BASIC FRESH PASTA

PREP TIME 1 HOUR (+ STANDING) SERVES 6

2⅔ cups (400g) Italian “00” flour or high grade flour

(see tip on page 20)

4 eggs (59g each), at room

temperature flour, extra, to dust

Fine semolina, to dust

1 Place flour in a mound on a work surface. Make a large well in the centre; break eggs into well. Using a fork, gently beat eggs, while with your other hand, reinforce the edge of the flour well to prevent any egg escaping. Continue stirring with the fork, drawing in flour, until mixture is very thick; finish working in the remaining flour using your hands.

2 Once flour is incorporated, knead the dough (it should be firm, not sticky) for 5 minutes or until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap; stand for 30 minutes.

3 Divide dough into six pieces. Flatten one piece with your hand until 3mm thick; dust lightly with flour.

4 For machine−rolled pasta, set the pasta machine to its widest setting and feed the dough through 4 to 5 times, folding it in half each time and turning it 90 degrees until it’s smooth and the width of the machine. 5 Continue feeding the dough through, without folding, narrowing the settings on the machine one notch at a time (the highest number is the thinnest setting), until you reach the second last setting. Place pasta sheets on a work surface dusted with semolina. Repeat with the remaining dough.

6 Drape pasta lengths over a clean opened cupboard door or clothes drying rack; leave for 10 minutes to dry slightly. Feed dough lengths, one at a time, through cutting attachment on the pasta machine; sprinkle lightly with semolina and place on a tray. (For hand−rolled and hand−cut pasta, see pages 21 and 23.) 7 Bring a 6−litre saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add pasta, stir once; cook until al dente, then drain. (Fresh pasta takes from 20 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the thickness). Serve immediately as desired. SAFFRON PASTA Roast 1 teaspoon loosely packed saffron in a dry frying pan for 1 minute. Crumble and combine well with the flour.

SPINACH PASTA Add 2 tablespoons very finely chopped, blanched, squeezed−dry spinach to 2 cups plain flour. Replace the 4 eggs with 2 eggs and 1 yolk.