Easy Homemade Pasta

Begin by spreading a layer of flour onto your countertop, preferably made from marble or wood. Create a central depression in the flour and gently crack in your eggs, adding a pinch of salt to the mixture. Using a fork, mix and blend the eggs with the surrounding flour until you achieve a smooth, runny batter.

Gradually incorporate the remaining flour into your dough using a bench scraper until it forms a cohesive ball. If you find that the dough feels too dense, add small increments of water, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.

To develop the dough's texture and structure, knead it with your hands by flattening the ball into a thin sheet, stretching it outwards, and folding the top layer back towards the center. Rotate your work surface 45 degrees after each kneading cycle and repeat this process for approximately 10 minutes, until the dough becomes soft, smooth, and pliable.

Next, shape your dough into a spherical form. Place it in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour, allowing the dough to firm up.

To prepare your dough for rolling, dust your work surface with a generous amount of flour. Divide the dough into three equal portions and flatten one piece slightly before rolling it out using a rolling pin 5 to 6 times. Rotate your work surface 45 degrees after each rolling cycle and repeat the process until your dough reaches a uniform thickness of 1/16 inch.

Cut your rolled-out dough into long, flat sheets. Dust these sheets generously with flour and then roll them into cylindrical shapes. Slice the cylinders into 1/4-inch thick strips, unroll these strips, and toss them in flour once more. Allow the tagliatelle to air-dry for about 30 minutes, during which time they will firm up and become easier to handle.

To cook your tagliatelle, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop your tagliatelle into the boiling water and cook until they are tender yet still retain a slight firmness to the bite, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Drain your tagliatelle and serve.