Ingredients
- 3 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs plus 2 yolks
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 tbs red chili pepper flakes (more for added spiciness)
Instructions
- Put the flour on a clean dry work surface. Make a hole, known as a flour well, in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide. Crack all of the eggs and the yolk into the hole and add the olive oil, salt and water.
- Gradually draw in the flour from the inside wall of the well in a circular motion. Be careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over your board and you will have a big mess! Also, dont worry about the lumps. When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture that it will not run all over the place when the sides of the well are broken, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. When the mixture has really come together to a homogeneous mixture, THEN you can start kneading. When kneading it is VERY important to put your body weight into it, get on top of the dough to really stretch it and not to tear the dough. Using the heels of your palms, roll the dough to create a very smooooooth, supple dough. When done the dough should look VERY smooth and feel almost velvety. Kneading will usually take from 8 to 10 minutes for an experienced kneader and 10 to 15 for an inexperienced kneader. Put your body weight into it, you need to knead! This is where the perfect, toothsome texture of your pasta is formed. Get in there and have fun!
- Brush the surface with remaining olive oil and wrap the dough in plastic wrap; let rest for about an hour to allow the gluten to relax. Divide the ball of dough in small sections, cover and reserve the dough you are not immediately using to prevent it from drying out. Form the dough into a rectangle and crank it through the pasta machine, 2 or 3 times, at widest setting. Pull and stretch the sheet of dough with the palm of your hand as it emerges from the rollers. Reduce the setting and crank dough through again, 2 or 3 times. Continue tightening and rolling until the sheet is about 1/4-inch thick. Keep in mind, overly thick pasta tastes gummy. Cut the long sheet into workable 18-inch pieces. Cut pasta into desired shape.
08/05/2012
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