Pasta Dough — Egg (Flour to Egg Yolk)

100 g

Tipo '00' flour (or blend of '00' + semolina) — Finely milled '00' gives the smoothest texture. A 70:30 blend of '00' to fine semolina adds structure and slight roughness that holds sauce.

1 (≈50 g net)

Whole large egg — Provides ~30–35 g water, ~5 g fat (yolk), and protein. Use at room temperature for easier incorporation.

1–2 yolks (20–40 g)

Extra yolks (for richer dough) — Each additional yolk adds fat and lecithin without significant extra water, deepening colour and richness; common in tagliatelle or tonnarelli recipes.

1 g

Fine sea salt — Optional in the dough; some Italian traditions salt only the cooking water. Salt tightens gluten slightly.

as needed

Semolina (for dusting only) — Coarser than '00'; prevents sticking without being absorbed into the sheet, keeping hydration stable.

Mound flour on a work surface, make a well, crack eggs (and extra yolks if using) into the centre. Beat eggs lightly with a fork, gradually incorporating flour from the inner wall of the well. Once a shaggy mass forms, knead by hand 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic — the dough should be firm, not sticky. If too dry add ½ tsp water at a time; if tacky, dust lightly with '00' flour. Wrap tightly in plastic and rest at room temperature at least 30 minutes (1 hour preferred). Roll by machine (starting at widest setting, folding and feeding through progressively) or by rolling pin (sfoglia method) to the desired thickness — typically 1–2 mm for cut pasta.

• Use eggs at room temperature — cold eggs tighten the gluten faster and can cause tearing when rolling.
• The dough should feel like stiff modelling clay after kneading; it will relax significantly during the rest.
• Rest is not optional: gluten tension built during kneading must relax before rolling or the sheet springs back and tears.
• Ambient humidity matters — on a dry winter day you may need a teaspoon of water extra; on a humid summer day you may need less.
• Roll progressively: never jump from the widest setting to the thinnest in two steps — move one notch at a time to develop the sheet evenly.
• Cut pasta immediately after rolling (tagliatelle, pappardelle) or let the sheet dry 5–10 minutes if it is too supple for clean cuts.
• Freeze fresh pasta raw, not after drying — par-frozen sheets hold shape better than dried fresh pasta when later cooked.

• All-yolk pasta (pasta gialla)

  2–3 yolks per 100 g flour, no white — maximum richness and golden colour; Emilia-Romagna tradition for tagliatelle and tortellini. Requires thorough kneading as lower water content makes dough stiffer.

• Semolina-blended dough

  70 g '00' + 30 g fine semolina per 100 g total; popular in southern Italy. Rougher surface grips chunky sauces; rolls slightly less transparently.

• Spinach pasta (pasta verde)

  Blanched, squeezed spinach (30–40 g per 100 g flour) replaces some egg liquid — reduce whole egg to ½ per 100 g to compensate for spinach moisture. Requires extra kneading.

• High-hydration hand-rolled (sfoglia bolognese)

  Traditional Bolognese sfogliatura uses a higher yolk count (up to 10 yolks per 1 kg flour) and rolls the sheet thinner than machine-made pasta — a skill-intensive approach that produces exceptionally silky lasagne.

• Pasta Dough — Water (Semolina to Water)

  Egg-free counterpart for dried pasta styles; lower richness, higher semolina protein content drives firmer bite.

• Egg Custard Ratio (Egg to Liquid)

  Egg yolks serve the same emulsification and enrichment function in custards; understanding yolk fat content transfers between both ratios.

• Gnocchi Dough Ratio

  Potato gnocchi uses a much smaller egg proportion (1 yolk per 500 g potato) — the egg is a binder rather than the primary hydration source.

1. 1.The Geometry of Pasta — Caz Hildebrand & Jacob Kenedy
2. 2.Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking — Marcella Hazan
3. 3.On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen — Harold McGee
4. 4.Pasta by Hand — Jenn Louis

Confidence: high