One of my favourite ways to spend a slow, Sunday afternoon at home (especially a Sunday with inclement weather) is to make pasta from scratch. I find the methodical process of making pasta by hand very relaxing- my ultimate stress reliever. As a further reward, at the end there is something amazingly delicious to enjoy!
During my time as a chef, I acquired a very versatile pasta dough recipe that has become my go-to and I thought I would share it with you. It is for a tender, easy to work with, delicious egg yolk pasta. Over the weekend I used it to create ravioli filled with a silky butternut squash filling and I served it with brown butter, shaved brussel sprouts and toasted almonds. I used my La Gondola Square Stamp which added a touch of luxury to the process and they turned out beautifully.
All-purpose pasta dough
- Whisk together the egg yolks and whole egg. Add in the milk and olive oil and whisk to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the flour and make a well in the center. Add the liquid into the well and using a fork, slowly incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients.
- When the dough has started to come together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes until a smooth ball forms.
- Cover the dough and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using. If you are making it in advance, it will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap.
- Cut the dough into workable pieces so you can put it through your pasta machine.
- Cooking time varies for the type of pasta you are making. As a general rule, you want to cook it in a large pot of barel boiling, lightly salted water. Add the pasta and when it rises to the top of the pot, let it cook for another 30 seconds before removing from the water.
Making pasta from scratch is not just for the professionals, it is actually much easier than most people think. It is looking like we might be in for another long winter with lots of time spent at home, the perfect time to learn a new skill and have a little fun in the kitchen!
