Pasta 101
This is a great place to understand fundamentals in creating pasta doughs. To get started will go over the flours that are essential to create these doughs.
Attached are a few links to excellent flour (contact rcn imports for semola rimacinata).
https://ourglobalpantry.com/product-category/flour/
https://rcnimports.com/molino-pasini-flours/
These are different hydrations (liquids) you will/may use to make dough.
Eggs
Water
Olive Oil (usually 1% or less is added to dough to help with fat/elasticity.
Vegetables are often used (beets, spinach are some examples).
Bakers Percentages
Flour weight is always at 100% and all other ingredients (water, salt, eggs, etc.) are calculated as a percentage of the flour weight regardless of the batch size.
Example Sfoglia Egg Dough Recipe:
1000g 00 grana d’oro flour
650g whole eggs
This would make the dough at 65% hydration since flour is always considered 100%.
Kneading techniques for pasta sfoglia include folding air into the well hydrated dough. Utilize hands to fold half the dough over and sealing air into the center then quarter turning 4 rotations to complete a full 360 degree rotation. Continue this motion to fill the dough with beautiful air pockets bringing the dough to life.
Below will have different handmade techniques to creating pasta dough. A few tools you will need are a bench scraper, fork, plastic wrap and food safe bags.
(A) Volcano method, scale flour and make a mount of flour on your work surface. Use your dominant hand in a circular motion in the center of the flour. Create robust walls to ensure your liquid with not leak. Pour Your eggs or water in the center and use a fork to whisk flour and liquid together until forms a smooth paste. It should look like creaming eggs very smooth. Then using a bench scraper to do a tender chopping motion while folding the dough over. Repeat process until the dough is one solid mass. Knead the dough for 5 minutes and rest for 10-15 minutes, knead dough again for 3-5 minutes. For semola based doughs rest for 30-60 minutes room temperature and rest overnight in fridge. For pasta uovo (egg dough) rest for 6 hours in fridge or up to 24 hours for sfoglia. You can lest rest for 30-60 minutes at room temperature if needed same day. If resting doughs over night pull them 60-90 minutes before wanted to use so they can get to room temp.
(B) Boiling water method, For this method you will need a fork, mixing bowl, and your hands to create the dough. This method will be used to make trofie and orecchiette pasta. Some other shapes utilize this technique aswell.
Scale out ingredients and place scaled flour in a mixing bowl. Use a pan/pot to bring water up to a boil (212F). Scale out water and immediate pour 1/3rd of the water into the four and whisk vigorously, then use your hands to mix and de-clump the dough. repeat process until all ingredients are together. then use hands to knead dough into one mass. Take out the dough mass and place one work surface and knead for 4-5 minutes, then wrap it in a food bag and rest for 5-10 minutes. Then we will do the final kneading for 3-4 minutes until smooth then plastic wrap the dough. For trofie the dough can usually be used immediately for others may need to rest for 20-30 minutes.