Pasta fresca all'uovo (fresh egg pasta) is the foundational dough of northern and central Italian cooking—a simple mixture of soft wheat flour (tipo 00) and whole eggs (traditionally one egg per 100g flour, yielding about 60-65% hydration) kneaded into a smooth, elastic, golden dough that is the basis for tagliatelle, lasagne, tortellini, ravioli, pappardelle, and dozens of other shapes across Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Tuscany, and Lombardy. This is the pasta of the sfoglina—the dedicated pasta-maker whose skill lies not in ingredients (there are only two) but in the kneading, resting, and rolling that transform flour and eggs into sheets of silk. The flour must be tipo 00 (finely milled, low-extraction soft wheat) for its fine texture and moderate gluten content—it produces a tender, silky pasta rather than the chewy, firm texture of semolina-based southern pastas. The eggs should be fresh, free-range, with deep-orange yolks that provide colour and richness. Kneading is vigorous—10-15 minutes by hand until the dough is completely smooth, uniform, and springs back when pressed. Resting (minimum 30 minutes, wrapped) allows the gluten to relax and the dough to hydrate evenly. Rolling is traditionally done with a long, tapered mattarello (rolling pin)—a skilled sfoglina can roll a 1-metre diameter sheet of uniform thinness. Machine rolling (hand-crank or motorised) is the practical alternative, progressively thinning through decreasing settings. The sheet's final thickness depends on its intended shape: paper-thin for tortellini wrappers and filled pastas, slightly thicker for tagliatelle and pappardelle. The ratio can be adjusted: extra yolks (especially extra egg yolks without whites) produce a richer, more golden dough; a small amount of semolina added to the 00 flour gives more structure for shapes that need to hold sauce.
Tipo 00 flour + whole eggs (1 egg per 100g flour). Knead 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Rest minimum 30 minutes wrapped. Roll thin with mattarello or machine. Thickness varies by intended shape. Extra yolks = richer, more golden dough.
The egg-to-flour ratio varies with egg size and flour moisture—add flour gradually and adjust by feel. The dough should feel like modelling clay—firm but not cracking. For golden, rich pasta, use 8 yolks and 2 whole eggs per 500g flour. The mattarello technique involves rolling with a stretching motion (wrapping dough around the pin and pushing outward) not just flattening. Hang cut pasta on a wooden rack or curl into nests dusted with semolina.
Using bread flour or all-purpose flour (too much gluten—pasta becomes tough). Not kneading enough (dough must be completely smooth). Skipping the rest (gluten won't relax, dough springs back when rolling). Rolling too thick for delicate shapes. Letting sheets dry out before cutting (cover with a damp cloth while working).
Marcella Hazan, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking; Oretta Zanini De Vita, Encyclopedia of Pasta