Egg Pasta

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Place the flour, egg yolks, and olive oil in a food processor and process to combine. Using the feed tube, slowly add the water, pulsing between additions. The dough will just start to come together and shouldn’t form a ball. Remove the dough from the food processor and place on a floured board. Knead by hand until the dough is soft and satiny, about 2 minutes. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and allow to sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes. This gives the gluten a chance to relax before you roll the pasta (see right).

2. Step 2

   To roll either type of pasta, first cut each dough in half and keep the other half wrapped in plastic while you work with the first half. Dust the dough liberally with flour before and between rolling. Begin on the highest setting for your roller, working your way down to #1 thickness for pappardelle.

   Step 3

   As you roll on the final setting, dust and fold the dough over in foot-long segments. With a sharp knife, cut horizontally at 1-inch intervals. Put on a baking sheet and toss with semolina. You can leave the cut pasta on a baking sheet or on a wire rack for a few hours before cooking. Pasta that has been allowed to sit tends to stick together while cooking, so give the pasta a vigorous stir when you first put it in boiling water.