Fresh Pasta – Roll your own!

Directions

• Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. Break the eggs into the well and add the oil and salt. Muddle the eggs with a fork or your finger to break them up.
• Using the fork or your finger, begin to pull the flour into the egg mixture: start at the outer rim and pull the flour into the centre well of the eggs. At first it will form clumps, but it will come together and really, you could use your hands once the mixture is combined.
• You may need to sprinkle a few drops of water over the mixture until it is a pliable dough that doesn’t stick to your fingers. Now knead the dough until smooth and stretchy. Fashion it into a ball, wrap in cling film and allow to rest in a cool area for about an hour.
• Break the dough into pieces ( the size of a small fist ) and roll the pieces into smooth balls. Cover the balls with a damp cloth. Flour a clean surface and start rolling out the first ball very thinly – about 1 – 2 mm into an oblong shape.
• Lightly flour the sheet of dough and loosely roll it up then cut into slices as broad or thin as you want. Shake each slice lightly so that it falls apart into long strands. Hang the strands over something to air-dry while you continue to roll out and cut up the rest of the balls. When all the dough has been rolled and cut, roll about 4 strands of pasta at a time loosely around your finger to make small mounds of pasta. Place the mounds on a tray and cover with a dry cloth until needed.
• Cook in a large saucepan with ample boiling water and salt until el-dente and serve with your favourite sauce.
  
  Serves around 6 (depending on course and sauce!)