because we all deserve to have homemade pasta WITHOUT the hassle. this is the perfect valentine's day dinner and honestly, it's pretty foolproof. just grab a drink, put on a good playlist, be patient, and have fun!
tomato pasta (serves ~6 people)
-300g “00” flour
-2 eggs, 3 egg yolks
-100g tomato paste
aglio e olio (the sauceee)
-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
-4-5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
-1 shallot, thinly sliced
-1/2tsp red pepper flakes)
-Salt, to taste
-Black pepper, to taste
-chopped fresh parsley for garnish
-grated parm
on a clean surface, pour the flour and make a well in the center. crack the eggs and egg yolks into the well. using a fork, gradually mix the eggs into the flour until a dough starts to form. once the dough comes together, knead it with your hands for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If the dough is too dry, you can add a little water. If it's too sticky, add a bit more flour. cover the dough with a damp paper towel and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
after resting, cut the dough into quarters. flour your work surface and a rolling pin. take one piece of dough and flatten it slightly with your hands and roll into an oval shape.
then, pass the dough through the pasta machine on the widest setting. fold the dough into thirds and pass it through the machine again. repeat this process a couple of times until the dough is smooth and pliable. gradually decrease the thickness setting on the pasta machine and pass the dough through each setting, until you reach medium/thin thickness. after each roll out, i lay the dough on a floured baking sheet to rest while i do the other pieces.
once the 4 dough pieces are fully rolled out, you can shape it into your desired pasta shape using the attachments on your pasta machine. separate and lightly flour your strands so they don’t stick together !!! if you don't have a machine, you can essentially just use a rolling pin to bring it down to your desired thickness and then fold and cut. there are many tutorials online.
bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. carefully add the homemade pasta to the boiling water, stirring gently to prevent sticking. cook the pasta for about 2-3 minutes, or until al dente. once cooked, drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water.
to make the sauce: in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. add the thinly sliced garlic, shallot and red pepper flakes (adjust to taste). sauté until the garlic is golden but not browned, about 1-2 minutes. season with salt and black pepper to taste. add the cooked pasta & todd the pasta in the garlic-infused oil until well-coated. if needed, add a bit of pasta water. garnish with chopped fresh parsley and parm. enjoyyy!