Easy Pasta Dough

Mix flour and salt. Dump in a mound on a clean counter. Make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well. Beat eggs well with a fork, slowly incorporating flour, to create a wet, sticky ball.

Use a bench scraper or your hands to incorporate the remaining flour. If it becomes too dry stop adding flour.

Knead the dough using the heel of your palm until dough develops a smooth, elastic texture similar to a firm ball of Play-Doh.

Wrap ball of dough tightly in plastic wrap and rest on countertop for 30 minutes.

Bring a well-salted pot of water to a boil, keep warm until ready to use.

Unwrap the rested dough and cut it into quarters. Recover 3 pieces while you work on the first.

Using a rolling pin roll the dough as thin as possible on a lightly floured surface, turning 45 degrees as you go to prevent sticking. You'll want to get it very thin, as it will absorb water and thicken while cooking.

Once it's thin enough cover the sheet with lightly damp towel, then repeat with the remaining dough.

To cut pasta ribbons by hand, stack 4 sheets of pasta lightly dusted with flour, then loosely roll into thirds lengthwise (like folding a letter). Cut with a sharp knife (in 1cm increments for tagliatelle or fettuccine and 2cm for pappardelle), until all the dough is used. Fluff and separate noodles.

Boil immediately in well-salted water, about 3 minutes. (If you don't boil immediately they'll stick.)