Pasta Dough

Directions

• To prepare the mixture by hand, place flour on a clean counter top or rolling board and make a well in the centre (I like using a large stainless steel bowl to contain the mess).
• Break the eggs into the well and using a fork, beat the eggs gradually drawing in flour from the inner sides, leaving the outer edge intact so that the eggs don’t spill out (if they do, just sprinkle with flour and bring the eggs back into the centre).
• Continue dragging the flour into the centre well, stirring the ingredients together until the dough begins to for a homogeneous ball.
• Add a little drizzle of olive oil and a splash of sparkling water.  Start kneading the dough and continue to work in all the flour.  If need be, add drizzles of sparkling water until all the flour is worked into a ball.
• Sprinkle the working surface with flour and continue kneading the pasta dough.  You have the right consistency when the dough holds together but the surface is not sticky.  The surface should be almost dry to the touch.
• When the right texture has been reached, form a ball and leave to rest under an inverted bowl for 10-15 mins.
• Cut the ball into 4 pieces.  Flatten the dough pieces with your hands.
• Using the pasta attachment, put the setting on 1.
• Run the dough through and fold in 1/2.  Do this a couple of times until the dough is the width of the pasta roller.
• Roll the dough through #1, twice.
• Increase the setting by 1 and again run the dough through twice.  Lightly flour if dough becomes sticky.
• Continue increasing setting by 1 and running through twice until desired thickness is achieved.
• For ravioli, setting #5 works well.  Possibly #6.  See suggested settings below.
• To make ravioli, place a piece of dough on floured surface.  Place 1 tsp of filling in center.  Use an egg wash around the edges.  Seal the 2nd layer ensuring that there are no air bubble with the filling otherwise the they will burst when cooked.  LIghtly dust with flour so they don’t stick together and place on tray.
• Cook the ravioli in boiling water for a few minutes until they float to the surface.  Serve right away with a sauce of your choice.