Homemade Egg Pasta

Instructions

Make the dough

1. Mix the all-purpose flour and semolina together on a clean counter or in a large bowl.
2. Form the flour into a mound and make a wide well in the center.
3. Crack the eggs into the well. Add the olive oil and salt.
4. Use a fork to beat the eggs, slowly pulling flour from the sides into the eggs.
5. Once the mixture thickens, mix with your hands until a dough forms.

Knead

1. Knead the dough firmly for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth, slightly firm, and elastic when pressed.
2. If it’s sticky, sprinkle in a little flour. If it’s dry or crumbly, wet your hands slightly and keep kneading. The finished dough should look smooth and hold together well.

Rest the dough

1. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or cover it with a bowl.
2. Let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. This relaxes the gluten and makes the dough much easier to roll.

Roll the dough

1. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Keep the pieces you aren’t using covered so they don’t dry out.
2. Roll one piece at a time into a very thin sheet with a rolling pin, about 1 to 1.5 mm thick. You should be able to faintly see your hand through it. Dust lightly with flour while rolling so it doesn’t stick.

Cut the spaghetti

1. Spaghetti should be about 2 mm wide. For the simplest method, lightly flour the sheet, fold it loosely a few times, and slice thin strips with a sharp knife. For more precise strands, leave the sheet flat and cut straight thin lines with a knife or pizza cutter.
2. Toss the strands lightly with semolina or flour so they separate.

Let the pasta sit

1. Spread the noodles on a floured tray or hang them over a clean rack.
2. Let them rest for 20 to 30 minutes. This dries the surface slightly so the pasta won’t stick together when cooking.

Cook and finish

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
2. Add the pasta and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, checking at 2 minutes.
3. Before draining, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
4. Drain and toss the pasta immediately with your sauce, adding a splash of the starchy water to help it coat smoothly.