Egg Pasta Dough

By LeeBoruchow

This is your basic egg pasta dough -- the kind they make in Emilia. I can write for pages on this particular recipe, but here are some highlights:

If you need to make more than this recipe offers, the basic rule of thumb is one egg, per person, per 100 grams of flour (by weight). Also keep in mind that atmospheric conditions will change this entire recipe and you will find you may need less or more flour depending on the day you make it -- just remember that you shouuld ALWAYS err on the side of too much liquid because its alot harder to add moisture to an arid ball than it is to add flour to an overly moist ball of dough. The whole process is very much based on touch, so keep practicing until you "feel" it properly.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, plus extra as needed
• 4 large eggs
• extra virgin olive oil

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Mound the flour in the center of a large wooden board or large wooden bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and crack the eggs into it. Add a drizzle of oil and, using a fork, beat the eggs and begin to invade the walls of the flour well with the tines of the fork, gradually incorporating the flour. As incorporate more flour, use your hands to push the flour uup to retain the integrity of the wall.

When half of the flour is incorporated, the dough will begin to come together. Start kneading using your hands and it will become a cohesive mass. Set the ball aside and discard any dry crumbly bits of dough.

Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary (it should be elastic and a tad sticky, but not so much that it sticks to your hands). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room tempature before using.