Standard Pasta Dough

There’s something almost alchemical about turning four simple ingredients—flour, eggs, a pinch of salt, and a dash of olive oil—into the supple, golden ribbon of fresh pasta that dances on your fork. Our standard pasta dough recipe strips things back to the essentials, so you can taste the pure, rich flavor of real wheat and the creamy silkiness of farm-fresh eggs.

Ingredients:

• 2 Eggs
• 3 Egg yolk
• 1/4tsp, Salt
• 2c All-purpose flour

Optional: Replace 1/2c all-purpose with 1/2c semolina flour

Directions:

1. Mound the flour in the center of a large, wide mixing bowl. Dig a well in the center of the mound and add eggs and yolks. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. The dough will start to come together in a shaggy mass when about half of the flour is incorporated.
2. Use your fingers to continue to mix the dough. Press any loose bits of flour into the mass of dough. If needed, add another egg yolk or a tablespoon of water to absorb all of the flour. Once the dough comes together into a cohesive mass, remove it from the bowl.
3. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 4 to 5 more minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and uniform in color. Wrap the dough in plastic and set aside for at least 30 minutes (and up to 4 hours) at room temperature.
4. Cut off a quarter of the dough. Rewrap rest, and set aside. Use the heel of your hand to flatten the dough into an oval approximately the same width as your pasta machine, about six inches. Set the rollers to their widest setting and pass the dough through.