Basic Pasta

Directions

1. 1
   Put 1-1/4 cups (300 ml) flour, eggs, and salt in the work bowl.
2. 2
   Mix until dough forms a ball.
3. 3
   Dough should not be wet.
4. 4
   Add remaining flour if necessary using one tbsp at a time, and mix the dough for forty seconds, or until it dough is smooth.
5. 5
   Wrap in plastic and let rest for thirty minutes.
6. 6
   Cut dough into eight pieces on a well-floured surface.
7. 7
   Keep the unworked pieces still wrapped in plastic.
8. 8
   With a pasta machine or by hand, roll dough out and stretch each piece into a rectangle 1/16-inch thick, adding flour sparingly when necessary.
9. 9
   Set the rollers to the widest setting.
10. 10
    Lightly flour one piece of dough and put through rollers one time.
11. 11
    Flour it lightly, fold dough into thirds, and put through the rollers a second time.
12. 12
    Repeat the folding and rolling, lightly flouring the dough only when necessary, six or more times, or until the dough is very soft and smooth.
13. 13
    Pull dough gently to stretch it as it comes out of the pasta machine.
14. 14
    Reset the rollers for the next thinner setting.
15. 15
    Lightly flour dough again but do not fold it.
16. 16
    Put dough through the pasta machine again, repeating the process on each remaining setting until the dough is as thin as desired.
17. 17
    Brush off any excess flour.
18. 18
    Repeat the entire process with remaining pieces of dough.
19. 19
    Let dough rest on towels until taut but not dry.
20. 20
    Cut pasta on the noodle or vermicelli setting.
21. 21
    Separate strands and let pasta dry completely, stretched out on towels or over a rack.
22. 22
    Roll each piece into a rectangle as thin as desired, using flour when only necessary.
23. 23
    Brush off excess flour with a soft pastry brush.
24. 24
    Starting with a short end, roll up each piece of dough jelly-roll fashion and with a sharp knife cut it into 1/4-inch widths for noodles or 1/16-inch widths for vermicelli.
25. 25
    Separate strands and let pasta dry completely, stretched out on towels or over a rack.
26. 26
    In large kettle, bring six quarts of water to a boil with 2 tbsp (30 ml) of salt.
27. 27
    Drop pasta in, and cook it for thirty seconds after the water returns to a boil, or until al dente (firm to bite).
28. 28
    The pasta cooks very quickly if it is rolled thin and cooked fresh.
29. 29
    Drain and serve it immediately.