Fresh Egg Pasta

Directions

1. Sift the flours. On a clean work surface, sift together 50 g 00 flour and 50 g remilled durum wheat semolina, then form a well in the centre.
2. Add the egg. Crack one medium egg (≈60 g) into the well and beat with a fork, gradually incorporating the surrounding flour until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Knead. Work the dough vigorously with your palms for about 5 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic and no longer sticky.
4. Rest. Shape into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic film and refrigerate overnight (or at least 2 hours) to relax the gluten and make rolling easier.
5. Roll the dough. Lightly dust the dough with semolina, cut into 2–3 pieces and run each through a pasta machine starting from the widest setting, folding and repeating twice per notch until you reach setting 3–4 for a medium thickness.
6. Cut. Trim the sheets into manageable lengths and cut into fettuccine, tagliolini or your preferred shape using the machine cutter or a sharp knife.
7. Dry slightly. Sprinkle the strands with semolina and place them on a tray or clean cloth to air‑dry for 15–30 minutes.
8. Cook. Bring plenty of salted water to a rapid boil (about 1 l per 100 g pasta). Cook the pasta for 2–3 minutes until al dente.
9. Sauce & serve. Drain and toss immediately with your favourite sauce—ragù, fresh tomato, or butter‑sage—then finish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano, basil leaves or a drizzle of extra‑virgin olive oil.

Tools You'll Need

• Fine-mesh sieve
• Clean work surface or pastry board
• Fork
• Plastic wrap
• Pasta machine (e.g., Imperia)
• Sharp knife (as an alternative for cutting)
• Large pot
• Pan for sauce

Suggestions from Lucia

• Resting the dough overnight enhances silkiness and flavour—worth the patience!
• If the dough feels dry, moisten your fingertips while kneading; if it sticks, dust with a pinch of semolina.
• Freeze freshly cut pasta in loose nests on a tray; once solid, bag and store for up to two months. Cook straight from frozen.

History of this Dish

Fresh egg pasta has its roots in the Renaissance courts of northern Italy, where affluent households could afford eggs. Emilia‑Romagna perfected the craft, and today sfogline—skilled pasta artisans—still roll silky sheets by hand for tagliatelle, tortellini and lasagne. Combining refined 00 flour with coarse semolina balances tenderness and bite, creating a dough beloved throughout Italy.