Recipe: How to Make Traditional Egg Pasta Dough, with Variations

Traditional Egg Pasta Dough, and Variations
Source: How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food
by Mark Bittman

Traditional Egg Pasta Dough
Makes about 1 pound, enough for 3 to 4 main-course servings or 4 to 6 first-course servings, or 25 to 30 raviolis

This is classic pasta dough, delicious in flavor, fantastic in texture. If you prefer, you can make it with two eggs and more water. Cook the finished pasta as soon as it's done, or allow it to dry for a few hours (or even a few days) and cook it later.

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
A few drops water, if needed

To make the dough by hand, mound the flour on a smooth countertop or place it in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add the salt. Then break in an egg, beating with a fork and incorporating a little of the flour. Bear in another egg and repeat, until all the flour is mixed with the eggs. Gather the mixture in a ball.

To make the dough in a food processor, combine the flour and salt in the container and pulse once or twice. Add the eggs all at once and turn the machine on. Process just until a ball begins to form, about 30 seconds. Add a few drops of water if the dough is dry and grainy; add a tablespoon of flour if dough sticks to the side of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a dry, lightly floured work surface and knead until it is smooth, just a minute or two. Add water by the half-teaspoonful if the mixture is dry; add flour if it is sticky. This should be an easy dough to work. Cut the dough into 6 pieces; wrap 5 pieces in plastic.

Roll the dough out with a pin until it is as thin as you can make it, then proceed to make into shapes. Or see How to Use a Manual Pasta-Rolling Machine (above).

Semolina Dough:
Somewhat more flavorful and a hit grainy. Use half semolina flour in place of the all- purpose flour.

Whole Wheat Dough:
More flavorful and more fragile. Use half whole wheat flour in place of the all- purpose flour.

About Flavored Pasta

Like bread, pasta can be flavored with almost anything. There is some controversy about flavoring pastas, hut this results mostly from the excesses of over- enthusiastic pasta makers who have used flavorings

Red Pasta:
You can also substitute about /2 cup well- drained pureed beets or pureed, peeled, stemmed, and seeded red bell pepper for the tomato paste if you like but this is easiest: Follow the directions for Traditional Egg Pasta Dough, adding 3 tablespoons tomato paste along with the eggs.

Peppery Pasta:
Great with the sauce from Penne Arrabbiata or other spicy sauces, or simply dressed with olive oil and minced parsley with just a touch of garlic. Follow the directions for Traditional Egg Pasta Dough, adding 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes along with the salt.

Saffron Pasta:
Best with rich meat and/or tomato sauces. Crumble 1/4 teaspoon or more saffron threads with your fingers and combine it with the flour and salt. Follow the directions for Traditional Egg Pasta Dough.