Fresh Pasta

Directions

1. 1
   Put the flour in the bowl of a food processor.
2. 2
   Beat the eggs in a bowl with a fork.
3. 3
   With the food processor running, add the beaten eggs in a steady stream.
4. 4
   Process until the dough comes together and is smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes.
5. 5
   If the dough seems sticky, add a little more flour.
6. 6
   Put the ball of dough in a bowl and cover with plastic.
7. 7
   Let rest for 20 minutes.
8. 8
   Divide the dough into 6 pieces.
9. 9
   Cover 5 of the pieces with plastic.
10. 10
    Flatten the remaining piece of dough slightly with your hand, dust it with flour, and crank it through a manual pasta machine with the rollers set at their maximum distance apart, the #1 setting.
11. 11
    Fold the dough in thirds as though you were folding a business letter and run it through the machine again, feeding the narrow side into the rollers.
12. 12
    Repeat the process of folding and rolling 4 or 5 more times.
13. 13
    This process kneads the dough and prepares it for the next step of thinning it.
14. 14
    Dont hesitate to sprinkle the dough with flour as necessary as you continue running it through the machine; you dont want it to stick to the rollers.
15. 15
    Gradually roll the dough to the desired thinness, narrowing the distance between the rollers with each pass of the dough.
16. 16
    If the dough tears, just patch it together and roll it through the same setting again, a little more slowly this time.
17. 17
    If the dough sticks to the rollers, sprinkle it with flour.
18. 18
    (You will soon get the feel for the right speed and the proper level of moisture to keep the dough rolling efficiently.)
19. 19
    After youve rolled the dough through the #6 setting, it should be thin enough to cut into any string pasta.
20. 20
    For ravioli, the dough should be rolled slightly thinner.
21. 21
    If you have an older machine there may be only one more setting; otherwise, the machine may go up to # For ravioli, roll the dough through #7 if thats your highest setting, or through # (I never use #9-the dough becomes too delicate to handle easily.)
22. 22
    Let the dough dry for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting it into noodles.
23. 23
    Ravioli should be prepared while the dough is still moist.
24. 24
    Transfer the cut noodles to a board or a sheet pan covered with a towel lightly dusted with flour.