Handmade Pasta
If you are making the broth from scratch, begin it in the morning so it can simmer all day. Otherwise, begin the pasta two to three hours before you plan to eat. The soup can be made with any kind of seasonal vegetables—carrots, parsnips, and shredded spinach in fall; zucchini, yellow squash, peas in spring, or any combination you like (or none at all).
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Directions
Pile flour into a mound on a work surface (wood works best), and make a well in the center. In a small bowl, briskly whisk 2 eggs; pour into well. Using two fingers, stir eggs slowly, gradually incorporating flour from sides of well into eggs until a sticky dough forms. You will have used about â…” of the flour; scrape up the rest and discard. Wash your hands and dry thoroughly.
Knead the dough: Press down with the heel of your hand, then fold in half, turn 90 degrees, and press again. Continue kneading until dough feels soft and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. If it still feels sticky, incorporate new flour as you go (do not use the flour from before). Wrap dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes to 3 hours.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Take out one piece, and rewrap the others. Using the least amount of flour possible, roll out the dough, stretching and turning it as you go and pressing down hard, until it is roughly 9 x 10 and thin enough to read through. Set aside. Roll out a second piece of dough to the same dimensions.
In a small bowl, whisk remaining egg. Tear basil leaves. Brush one side of each piece of rolled-out dough with egg wash. Sprinkle one piece with 1/4 cup cheese and about 1/3 of the basil. Lay the other piece of rolled-out pasta on top, egg side down, stretching to fit at the edges as necessary. Press together by hand, then roll dough firmly until well sealed. With a knife, cut layered pasta into 1-inch-wide strips. By hand, tear each strip into rough 1-inch-long pieces. Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of dough.
In a large saucepan, bring strained broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add carrot. When carrot is almost done, add zucchini, peas (if using), and pasta all at once. Raise heat, and boil 3 to 4 minutes. Serve right away with remaining cheese sprinkled over the top, and garnished with basil, if desired.
Knead the dough: Press down with the heel of your hand, then fold in half, turn 90 degrees, and press again. Continue kneading until dough feels soft and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. If it still feels sticky, incorporate new flour as you go (do not use the flour from before). Wrap dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes to 3 hours.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Take out one piece, and rewrap the others. Using the least amount of flour possible, roll out the dough, stretching and turning it as you go and pressing down hard, until it is roughly 9 x 10 and thin enough to read through. Set aside. Roll out a second piece of dough to the same dimensions.
In a small bowl, whisk remaining egg. Tear basil leaves. Brush one side of each piece of rolled-out dough with egg wash. Sprinkle one piece with 1/4 cup cheese and about 1/3 of the basil. Lay the other piece of rolled-out pasta on top, egg side down, stretching to fit at the edges as necessary. Press together by hand, then roll dough firmly until well sealed. With a knife, cut layered pasta into 1-inch-wide strips. By hand, tear each strip into rough 1-inch-long pieces. Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of dough.
In a large saucepan, bring strained broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add carrot. When carrot is almost done, add zucchini, peas (if using), and pasta all at once. Raise heat, and boil 3 to 4 minutes. Serve right away with remaining cheese sprinkled over the top, and garnished with basil, if desired.
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