four ingredients including whole eggs — no need to have leftover whites
Before a I had kitchen scale, I had scoured the internet for the best homemade pasta recipe. And since it was quarantine, I didn’t want to use any recipe that used yolks only — I thought that was a waste. Yes, there are benefits to using extra yolks in pasta dough, but then you’d have extra whites, which you would have to put to use. I eventually found this — a fuss-free whole egg solution to my pasta making problems!
Although making pasta from scratch may seem daunting, there are actually only four ingredients. You can make pasta dough with just flour and eggs; however, the addition of a pinch of salt and a splash of olive oil can go a long way in enhancing the flavors. I have rolled out my own pasta dough by hand, and it is definitely do-able, but a pasta maker streamlines your pasta-making process. I was able to find a traditional, made in Italy one on Amazon for just fifty dollars, and it arrived last night!
A pasta maker’s capabilities are not limited to making spaghetti. I already have plans to put my maker to work to make lasagna, tortellini, crackers, ramen, dumpling wrappers, egg roll wrappers, phyllo pastry, and more!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups bread flour (AP also works)
- 3 whole eggs
- a pinch of salt
- a splash of olive oil
Directions:
- Make a well in your flour, then crack in the eggs.
- Sprinkle salt and drizzle olive oil on top.
- Use a fork to beat the flour into the eggs, and eventually use a bench scraper and your hands to incorporate it all.
- Once it comes together, knead for 10 minutes, until smooth, in order to build up the gluten.
- Rest for 30 minutes to let the gluten relax.
- Roll out the dough, then fold it in thirds like an envelope.
- Using your pasta maker, pass the dough through the widest setting a couple times, then gradually use narrower settings.
- Roll the dough through the pasta maker until you can see your hand through the dough. (I ended up going to setting 5)
- Cut the dough into 1 foot segments, then pass through the cutting part of the pasta maker.
- Toss pasta in flour to make sure it doesn’t stick.
- Cook in boiling, heavily salted water until it floats, about 2 minutes.
- Serve hot, enjoy!
