It’s so easy to produce fresh pasta and, once made, it can either be cooked immediately or stored in a plastic bag in the fridge for 4–5 days.
preparation time about 45 minutes, plus 20–30 minutes to rest the dough
cooking time 1 to 2 minutes
serves 6
Ingredients
500 g (1 lb) plain flour, preferably Italian ‘00’ flour
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
4 medium eggs
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 Sift the flour and salt together on to a work surface and make a well in the centre. Add the eggs and olive oil to the well and gradually mix in the flour to form a smooth dough. If the dough feels very dry, then add a few drops of cold water to make it pliable. (If you have a food processor, simply blend all the ingredients together in it until they form a dough.)
2 Knead the dough very firmly on a lightly floured work surface for about 10 minutes, until it feels smooth and elastic. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 20–30 minutes.
3 If you have a pasta machine, use to roll out the dough. If not, divide it into 4 and roll out each portion as thinly as possible with a rolling pin; it should be almost transparent.
4 Cut the dough into ribbons (as thick or as thin as you like), then leave them for about 10 minutes to dry slightly.
5 Either coil up the ribbons, cover and store in the fridge, or cook them in a large pan of boiling salted water for 1–2 minutes until al dente, drain and serve straight away, with the sauce of your choice.