400 g Tipo '00' pasta flour
4 large eggs
1 pinch salt
Some fine polenta or semolina for dusting
Place the flour on a board or in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the well and add a pinch of salt, then with a fork mix the egg into the flour as much as possible so it’s not sticky. Don’t worry if there are lumps in the dough. Keep mixing and then when crumbs form put it on a flat surface and knead together.
Once combined on a floured surface knead the dough until you have a silky smooth elastic dough. You are aiming to achieve a playdough-like texture. If your dough is crumbly (too dry) add a teaspoon of olive oil. If the dough sticks to your hands (too wet) add a little extra flour. Cover with clingfilm and rest for 30 minutes.
Take tennis ball-sized amounts of the dough and squash it flat with your fingers (remember to keep the rest of your dough covered with the cling film so it doesn’t go dry and crusty). Place on a floured work surface and using a rolling pin roll into a rough square sheet of pasta which is about 2 playing cards thick.
If you are using a pasta roller, take your flattened tennis ball-sized piece of dough and push it through the pasta roller on the widest setting. Fold into thirds, then repeat 3 times. Once you have a rough square shape, start working it through the machine, taking it down one setting at a time, until the thinnest (or last but one) setting. If your pasta is too sticky, it won’t go through smoothly, so add a little flour to each side before you put it through the roller.
For Farfalle ...
Place your sheet of pasta on a floured surface. Use a pasta cutting wheel or sharp knife to cut your pasta into strips roughly 3-4 cm wide then cut across to create little rectangles. Take each rectangle and with lightly floured fingers, pinch in the middle to create your butterfly shaped pasta. If your pasta is too dry, wet your fingertips with some water.
Lightly dust a few trays with polenta or semolina to prevent the farfalle from sticking together. Place the farfalle onto the trays and repeat the process until you have used all the remaining dough. Leave to dry for 20 minutes so they hold their shape when cooking and get a large pan of salted water on a high heat to boil.
