Basic Egg Pasta

Check out this additional pasta information.

Basic Egg Pasta

2 ¾ Cups Flour, All-purpose -- (about 11 1/2 - 12 ounces)
1 Teaspoon Salt
4 Large Eggs -- (about 8 1/2 oz with shell) or 3/4-7/8 cup whole egg
Flour in a Shaker

Yield: 1- 1 1/4 pound fresh pasta

 Place flour and salt in the mixer. Attach the flat paddle and set to stir and mix briefly. Add eggs and mix until dough forms large clumps. Using your hands, form into a ball. It should form without sticking to your hands too much. Add 1 tsp. water or 1 tbsp flour if needed to get the right consistency until the dough comes together.
• Remove beater and attach dough hook. Set to speed 2 and knead 2 minutes until dough forms a firm ball. Slice the dough into 5 equal pieces and flatten. Wrap in WELL FLOURED plastic wrap. LET REST 20 MINUTES. It will be soft and flexible after resting. Keep dough pieces wrapped in plastic wrap until you are ready for each one. You can also turn a bowl over the dough to keep it moist.
• Attach pasta roller and set at 1. Set to speed 4 and roll dough. Run through 5-6 times, folding as you go. Dough should look and feel like chamois. This is to develop gluten so noodles cook al dente.
• Turn the setting to 2 and run through once, without folding. Repeat on setting 3. You can increase the thinness each time to 4 or 5, the optimal thickness for most pasta noodles. Cut in half with a pizza wheel if it becomes too long.

• After rolling, lay them on a floured surface and gently rub with a little flour to keep them from sticking together after cutting or hang from a rack. Cut into 12" long pieces, Let rest 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. Set the speed to 4 and run through the desired cutter. Lay on a baking sheet and sprinkle with flour, tossing to coat, or hang from rack. Can also cut into lasagna sheets or paparadelle or ravioli by hand with pasta bike or ravioli stamps or a knife. Do not let the dough dry at all before making ravioli.
• Form into loose nests on the baking sheet and freeze until firm, put in a plastic bag and store up to 6 weeks. Let the paparadelle (1”-1 ¼” wide noodles) freeze flat on the baking sheet first. Don't thaw before cooking.
• Boil pasta 4-5 minutes, stirring the first 30 seconds. Add 30-60 seconds if frozen. Check for doneness; cook another minute if necessary. The cooked pasta should be firm but not rubbery. Drain and serve.

About 10 servings

Cost October 2012:  59¢ per pound - compare that with store-bought fresh or frozen noodles!

• Per Serving : 129 Calories; 2g Fat (13.9% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 202mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Fat.