Pasta!!!!!

4 cups (17 oz) flour, plus more for kneading

6 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp olive oil

mix flour, eggs, oil, and salt in a hand mixer until the dough comes together. Knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary, until you form a smooth ball and wrap the dough in plastic wrap.  If you are in a hurry, allow the dough to rest on the counter for 15 minutes.  If not, allow it to rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Mix Doughready to kneadbe rough! the dough likes itKnead until you form a smooth ball

recipe notes: I usually figure one egg per person.  the traditional way to mix pasta dough is to mound the flour and make a well in the middle.  Pour the egg into the center of the well and add the olive oil and the salt.  mix gradually allowing the flour to fall into the center of the well.  when dough is mixed begin to knead.

My slave laborer, I mean sous chef, rolling out the pastaTo roll out the dough, I use the attachment on my stand mixer or my hand crank.  If you have a roller, using 1/6 of the dough, start with the setting at 1 (the widest setting) and push the dough through.  Repeat three times.  Fold the dough in thirds and place it through the widest setting once more.  lightly dust with flour if the dough feels sticky.  Move the setting to "2" and put the doNoodles Dryingugh through the machine.  Repeat until you get to setting "7."  Alternatively, you can roll the dough out by hand on a well flour surface (the machine makes it so easy though).  I like thick noodles, so I usually cut the dough by hand. Once cut, allow them to dry in individual strands or else you will end up with a pasta log (I learned this the hard way.  If you don't have a pasta drying rack, the back of a chair, a clothes line, or a broom handle works perfectly)!

Comments

[KBS]

If you don't want to use eggs or don't have eggs handy, is there an alternative? And what will be 'missing' by not using the eggs?

[Klutz in the Kitchen]

Excellent question KBS.

You can substitute eggs with water, however I wouldn't advise it. Eggs besides providing a liquid to bind the pasta, provide flavor, protein, and fat. Noodles made with eggs will taste different and have a softer texture then ones made with water alone.

With that said, you can make the pasta without them (lots of dried noodles are not made with eggs). I would substitue half of the all purpose flour for semolina flour, a coursly ground flour made out of durum wheat. I would also increase the amount of olive oil to 1 Tbs. I"m not sure how much water to add...add it sloughly to the flour until the dough begins to come together and then knead, roll out, cut, and boil.

You aren't turning vegan on me, are you???