A simple fresh pasta dough made with flour, eggs, salt and a little olive oil. The food processor makes quick work of bringing the dough together, while a good rest after kneading makes it supple and much easier to roll.
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| James Beard Pasta Dough Recipe |
Servings: 4 as an appetizer or 3 as a main course
Prep Time: About 10 minutes
Rest Time: At least 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, when using a food processor or stand mixer
- Additional flour, as needed for kneading and rolling
- Water, as needed if the dough is too dry
Food Processor Method
Instructions:
- Fit the food processor with the metal blade.
- Add the flour and salt and pulse briefly to combine.
- With the machine running, add the eggs and olive oil through the feed tube.
- Process until the dough begins to form a ball, about 15 seconds.
- Check the consistency of the dough. If it is too sticky, add 1–2 tablespoons additional flour. If it seems too dry, add a few drops of water. Process briefly again as needed.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
- With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 3–5 minutes, adding a little additional flour if necessary, until you have a smooth, cohesive ball.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or cover it with a clean kitchen towel.
Resting the Dough
Allow the pasta dough to rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
This resting period is important because it allows the gluten developed during kneading to relax. The dough becomes softer, smoother and considerably easier to roll.
For a longer rest, wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate. Bring refrigerated dough toward room temperature before rolling if it has become too firm.
Tip: Don't automatically add more flour if the dough initially seems slightly sticky. After kneading and resting, the texture often improves considerably. Add only enough additional flour to make the dough smooth and manageable.
Source: James Beard — Beard on Pasta (Knopf, 1983)