Pasta all’Uovo (Fresh Egg Pasta)

[Guest guest]

Pasta all'Uovo (Fresh Egg Pasta)

 

For a tender noodle, use unbleached all-purpose flour, not the

coarser semolina flour that is meant for commercially made extruded

pasta. The following recipe makes a rather stiff and dry-feeling

dough, but ultimately will yield a lighter pasta. It is essential to

let the dough rest before rolling it out, giving the gluten in the

flour time to relax. A drier dough produces a pasta that will not be

gummy when cooked. So take the time to knead it well, and you will be

rewarded with a silky, light and tender noodle. Measure flour by

spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it with a knife.

Weather affects pasta, so if the day is damp you may need a bit less

flour. For the richest pasta, use more egg yolks than whole eggs.

Three large egg yolks are the equivalent of a single large egg in

moisture content.

 

 

FOR A SCANT 1 ½ POUNDS (Serves 6)

 

3 to 3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs or 3 large eggs and 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

3 to 4 tablespoons water, or as needed

 

FOR A POUND (Serves 4)

 

2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

 

3 large eggs

2 to 3 tablespoons water or as needed

 

FOR ½ POUND (Serves 2)

 

1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 to 2 tablespoons water, or as needed

 

Note: If you use extra-large eggs you will not need any water.

 

In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt.

Make a well in the centre and add the eggs.

Beat the eggs and flour lightly together with a fork, then gradually

pull the flour into the well until all of it is incorporated and a

supple dough has formed.

If it seems too dry, add a bit of water. If it is too wet, add a bit

more flour.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until

smooth, 10 to 15 minutes.

Pat into a flattened disk and slip into a plastic bag.

Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.

 

You may also assemble the pasta dough in a food processor. Put in the

flour and salt. Pulse in the eggs, and then the water if needed.

(Resist the temptation to add too much water or the dough will be too

soft and sticky to roll out after it rests.) Gather the dough into a

round ball. The dough will be crumbly, so you will need to knead it

on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth, 10 to 15 minutes.

Pat into a flattened disk, slip into a plastic bag and let rest at

room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.

 

When ready to roll out the pasta, divide it into 2 pieces for a ½-

pound batch, 4 pieces for a 1–pound batch and 6 pieces for a 1-½

pound batch. With a rolling pin, flatten each piece into a

rectangular about the width of the rollers of a handcrafted pasta

machine. It should be thin enough to get through the widest setting

of the machine.

 

Roll the dough through the thickest setting of the machine. Fold it

in thirds and roll it through 2 times.

Fold it in thirds again and roll it through one more time.

Now proceed to roll it through the thinnest setting of the machine,

making it thinner and thinner until you have rolled it through the

thinnest setting.

(If you want the dough to be even thinner for the most delicate

fettuccine, cover it with plastic wrap, let it rest for 15 minutes so

the gluten relaxes, and then roll it through the thinnest setting

again.

Do not do this for lasagne, cannelloni or ravioli. If they are rolled

too thin, they may tear in the stuffing process)

 

FOR FETTUCCINE OR TAGLIARINI:

 

After the dough has been rolled through the thinnest setting on the

machine, cut into lengths of 9 to 10 inches.

Let dry on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes. You may roll up the dough

like a jelly roll and cut it by hand with a sharp knife, or use the

cutter blades on the pasta machine.

To prevent from sticking, toss the pasta with granular flour like

Wondra, fine semolina flour, or fine cornmeal, and place on baking

sheets.

You may cook the pasta immediately or cover the baking sheets with

large plastic bags to prevent the pasta from drying out and

refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

 

FOR LASAGNE OR PAPPARDELLE

 

After the dough has been rolled through the thinnest setting of the

machine, cut into 9-inch lengths for pappardelle or into lengths to

match the dimensions of your lasagne pan, with some overlap.

With a pasta wheel, cut into 1-inch-wide strips for pappardelle and 2-

to-3-inch-wide strips for lasagne.

To prevent sticking, toss the noodles with granular flour like

Wondra, fine semolina flour, or fine cornmeal, and store on baking

sheets until you are ready to cook.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a large plastic bag.

 

FOR CANNELLONI

 

Roll out the dough on the thinnest setting or the next-to-thinnest

setting on the pasta machine. Cut with a pastry wheel at 4-inch

intervals. You want squares that measure about 4 inches or 3 ½ by 4

inches.

 

FOR RAVIOLI:

 

Using a pasta machine set on the next-to-thinnest setting, roll the

dough into lengths 15 to 18 inches long. Fold in half lengthwise, to

mark it, and unfold. Place mounds of filling along the bottom half of

the dough at 2-inch intervals. Spray lightly with water from a

mister, then fold the top half of the dough over the lower half,

covering the mounds. Press between each mound of filling to seal, but

do not seal the bottom edge. Using a pastry wheel, cut between the

mounds, pressing the air out of each ravioli from the top and letting

it escape through the bottom opening.

Finally, press the bottom edge to seal.

Trim the bottom edge with the pasta wheel.

Place the ravioli, not touching one another, on baking sheets that

have been lined with parchment paper.

Lightly sprinkle them with granular flour like Wondra, fine semolina

flour, or fine cornmeal. These may be refrigerated, uncovered for a

few hours. Do not cover them with plastic, or they will get gummy and

stick to the paper or to one another.

 

Source: Joyce Goldstein: " Cucina Ebraica " -Flavors Of The Italian

Jewish Kitchen " , Chronicle book, San Francisco, 1998

[Guest guest]

A few tips on making home made pasta.

I have experienced, that adding a small amount of oil to the pasta

dough makes it easier to work with.

I make only small amounts of noodles at a time and roll out the dough

by hand, because I found out I cannot use the pasta machine alone.So,

if you plan on making bigger amounts of pasta, have someone help you

with that.

The dough rolled out by hand may not be that thin as the machine

dough, but as good.

If you want to dry the pasta, you have to place it on a rack. I cover

the back of all chairs in the kitchen with fresh tea towels and just

place them there.

If I make the pasta ahead, I let it dry longer and store it in the

fridge loosely covered with foil. Filled noodles or lasagne I prepare

completely in aluminium trays and freeze them.

All I have to do is pop the lasagne in the oven right from the

freezer and when they are almost done, sprinkle them with a little

cheese, or put the frozen filled noodles in a broth, that is already

cooking.

 

Gabriella