Boost your kitchen cred by teaching the kids to make fresh pasta – no special equipment required.
Pasta from scratch? You got it! With just three basic ingredients and a little elbow grease, you and your crew can pull together a batch in no time. Working the dough as it changes from egg and flour to a velvety smooth texture is a true example of the magic of cooking, and shaping it into noodles is a task that will be fun and familiar even to young chefs. So clear the counter and get started!
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 whole eggs, plus
1 egg yolk
Pinch of salt
1. Place the flour in a large bowl (or right on the counter) and make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into a small bowl, then pour them into the well, along with the egg yolk. Whisk until smooth.
2. Slowly incorporate the flour into the egg mixture, pulling in a little at a time from the side. Once the mixture becomes too thick to stir, continue blending it by hand into a soft dough.
3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use the heel of your palm to knead the dough, turning it over itself after each motion, until it is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. If it's sticky, sprinkle it with more flour as you work. Wrap in plastic and let it rest on the counter for 1 hour.
4. Cut the dough into quarters. Working with one portion at a time (keep the rest covered), roll the dough into a long rectangle. Halve it crosswise and set aside one half. Continue rolling the remaining strip, flipping it occasionally, until it is a thin (about 1/4 inch), 4x10-inch rectangle.
5. Dust both sides with flour, then slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide pappardelle strips and set aside. Repeat the rolling and slicing steps with all the remaining dough. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to cook. (It should be prepared on the same day it's made.) To cook the pasta, boil it in generously salted water for 3 to 4 minutes.
SHAPE UP
Once you–ve mastered the noodles in the main recipe, give one of these hand-cut variations a try. Cut them straight or use a pasta wheel cutter with a crimped edge.
– Bow-Tie
Slice the dough into 1x2-inch rectangles, then pinch the center to form a bow.
– Garganelli
Cut the dough into 2-inch squares. Cover a small dowel or pencil with parchment paper. Starting from a corner, wind the dough around the dowel to form a tube.
– Maltagliati
Roughly cut dough into 1 1/2 – to 2-inch squares or diamonds.
TIPs
You may want to crack the eggs for younger kids.
Try cutting the noodles with a pizza slicer.
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