BASIC PASTA RECIPE – FOR LASAGNA

Mound the flour in a bowl or on your kitchen bench.

Make a well in the centre of your flour and add the eggs.

Using a fork, beat the eggs together and then slowly start to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well.

As you mix, the well will expand.  Keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape.

When half of the flour is used, the dough will begin to come together. Fold the dough in on itself a few times and then start to knead by hand on the bench for around 3 mins.

Rub your hands together to clean your hands of all dried dough. The dough will still be a little sticky.

Place dough in a bowl and cover with a tea towel or table cloth to rest at room temperature for around 15 minutes before rolling out.

IF YOU HAVE A PASTA MACHINE:

Cut the dough into quarters.

Flatten a quarter of the dough and sprinkle it with flour before feeding it into the machine. Begin with the highest thickness option (the widest setting).

When you have rolled out one strip, fold it in half and pass it through again.

Continue by reducing the width of the rolling slot until your dough is around 0.5mm thick.

Remember: Every time you make the width of the rolling slot shorter, you have to pass the dough through it twice

Setting 6 – through 3 times – fold twice

Setting 5 – through once – no folding

Setting 4 – through once – cut in half

Setting 3 – through once

Setting 2 – through 2 times

CHEF’S TIP: Dust the strips you have just made with flour so you can stack new strips on top of them without sticking

Cut the big sheet of pasta or the strips of pasta into rectangles of about 20cm x 14 cm and cook them in boiling water for 30 seconds.