Once you have tasted fresh pasta then you will never want to go back to the shop bought variety.

Ingredients

• 400g (2 2/3cups) Italian ‘00’ flour or high-grade flour plus extra for dusting
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• Fine semolina for dusting your pasta

Instructions

1. Mound the flour on a work surface and make a well in the centre. Break the eggs into the well and using a fork gently beat them, gradually drawing in the flour. As the mixture becomes thicker, use your hands to incorporate the rest of the flour.
2. Once all the flour is mixed in knead the dough for five minutes until it feels smooth. Wrap the pasta dough in cling-film and set aside to rest for thirty minutes.
3. Divide the dough into six sections and flatten the first piece until it is approximately 3mm thick. Set your pasta machine to its widest setting and feed the dough through four or five times. Each time, fold the pasta in half and turn before feeding back through. Now repeat the process without folding, gradually reducing the settings on your pasta machine until you reach the second to last setting. Place the pasta sheet on a work surface dusted with semolina. Repeat until you have rolled out all the dough.
4. Dry on a pasta drying rack or on the back of a clean chair or open cupboard door for about ten minutes. Next, feed the dough though the cutting attachment on your pasta machine and dust with semolina and place on a tray.
5. Cook in a large pan of boiling and salted water until al dente. Fresh pasta only takes two minutes to cook so check it frequently.

If you don’t have a pasta machine then roll out the dough by hand until approximately 1-2mm thick. Cut while still pliable and dust with semolina.