Basic Pasta Dough
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INGREDIENTS 1-½ to 1-¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tablespoon safflower oilTo prepare dough in a food processor, put 1-½ cups of the flour, the egg, egg white and oil in the bowl of the machine and process the mixture for about 30 seconds. If the mixture forms a ball immediately and is wet to the touch, mix in flour by the tablespoon until the dough feels soft but not sticky. If the mixture does not form a ball, try pinching it together with your fingers. If it is still too dry to work with, blend in water by the teaspoon until the dough just forms a ball. If you have a pasta machine, the dough may be immediately kneaded and rolled out.
To prepare the dough by hand, put 1-½ cups of the flour into a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Add the egg, egg white and oil to the well and stir them with a fork or wooden spoon, gradually mixing in the flour. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it for a few minutes. The dough should come cleanly away from the surface; if it is too wet, add flour by the tablespoon until the dough is no longer sticky. If the dough is too dry and crumbly to work with, add water by the teaspoon until it is pliable. Continue kneading the dough until it is smooth and elastic – about 10 minutes; alternatively, knead the dough in a pasta machine.
If you are not using a pasta machine, wrap the dough in wax paper or plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes before rolling it out.
Serves 4
NOTE - In a traditional dough, two eggs are used with 1-½ cups flour. To reduce the amount of cholesterol in the dough, an egg white has been substituted for one of the whole eggs.