Combining the eggs and flour:
Pour the flour onto a clean
work surface. Shape it into a mound then scoop out a deep hollow
in the center. Break the eggs into the hollow. If making spinach
pasta add the spinach at this point. Beat the eggs lightly for about
1 minute or 2 minutes if using spinach. Draw some of the flour over
the eggs with a fork and mix into the eggs until they are no longer
runny.
Draw the sides of the mound
of flour together with your hands, but push some of the flour off
to the side, keeping it away until you need it. Work the flour and
eggs together, using your fingers and the palms of your hands until
you have a smooth mixture. If toomoist work in more flour. When
the mass of dough feels smooth and feels smooth and soft it should
be ready to knead.
Clean the work surface before
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you begin kneading the dough.If you are making a large quantity
of pasta you can cut the doughinto two or more pieces before kneading.
Be sure to keep any dough you are not working on tightly covered
in plastic wrap.
Push forward against the dough
using the heel of your palm, keeping your fingers bent. Then fold
the dough in half and give it a half turn, press firmly against
the dough again with your palm and repeat the operation. When you
have kneaded the dough in this manner for about 8 minutes it should
be silky smooth. It is ready to go into the pasta machine.
Rolling the pasta in the machine:
Cut the ball of dough into
smaller pieces. Set the rollers on the machine at their widest opening.
Flatten one of the pieces of dough by pounding it with your hand
and run it through the machine.
Fold the dough twice into
a third of its length and feed the narrow end through the machine.
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Repeat this procedure
2 or 3 times, then lay the flattened strips of pasta over
a towel on the counter.
Now close the opening
between the machine’s rollers one notch. Take the first
pasta strip you have thinned and run it through the
rollers, feeding it
by its narrow end. Place the strip of pasta flat, on a towel,
do not fold it. Move onto the next pasta strip.
When all of the pasta
has gone through the narrow opening once, bring the rollers
closer together one notch and run all of the pasta strips
through them once again. Continue to roll the pasta strips
in sequence closing the opening between the rollers one
notch at a time until the pasta is as thin as you want it.
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Stuffed
Pasta note:
Pasta to be used for
the tortelloni and tortellini should be soft and moist and
just made. You must make a change in the procedure described
above: take just one piece of dough at a time through the
entire thinning process, cut it, and stuff it as described.
Then go on to the next piece. Keep all of the pieces of dough
waiting to be rolled tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
Tortellini:
Trim the strips of pasta dough
into rectangular strips 3 centimeters/ 1 ½ inches 3
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centimeters/ 1 ½
inches wide. Save the trimmings,
pressing them into a ball to be rolled out later. Cut the
strips crosswise into 3 centimeter or 1½ inch squares.
Put ¼ teaspoon of filling into the center of each square.
Fold the square diagonally in half, to form a triangle. The
top half of the fold should stop about 1/8 inch before the
edge of the bottom half. Press the edges together firmly with
your fingertips sealing it tightly.
Now pick up the triangle
by one corner of the long folded side, and take the other
corner in your
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other hand, between
your thumband 3 centimeters/ 1 ½ inches forefinger.
The bottom of thetriangle should be parallel to the kitchen
table. Fold the pasta as in the photo.
Tortelloni:
3 centimeters/ 1 ½
inches Trim the strips of yellow pasta dough. Cut the strips
into 6 centimeter or 3 inch squares. Place one teaspoon
of the filling in the center of each square. Then follow
the instructions folding for the tortellini above.
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