Pasta

Home-made pasta is simple when you get into the swing of it. A pasta roller machine won't set you back much at all and will make life so much easier. Yes it is much simpler to go and buy pasta in the shops, but this is fun to do! Plus it is a great workout for the forearms – Italian mama's would be proud!

Ingredients

140g strong flour or pasta flour

1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk

Method

• Mix the ingredients together in a bowl or a food processor until it resembles fine breadcrumbs (it shouldn't look wet or too dusty, you can adjust this either way with the addition of a little water or a sprinkle of flour respectively).

• Tip the mixture out onto a work surface and form it into a ball; stick with it, it will come together.

• Knead the ball briskly for 1–2 minutes (it will be quite stiff) and wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 1 hour.

• After the hour, cut the dough in half and roll one half out to a 5mm/¼in thick square and put it through a pasta machine at the widest setting – setting number seven on mine. Fold it in half.

• Put it through again at this setting, folding in half again, repeat this another five times at this setting.

• Now you can start reducing the settings: however, this time don’t fold it over and put it through each setting only once. Repeat the process until you have reached the thinnest setting. Repeat for the second half of the dough.

• You can trim these sheets to suit the size of your lasagne dish; there also will be a cutter attachment on the machine for making spaghetti.

• Cook your spaghetti in boiling water until al dente (usually 4–6 mins).