Recipe
1. Place the semolina flour on a cutting board in the shape of a small hill. Create a well in the centre of the flour with your hands.
2. Place in about 3/4 of the water and start mixing with a fork. Add the rest of the water when the mixture is too thick.
3. When the mixture is too thick to continue mixing with a fork, start mixing it together with your hands. Don't worry if the dough has not absorbed all of the flour from the cutting board. It will continue to collect the flour as you are kneading the dough.
4. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes - folding it in half and using the palm of your hand to press into the dough. The dough should be firm, but not sticky. You can add a little bit of flour if it is sticky, or a little bit of water if it is too dry. Keep in mind that the more that you knead the dough, the consistency will start to change, so be careful when adding more.
5. Form the dough into a ball. Cover it and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes.
6. When the dough has rested, divide it into two servings to make it easier to manage. Since this recipe is 4 servings, cut the dough in half if using these measurements. Work with one of the pieces and temporarily cover the other one.
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Steps 7-10 are instructions for how to make the pasta without a pasta machine. If you have one, it is much easier. But, this is more fun...
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7. Form the dough into a circle with your hands. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to 1/8" thickness. Make sure to sprinkle flour on the cutting board and on the rolling pin while doing this.
8. Flour the dough and fold it over itself several times to form a log.
9. For making tagliatelle, cut the log into 1/2" pieces. You can cut it into 1/4" pieces for fettuccine and 3/4" pieces for papardelle. Sprinkle more flour and separate the pieces.
10. Repeat steps 7-9 with the rest of the dough.
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If you're storing the tagliatelle in the freezer:
Pick up 1 serving size at a time from the middle of the strands and twirl them onto a floured baking sheet. Place in the freezer until frozen (30-60mins) and then transfer them into a container or ziplock bag.
To cook the tagliatelle:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add in 1/4 - 1/3 cup of salt. Cook the tagliatelle in the boiling water for 3-5 minutes, or until they have floated to the top. Stir them after putting them in to ensure that they do not stick together. Combine with sauce.
Enjoy :)
Notes
*I highly recommend watching the video to see the techniques used in the recipe.
*100g of semolina flour per serving. 2:1 ratio of semolina to water (50ml per 100g)
*Semolina flour has a higher protein and gluten content than regular flour. This helps the pasta to be more durable and prevent it from breaking apart when cooking. When making pasta without egg, semolina flour is highly recommended.
*It is important to knead the dough for 10-15 minutes to properly activate the gluten in the flour which will keep your pasta firm and intact.
*There are many ways you can cut this dough to create different pasta shapes. Try making lasagne sheets with this recipe. Fresh pasta is great for lasagne.
*Fresh tagliatelle is best served with hearty or creamy sauces. Check out my vegan bolognese and butter sage sauce recipes for ideas.
