Basic Pasta Dough

My pasta dough is a little wetter than others I see. That gives you more time to work with it before it begins to dry out. If you use the dough right away, you can always add more flour as you are sheeting it. The amounts here make about 1 pound of dough, enough for 6 fully rolled pasta sheets, each 4- to 5-feet long. That is enough for about thirty-two 2-inch square (large ravioli) or forty-six 1-inch square (small) ravioli. Most of my recipes call for 1 pound of pasta, but if you need only 8 ounces, divide the recipe in half. I use weight rather than volume measurements for the ingredients in this recipe because flour weights vary, resulting in different volume measurements. Weight measurements are more accurate regardless of which brand of flour you use. Makes 1 pound. INGREDIENTS

6½ ounces (1¼cups) tipo 00 flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2½ ounces (1/3 cup plus 1½ tablespoons) semolina flour

9 large egg yolks 3 to 4 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil INSTRUCTIONS

Combine both flours in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With the machine running on medium speed, add the egg yolks, water and oil and mix until the ingredients come together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes or until silky and smooth, kneading in more flour if the dough is too sticky. The dough is ready if it gently pulls back into place when stretched with your hands. Shape the dough into a 6-inch-long log, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days (it could get too soft and difficult to roll if left at room temperature).

Cut the dough into six equal pieces and let them return almost to room temperature. Position the rollers on a pasta machine at the widest setting and roll one piece of dough through the rollers two or three times, lightly dusting the dough with flour if necessary to prevent sticking. Reset the rollers to the next narrower setting and again pass the dough through the rollers two or three times, lightly dusting with flour as

PHOTO BY EMILY RYAN A young helper kneads homemade pasta dough.