This is the master recipe for egg pasta to accompany three dishes in the book: Squid-Ink Pasta with Crabmeat-Stuffed Squid (page 124), Fresh Egg Pasta with Seared Lamb (page 109), and Fresh Egg Pasta with Pork Loin (page 128). Adding squid ink to this recipe turns the pasta almost black and makes a dramatic presentation. It adds a subtle ocean flavor to a dish that’s absolutely sublime. I first started preparing squid-ink pasta at Ambria Restaurant, the legendary Chicago fine dining restaurant where I cooked for nine years.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Form the 2 cups flour into a small mound on a clean work surface. Make a hole in the center of it. Pour in the eggs, olive oil, squid ink, salt, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the water, and gradually incorporate with the flour using a fork. Continue incorporating until well combined. Add more of the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons water as necessary.
Step 2
With your hands, work in any remaining flour. Form the dough into a ball. Lightly flatten the ball and, with the heel of your hand, begin kneading by working the bottom of the dough over the top. Rotate the dough a quarter turn and repeat. Continue doing this until all the dough is no longer sticky. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Gently flatten and dust one piece of dough with flour. Cover the remaining dough with plastic to prevent it from drying out. Assemble a countertop pasta roller and adjust the settings of the roller to the widest setting, usually #1. Dust the roller with flour as well.
Step 4
Begin rolling the dough by turning the hand crank while feeding the dough through the opening in the roller. Fold the dough in half and repeat four more times, folding the dough in half each time. After five turns through the roller, shape the dough into a rectangle and roll it two more times. Dust with flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the roller.
Step 5
Adjust the roller to setting #2 and roll the dough through one time. Do the same at settings #3 and #4, continuing to dust with flour as needed. When you get to setting #5, roll the dough twice and then set aside. The dough should now be at least 12 inches long. Repeat the process with the remaining dough to end up with 4 long, flat pieces.
Step 6
Assemble the pasta cutter attachment to the roller. While cranking, feed the dough through the spaghetti cutter. Two-thirds of the way through, release the dough from the hand you’re using to feed it and move your hand beneath the roller to gently gather the cut noodles. Continue cranking. Once the entire sheet of pasta has been cut, lightly dust the noodles with flour and lay them flat on a floured tray. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Step 7
To cook the noodles, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles in the water, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through. Drain well and serve with your favorite sauce.
