Basic Pasta Dough

[kate]

Mario Batali
Simple Italian Food

makes 1 pound

This yields enough fresh pasta to serve four as a first course pasta dish or two as a main course. Divided into four portions and rolled to the thinnest setting on a pasta machine, it can be used to make ravioli and other stuffed pastas. Rolled slightly thicker the sheets can be cut into varying widths, as follows:

Tagliolini: 1/4 inch
Fettucine: 1/2 inch
Tagliatelle 3/4 inch
Pappardelle: 1 1/2 inches

3 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 extra large eggs
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Mound 3 1/2 cups of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and olive oil. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and oil and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well.

As you expnd the well, keep pushing the flour up from the base of the mound to retain the well shape. Do not worry that this initial phase looks messy. The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up and discard any leftover crusty bits. Lightly reflour the board and continue kneading for 6 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll or shape as desired.

Note: Do not skip the kneading or resting portions for the dough. They are essential for a light pasta.