Fresh Egg Pasta

Indulge in the delicious flavors of Emilia-Romagna-style pasta with this rich and golden Egg Pasta recipe. Hailing from the heart of Italy, this egg pasta showcases the goodness of egg yolks, resulting in a moist and forgiving dough that is a delight to work with, making it ideal for pasta-making beginners. With the delightful combination of all-purpose flour, eggs, and egg yolks, this pasta boasts a luscious texture and delightful taste that pairs perfectly with a variety of sauces. Whether you choose to roll it out for lasagne, stuff it, or cut it into noodles, this versatile and authentic pasta will elevate any dish to new heights.

MAKES: 4 servings (about 1 pound)

TIME: At least 1 hour, somewhat unattended

INGREDIENTS:

• About 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 whole eggs
• 3 egg yolks

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine the all-purpose flour and salt in the food processor container and pulse once or twice to mix.
2. Add the eggs and egg yolks all at once and turn the machine on. Process the mixture just until a ball starts to form, which usually takes about 30 seconds.
3. If the dough appears dry and grainy, add a few drops of water. If it sticks to the side of the bowl, incorporate a tablespoon of flour.
4. On a clean counter or large board, mix 1 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour with the salt.
5. Create a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and egg yolks into it.
6. Gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs, stirring with a fork. As it becomes difficult to stir with the fork, use your hands to knead the dough.
7. Knead the dough by pushing it against the board and folding it repeatedly until it is no longer sticky and has a firm consistency. If needed, add small amounts of flour during the kneading process.
8. Sprinkle the dough with a bit of the reserved flour and cover it with plastic wrap or a cloth. Allow it to rest for approximately 30 minutes.
9. If desired, the dough can be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, for up to 24 hours before rolling it out.
10. Attach a pasta machine to the counter and lightly flour your work surface.
11. Cut off about one-third of the dough and cover the rest with plastic or cloth while you work.
12. Roll the dough in flour and flatten it into a rectangle approximately the width of the pasta machine.
13. Set the machine to its highest (thickest) setting and pass the dough through. Repeat this step, setting the machine to its next-thinnest setting each time.
14. Work your way down through the numbers, passing the dough through the machine twice each time. Add small amounts of flour if the dough sticks.
15. Pass the dough through the machine’s thinnest setting, and if necessary, repeat the process with the next-thinnest setting once.
16. Cut each sheet of pasta into approximately 16-inch rectangles and trim the ends for a neat appearance.
17. The dough is now ready to be used. You can keep the sheets to make lasagne or stuffed pasta, or cut them into noodles.
18. Use the broadest (tagliatelle) cutter on the pasta machine to cut the noodles, or cut the pasta by hand into broad strips (pappardelle).
19. You can cook the noodles right away or hang the strands to dry for up to a couple of hours.
20. To cook the noodles, boil them in salted water. They will be tender in less than 3 minutes (possibly less than 2 minutes).
21. Immediately sauce the noodles and serve them, relishing in the authentic flavors of this delightful Emilia-Romagna-style egg pasta.

VARIATIONS:

• Pizzocheri: Experience the robust flavors of northeastern Italy with this variation using fine buckwheat flour and all-purpose flour.

• Chinese-Style Egg Noodles: Follow the same recipe, but roll the dough as thin as possible and cut the noodles into shorter strands up to an inch wide or very narrow, similar to traditional Chinese egg noodles.