Italian Egg Dough Food

PAPPARDELLE (EGG PASTA DOUGH)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the 00 and semolina flours and salt and form a well. Add the egg and yolks to the center of the well. Using a fork, slowly start to incorporate the flour into the eggs to form a rough dough. You may add a splash of water if the dough is too dry or a dusting of flour if it is too wet.
• Lightly flour a smooth work surface and pour the dough onto the flour. Knead the dough until it springs back when you press a finger into it, 10 to 12 minutes. Flatten the dough into an even square. Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
• Cut the dough into 3 pieces. Set up a pasta roller according to the manufacturer's directions and set it at the widest setting. Dust one section of the dough with semolina flour and press firmly to flatten the dough to 1/4 inch. Roll the dough through the machine on the widest setting. Fold the pasta dough in thirds and dust the outside with flour. Send it through the widest setting again. Reduce the setting to the next setting. Send the dough through the machine. Fold it in thirds once again and send through the setting one more time. Continue sending the dough through the machine, reducing the setting each time, until the desired thickness is reached, about 1/8 inch. Lay the sheet out on the counter and dust with flour. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut strips 1 inch by 10 inches. Dust the strips with more flour. Continue with the remaining dough.

PASTA ALL'UOVO (EGG DOUGH)

Steps:

• Hand method:
• Sift the flour onto a large wooden board. Form the flour into a mound with the approximate profile of Mount Fuji. Form your hand into a loose fist, and, with the back of the fingers, gently ream out the center of the mound until you have something that resembles a low, broad volcano with a very deep crater. Italian cooks call this a fountain, fontana, for the pool of liquid in the center, but it's definitely a cone.
• Break all the eggs into the crater one by one. Pierce the yolks with a fork and begin gingerly to use the fork to incorporate them into the flour with a movement something like scrambling eggs. Incorporate the liquid from the center outward. The walls of the crater will keep the liquid from running out.
• When the liquid has absorbed enough flour that you now have a messy, wet dough surrounded by flour, knock what's left of the volcano in toward the center and begin to knead with your hands to incorporate the rest of the flour into the dough. Scrape up all the remaining flour and the dough bits and squeeze them into the dough.
• Food processor method:
• Put all the ingredients in the container of a food processor fitted with the steel blade (not pastry hooks or the like). Let rip at high speed until you see crumbs forming. Keep going until the dough forms a ball. You may become convinced that your dough will never form a single ball, only many little ones. In that case, give up because you risk overheating the dough. Pour what you have out on the wooden board; use your hands to form the pieces into a single loaf of dough.
• Kneading:
• The biggest mistake people make, says Oretta, is not using enough force. Skip the gym the day you make pasta and make kneading your workout. The women of Scandriglia, where Oretta has her country house, recommend making fettuccine as a remedy for backache in preference to those boring exercises. On the other hand, my friend Antonietta, who learned to make pasta as a child in Basilicata, tells me southern men enjoy watching the undulating hips of southern women as they knead the pasta dough. If it helps to put on some music and do the maccheroni mambo as you knead, go right ahead.
• Plant your feet firmly on the floor and the heels of your hands firmly on the dough in front of you. A dining table will usually be a more comfortable height than a kitchen counter, which may be too high. With all your strength, and leaning in with your whole body, push the dough forward hard with the heel of one hand, then with the heel of the other hand. Then fold it over and continue the movement, alternating hands-or whatever works for you. You're pushing the whole piece of dough forward, so it moves on the board.
• After each completed movement, give the dough a quarter turn and repeat. Keep this up for 30 minutes, or as long as you can stand. If you've used the food processor, 15 or 20 minutes will do. You can quit early, too, if you plan to use a rolling machine: send the dough through one extra pass for each minute of kneading saved.
• As you work, the dough may seem dry, but you don't want it to be wet and sticky. It needs just enough moisture to hold it together, not a drop more. If your dough is so dry that you are quite sure it will never hold together, you can add a teensy bit of water. (It used to be quite normal to use water to save eggs, which could be sold for cash.) Your goal is a single smooth loaf of dough that is not sticky to the touch. If the flour is either very freshly ground (hence moister) or very old (drier), you'll have to adjust by feel. When it feels just right-moist but not tacky, considerably drier than the average dog's nose-set it aside for a moment.
• You'll probably need to clean the board about halfway through the process. Use a plastic scraper or the blunt side of a large knife to scrape up any bits that have stuck to the board. (Sharp knives may damage your nice wooden board, and their edges are dulled by scraping.) Likewise wash your hands, which are doubtless also encrusted with bits of dried dough by this time.
• Resting:
• Once you have a beautifully silky loaf of dough, let it rest for 30 minutes to let the gluten develop. Wrap it in foil, or just place it on the board and invert a bowl over it until you're ready. By this time, you probably need to put your feet up too.
• When the dough and you have rested, you can proceed to the next stage. Depending on what kind of pasta you want to make, this may involve rolling and cutting to make a pasta sheet (sfoglia) or pulling pieces directly from the loaf of dough and shaping them by hand.

EGG PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• On a clean work surface or in a large bowl, combine both flours. Make a well in center; add eggs and yolks, 1 tablespoon warm water, and oil. Using a fork and whisking outward from the center of well, gradually incorporate flour mixture into egg mixture until a ragged dough forms.
• Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead until dough is smooth and springs back when pressed with a finger, 8 to 10 minutes. While kneading, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough feels too dry; or add more "00" flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough feels too sticky.
• Divide dough in half. Pat each half into an approximately 1-inch-thick square; tightly wrap in plastic and let stand at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours before using.

BASIC DOUGH FOR FRESH EGG PASTA

Steps:

• Put flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add eggs and yolks, and mix with hands or wooden spoon for a minute or so, until dough comes together. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.) If dough seems dry or crumbly, add 1 or 2 tablespoons cold water, but only enough to keep the dough together.
• Turn dough out onto a board and knead to form a ball. Flatten dough ball to a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap in plastic, and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour (several hours is fine).
• Divide dough into 4 pieces. Knead each piece until smooth. Roll with a rolling pin or pasta machine as thinly as possible (but not quite paper-thin). Cut each sheet in half, making 8 smaller sheets. Dust dough sheets lightly with semolina to keep them from sticking. Stack 2 or 3 sheets, roll loosely, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide noodles or other desired shape. Continue until all dough is used. Gently fluff noodles and spread on a semolina-dusted baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to cook.

FRESH SEMOLINA AND EGG PASTA

Steps:

• Thoroughly sift together all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and pinch of salt.
• On a clean surface, make a mountain out of flour mixture then make a deep well in center.
• Break the eggs into the well and add olive oil.
• Whisk eggs very gently with a fork, gradually incorporating flour from the sides of the well.
• When mixture becomes too thick to mix with a fork, begin kneading with your hands.
• Knead dough for 8 to 12 minutes, until it is smooth and supple.
• Dust dough and work surface with semolina as needed to keep dough from becoming sticky.
• Wrap dough tightly in plastic and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Roll out dough with a pasta machine or a rolling pin to desired thickness.
• Cut into your favorite style of noodle or stuff with your favorite filling to make ravioli.
• Bring water to a boil in a large pot, then add 4 teaspoons salt.
• Cook pasta until tender but not mushy, 1 to 8 minutes depending on thickness.
• Drain immediately and toss with your favorite sauce.

ITALIAN EASTER EGG BASKET (PUPA CU L'OVA)

Steps:

• Thoroughly mix first two ingredients.
• Add eggs one at a time and completely mix after each.
• Add the extract and beat until smooth.
• Whisk flour and baking powder together and add to egg mixture just enough to make a workable dough.
• Roll a piece of dough into a ball and flatten it to make a 4-inch diameter round onto cookie sheet.
• Roll some dough into a 1/4-inch diameter "rope" and cut 2 pieces enough to crisscross a raw egg which is placed in the center of the round and the edges sealed.o.
• Repeat until all six eggs are used up and bake at 350 degrees F. 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Leftover scraps of dough can be shaped into cookies and baked along with the egg baskets.