PASTA DONE RIGHT

The secret to successful pasta is getting the basics right. Follow the tips of Melbourne restaurant Al Dente's Andrea Vignali and Davide ... and away you go

PASTA DOUGH

Serves 4-6 to share

Prep time 1 hr (plus resting)

"Our pasta dough is a beautiful yellow due to the durum wheat semolina and rich egg yolks we use. It took a while to perfect," says Davide Bonadiman of Al Dente.

570g fine semolina flour (see note), plus extra for dusting

220g eggs (about 4 eggs)

130g egg yolks (about 8 eggs)

1 Place all ingredients in a food processor with a pinch of salt and pulse until a rough dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 1 hour. Makes 900g.

2 Bring pasta to room temperature (it will take about 1 hour). To laminate pasta, divide the dough into six equal pieces then, working with one piece at a time and covering the remaining dough with a damp tea towel, flatten it with a rolling pin or the palm of your hand. Dust lightly with extra semolina and gently feed it through the pasta machine, starting at the widest setting.

3 Fold the two ends of the dough 90 degrees and feed through the pasta machine again (this is called laminating, and creates a strong, structured dough). Laminate once or twice on the widest setting, then continue to feed dough through the machine, reducing settings notch by notch, until the pasta is 1mm thick (for fettuccine, bring to 2mm thick). Repeat process with remaining dough, then fold and place in a single layer on a tray dusted with extra semolina. Cover until ready to use in your recipe.