
With the palms of your hands, flatten the dough and Knead the dough by folding the edge furthest away from you towards your body and with the palm of your hand pushing away from you, then again folding half over and pushing away, like you do when making bread.
Turn the dough, fold over, and push away. Push down and hard. Turn, push. Turn, push.
You will do this for around 3 minutes. Adding a little flour that you set aside at the beginning if you need it if it is too sticky. Be careful though. You don’t want to add too much flour if you are rolling by hand, but if it is sticky and sticking to the board or your hands, then add a little, not the entire pile.
Continue to knead your dough for 8 to 10 minutes until you have a smooth dough that when you push your finger in, it will leave a slight indent. If you need to take a break, the phone rings…cover the dough with plastic and continue as soon as possible.
Take a piece of plastic wrap and place the ball of dough in the middle. Take a corner of the wrap and place tightly over the top of dough. Take the piece next to the first and draw the plastic up and continue to do so as you pleat the plastic tightly around the ball of dough.
Turn it over and let the dough rest on your counter for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours. If you won’t be able to roll it out in that time frame, place in refrigerator and remove 30 minutes to 1 hour before you will roll out so it gets back to room temperature to roll out easier. I like rolling it out within 2 hours as it is easier. But life happens and we have to adapt sometimes.
Roll out dough with a Mattarello, long rolling pin, or a regular rolling pin. The Mattarello makes the process easier and faster, but you can use a regular rolling pin. It is harder and takes longer, but a lot of people do it this way until they get a Mattarello which saves a lot of energy and time.
YOU CAN FIND LONG ROLLING PINS OR MATTARELLOS HERE AT
www.inthekitchenwithdana.com.
Roll out to desired thickness but usually so you can see your hand from the other side of the pasta or you can see the lines from your cutting board. Pasta fluffs up as it cooks so you want to roll the dough as thin as possible. That is why a Mattarello makes it easier.
After your dough is rolled out and you are ready to cut, spread some course semolina flour all over evenly on the sheet of pasta so it doesn’t stick to itself when you cut or roll up.
If you don’t have a Chitarra, a board with string you lay sheets of pasta on the cut the pasta into spaghetti or Fettuccini, cut the pasta to the size of the Chitarra and roll the pin over it to cut.
If you will make Spaghetti, cut by hand, roll up the end of the dough closest to you, laying each roll flat and around 2 inches, around 5 times. Turn the pasta and roll up the opposite side the same way until the ends meet. Depending on the size of your dough, you may roll 5, 6, 7 times. You will have two sides rolled with a flat line in the middle. With a very sharp knife, cut the pasta into strips to the desired size, sawing and not squishing the dough. Smaller and thinner for Spaghetti, thicker for Linguini, Fettuccini, Tagliatelle, Pappardelle. Cut around 6 inches down, then slide your knife under the pasta and with the dull side of the knife, lift so that the strands unfold. Place in a pile and cut the rest, unraveling every 6 or so inches. Make sure you have enough semolina on the pasta so it doesn’t stick adding more if needed. Shake off excess before just adding to boiling water. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until al dente.
If making Lasagna noodles, just cut into desired sizes that are smaller than your pan to allow for expansion when you boil it and then bake the Lasagna. You can cut into one sheet per layer . You don’t have to cut into long strips as boxed lasagna noodles are. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. I get a large bowl and fill a lot of ice and add cold water and shock the noodles by adding them to the cold bowl of water. It stops the cooking and cools them down so you can handle them right away and put your lasagna together. If Making Ravioli or Tortellini, cut into desired strips or squares.
Directions for Mixing with a Stand Mixer or Food Processor:
Mixing Dough:
If using a Stand Mixer, In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine eggs and 1/2 of the flour. Beat on low speed just until combined, about 30 seconds. Check to see if too wet or too dry. Add a little at a time until it comes together. You don’t want it too dry but not too sticky. Stop the mixer and feel the dough. Add more flour a little at a time until it doesn’t stick to your fingers or to the bowl.
If using a Food Processor, add eggs and 1/2 of flour and pulse until combined and then process for a few minutes until you have a smooth dough adding more flour as you go, same as the Stand mixer until you do not have any dough sticking to sides.
Stop the mixer or food processor and, using your hands, squeeze a small amount of dough into a ball. It should be moist enough to hold together but not sticky.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and shape into a ball. Knead dough until smooth around 2 to 3 minutes. Wrap separately with plastic wrap ensuring no air is in with dough. Place on countertop and let rest 30 minutes to 2 hours to allow gluten to develop. If you will not be able to roll out dough within 2 hours, refrigerate but allow to get back to room temperature before rolling out.
Rolling out Dough:
Note: Never Ever, wash your pasta attachment with water. Doing so can rust it out and ruin it. Always brush excess off and wipe down very good with dry paper towels or dry clean dish towel
Using an Electric Pasta Roller: Attach the pasta roller to the electric mixer according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place roller on widest setting or #1.
You will start on low speed that you feel comfortable with. As you get the hang of it you can work up to a faster speed. But for the first time, until you feel comfortable, keep on low speed.
If using a Manual Pasta Maker: Attach your Pasta Maker to your counter according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place roller on the widest setting, or #1.
Un-wrap 1 dough ball and dust lightly with remaining flour if any or more of the same type of flour flour. Flatten and Cut disk into 4 pieces. With the palm of your hand or a small rolling pin, flatten disk into a square shape, flat enough to fit in the roller into the width of the roller. Roll the dough through the rollers once at the widest setting, or #1, then lay the pasta on the work surface , spread some more flour and fold it into thirds. Booking the dough like you do to wall paper when hanging it. Repeat the process 2 more times, rolling out the dough, adding flour and spreading with your hand if it is too wet, rolling it through the rollers at the widest setting, and folding it into thirds each time.
Now thin out the dough by rolling it through the rollers at the second-to-widest setting or #2. Repeat setting the rollers one notch at a time, after each pass until the desired thinness is reached. Add flour on sheets if needed. Usually #4 or #5 for ravioli or lasagna, #6 or # 7 for spaghetti or Fettuccini. Cut dough into desired lengths for Lasagna or Spaghetti
Note: When making Lasagna, take into account pasta increases in size as the noodles cook in water, and then a little more when baked. Fresh pasta noodles get fluffy as they bake. You will never want to make lasagna with dried pasta again, it is melt I your mouth delicious.
Transfer the dough to a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with semolina flour, cover loosely with plastic wrap and roll out the other dough disk. Sprinkle more semolina on each sheet so they don’t stick together. If you will be cutting into spaghetti or fettuccini, allow noodles to dry 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. This will also prevent noodles from sticking together.
If making lasagna noodles, cook pasta in boiling salted water for 2 minutes or until al dente.
If you will be making spaghetti or fettuccini, attach a pasta cutter to the mixer according to the manufacturer’s instructions and cut the pasta into the desired shape. If not cooking the pasta immediately, transfer it to a baking sheet and dust lightly with course semolina flour to prevent sticking. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to use. Cook same as lasagna noodles. Makes about 1 lb. dough for every 4 servings