Fresh egg-enriched pasta forms a delicate foundation for a variety of dishes. Making the dough by hand gives you a sense of the correct flour-to-water ratio and ideal dough consistency. You may need to adjust the quantities of flour or water, depending on the weather.
You can reduce the quantities of the recipe below to make just enough for 1 large or 2 small servings — the perfect quantity for a weeknight meal. Use 2/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. flour and 1 egg. (You can omit the olive oil if you like.)
Fresh Egg Pasta Dough
2 1/2 cups flour, plus extra for dusting
4 eggs
2 Tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Make a well in the flour.
Pour 2 cups of the flour into a mound on a clean work surface. With your fingers, gently make a well large enough to hold the eggs in the center of the mound.
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Pour the eggs into the well.
Crack the eggs into a large measuring cup and check for shells. Add the oil to the measuring cup and then pour the egg-oil mixture into the well.
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Whisk the eggs.
Using a fork, carefully whisk the eggs in the well, without drawing in any flour, until they are just mixed together.
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Draw in the flour.
Use the fork to gradually draw the flour into the center and stir it together with the egg-oil mixture. Gently draw in more flour and mix it in this way until all of the flour is blended in and you have a shaggy mess of dough.
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Bring the dough together.
Use your hands to bring the shaggy mass of dough into a ball. When all the flour is combined, if the dough is still sticky, sprinkle more flour over the dough, a little at a time, and mix it in.
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Knead the dough.
Use a bench scraper to clean the work surface, and dust the clean surface with flour. Transfer the dough to the floured surface and knead it by pushing down and away from you and turning it repeatedly until the dough feels smooth and satiny, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle on more flour if the dough becomes sticky or soft during kneading.
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Let the dough rest.
Clear away most of the excess flour on the work surface. Shape the dough into a ball by rolling it in a circle with both hands, applying pressure to the bottom so that the dough tucks under itself and the ball tightens up a little. Cover the ball with a large overturned bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes before rolling. Makes about 1 pound.
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