Recipe Overview
This is one of the essential pasta foundations of the Tuscany Cuisine kitchen. The dough is smooth, elastic, and versatile, built for professional consistency and refined handmade results. It is especially suited to laminated fresh pasta rather than extruded production, making it ideal for ravioli, cappellacci, tortelloni, lasagna sheets, pappardelle, tagliatelle, and fettuccine.
Ingredients
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 500 g strong flour
- 600 g whole eggs, weighed without shells
- Fine sea salt, a pinch
Preparation
- Combine the all-purpose flour and strong flour on a clean work surface or in a large mixing bowl. Add a pinch of fine sea salt and form a well in the center.
- Add the whole eggs into the well and begin mixing with a fork, gradually pulling the flour inward until a shaggy dough starts to form.
- Knead the dough by hand for about 8 to 10 minutes, or mix with a dough hook until smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky.
- Wrap the dough tightly and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. For best handling and gluten relaxation, you can refrigerate it up to 24 hours before rolling.
- Laminate or roll into sheets for ravioli, tortelloni, cappellacci, lasagna, pappardelle, fettuccine, or tagliatelle. Cook fresh pasta in lightly salted boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on thickness.
Three Professional Dough Formulas
Stuffed Pasta Dough
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 500 g strong flour
- 600 g whole eggs
- Fine sea salt
Best for ravioli, cappellacci, tortelloni, and filled pasta where elasticity and a clean seal are essential.
Lasagna & Wide Cut Dough
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 300 g strong flour
- 200 g extra durum semolina
- 400 g egg yolks
- 200 g extra virgin olive oil
Richer and firmer, excellent for lasagna sheets, pappardelle, tagliatelle, and fettuccine after a longer rest.
Long Cut Pasta Dough
- 750 g all-purpose flour
- 250 g extra durum semolina
- 600 g whole eggs
- Fine sea salt
A stronger dough for spaghetti, linguine, and other long laminated cuts when a slightly firmer bite is desired.
History & Tradition
Fresh egg pasta is one of the great craft foundations of Italian cuisine, especially in regions where rolling, laminating, folding, and shaping dough by hand became part of daily kitchen life. The beauty of pasta dough lies in its simplicity: flour, eggs, salt, and disciplined technique. From that base come an extraordinary range of forms, textures, and regional identities.
In a professional kitchen, the dough is more than a recipe; it is a system. Hydration, resting time, flour strength, and lamination all affect the final result. A slightly softer dough helps filled pasta close beautifully, while a stronger dough is better for broad sheets and structured cuts. This is why the pasta station remains one of the purest expressions of Italian craftsmanship.
Explore more on the culture of handmade pasta in the Tuscany Cuisine journal: Flour & Water Pasta Journal .