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Classic Egg Pasta Dough

"00" or all-purpose flour gives you a tender bite; whole eggs provide structure while the extra yolk adds richness and color; olive oil makes the dough more pliable and easier to roll; salt seasons the dough from the inside.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups 250g "00" flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature (about 150g total without shells)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1-2 tsp water only if needed

Method
 

  1. Mound the flour on a clean counter or in a large bowl and make a deep, wide well in the center — like a volcano crater with thick walls. (My first attempt used a shallow well and egg ran everywhere. Go deep.)
  2. Crack the eggs and yolk into the well. Add the olive oil and salt on top.
  3. With a fork, beat the eggs gently, then start pulling flour in from the inner walls a little at a time. Keep your other hand guarding the outer wall so nothing breaches.
  4. When the mixture gets too thick for the fork (about half the flour incorporated), ditch the fork and use your hands to bring it together into a shaggy mass. If dry bits won’t incorporate, add water 1 teaspoon at a time.
  5. Knead 8-10 minutes: push the dough away with the heel of your hand, fold it back over itself, give it a quarter turn, repeat. It’ll go from rough to smooth — trust the process.
  6. Shape into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to 24 hours; bring to room temp 20 minutes before rolling).