From the Salivate! kitchen

I love Pasta

I love Pasta

The story behind the dish

I love pasta. It’s one of my comfort foods. When I was a small child we lived next door to an Italian couple – Joe and Maria – and at least 3 times a week they would call my name, lift me over the fence and feed me the most amazing pasta dishes. I remember rich steaming tomato sauces with lamb or meatballs smothering perfect spaghetti heaped in a huge bowl. Mum would come to collect me hours later and find me sated and happy, my face covered in sauce.

In the 80’s I was blessed to work at the Latin Tavern with Michaeli and Luigi. The staff sat down together every night before service and we’d eat, Luigi extolling us with the virtues of Italian cuisine.

I learnt a few important food facts working in that fabulous Darwin institution: 

Fact 1:  Sitting down to eat with your staff every night brings a sense of family to the workplace and creates a sense of belonging.

Fact 2: Butterflied grilled quail served with a squeeze of lemon is an amazing taste sensation.

Fact 3: Making and eating fresh pasta is one of the purest joys in the world.

So….

Below is a recipe for making great pasta. Luigi taught me how to do this on my dining table one afternoon and now I’m handing it over to you. It’s so easy and lots of fun. Enjoy

The recipe

I love Pasta

Prep time
30 minutes
Total time
30 minutes
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 600g plain flour preferably “00”
  • 6 eggs

Method

  1. Sieve the flour onto a wooden board and shape into a rough mound. Make a well in the centre and crack eggs into the well. 
  2. Using a fork, beat the eggs lightly, the gradually draw in the flour until the mixture is no longer runny. Using your hands, draw in enough flour to make smooth dough. It should be neither too dry nor too moist. 
  3. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough. Fold in half, turn it 180 degrees then repeat. Keep kneading and turning in the same direction for 4-5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. If it feels dry, dampen your hands and knead again. If wet, add a little more flour. | Shape the dough into a ball, cover with cling film and let it rest in the fridge for half and hour before rolling and shaping it.