Fresh Egg Pasta Dough
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Fresh pasta dough made with egg yolks and whole eggs provides richer flavor and silkier texture. Uses olive oil for tenderness and a pinch of salt to enhance taste. Flour quantity adjusted for humidity and absorption. Ideal for stuffed pasta like squash agnolottis with earthy sauces. Attention to dough consistency is crucial—too sticky needs more flour, too dry needs water. Resting dough helps gluten relax for rollability. Substituting some all-purpose flour with semolina adds bite and structure. Switching olive oil for walnut oil adds a nutty aroma for a twist. Stepwise blending with a food processor speeds mixing but final kneading is tactile—feel, texture dictate readiness. Timing flexible, watch dough rather than clock. Leave dough covered to prevent drying out.
Prep:
28 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
28 min
Servings:
850 g dough, serves 4-6
#Italian
#pasta
#homemade
#egg dough
#stuffed pasta
#semolina
Really, what my tests taught me—fresh pasta dough isn’t about rigid timing but feel. Eye on texture, listening to how it clumps and stretches. Mixing yolks with whole eggs brings richness, skinny on without fat makes dough tough. Olive oil isn’t optional here; it tames gluten making roll-out friendlier. Tried just plain all-purpose flour before—boring, prone to tearing. Throw semolina in—it bites into sauce better, holds shape when cooked. Food processor cuts labor but don’t trust it alone. Smoosh dough by hand after; that’s where magic happens. Resting’s vital to sleep the dough soft and relax the strain. Next time, you’re set for velvety squares or little paccheri filled up with seasonal squash. My plug? Always sniff your olive oil beforehand, rancid kills everything.
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 whole eggs
- 20 ml olive oil
- 420 g all-purpose flour unbleached
- 70 g fine semolina flour
- 5 ml fine sea salt
About the ingredients
Egg yolks provide fat, richness; whole eggs add structure and moisture. Adjust the egg count slightly for dough softness especially in humid climates—more eggs mean softer dough. Olive oil smooths dough and prevents sticking but can swap with walnut or pumpkin seed oil for deeper flavor. All-purpose flour is baseline; semolina adds chew and grip but blends lightly so dough doesn’t stiffen. Salt is essential—enhances flour and egg proteins’ interaction, avoid over salty, balance is subtle. Water only if dough is visibly crumbly dry—don’t pour in blindly, add just teaspoons if needed to fix dryness. Flour absorbs differently depending on brand and humidity; always feel dough before adding more flour.
Method
- Whisk yolks and eggs with oil in a medium bowl until glossy. Oil lubricates dough, slows gluten forming too tight.
- In food processor, pulse together flours and salt. Combine dry evenly for consistent dough texture.
- Pour egg mixture into dry ingredients. Pulse 40 seconds. Dough clumps but still crumbly—don't expect a neat ball here.
- If dough balls too sticky and wet, add flour by 15 ml spoonfuls. Feel with fingers—should break apart easily, tacky but not gooey.
- If dry and cracked, add room temp water, 10-15 ml at a time, watch how it clumps together.
- Dump rough dough on lightly floured surface. Push pieces together, start folding and kneading with the heel of hand.
- Knead about 70 seconds max. Dough turns smoother, less grainy. Silky sheen, pliable but not sticky is key.
- Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap, press to flatten slightly—this cuts resting time.
- Let rest at room temp 25-35 minutes. Gluten relaxes; dough softens to handle without tearing when rolled thin.
- After resting, cut dough into portions for rolling or shaping. Use immediately or refrigerate wrapped for up to 24 hours.
- For a twist, substitute olive oil with toasted walnut oil—adds delicate woody aroma.
- If no food processor, mix flours and salt in bowl, make well, whisk eggs and oil then slowly incorporate flour with fork before kneading.
Cooking tips
Mixing yolks and oil first emulsifies fat for smoother incorporation into flour. Using a processor is efficient but it won’t judge dough feel—stop mixing as soon as you get rough clumps. Over mixing creates tough dough. Watch dough texture carefully—too wet, floppy, add flour in tablespoons, too dry, crumbly, add water dropwise. Hand kneading combines ingredients, develops gluten, and tells if it’s right—smooth, elastic but not tacky. Resting dough wrapped prevents drying and lets gluten unwind so it won’t snap back when rolled. Don’t rush rest; less than 20 minutes, dough resists; over an hour, it might be gummy. For rolling, dust hands and surface lightly to avoid tears. Refrigerate dough wrapped if prepping later—bring to room temp before using. If dough feels sticky after resting, flour hands, not dough directly.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start mixing yolks with whole eggs and olive oil first. It emulsifies fat better. Avoid adding flour directly before wet mix–flour can clump unevenly. Oil slows gluten tightening; skip oil, dough tears under rolling pressure.
- 💡 Use a food processor to pulse flours and salt dry, helps even distribution. Pulsing egg mix into flour for 40 seconds breaks lumps but expect crumbly texture first. Don’t try for neat ball now, rough clumps are normal.
- 💡 Sticky dough? Add flour in small 15 ml spoonfuls. Feel with fingers–dough should pull apart, tacky not gooey. Avoid dumping too much flour, dough stiffens quickly. If dry cracks appear, introduce room temp water very slowly, 10-15 ml increments.
- 💡 Kneading is tactile only. Rough dough pressed and folded on lightly floured surface. Use heel of hand about 70 seconds max. Stop when dough is pliable, satin sheen visible, smooth but not sticky. Over kneading toughens dough, under kneading leaves grainy texture.
- 💡 Rest dough tightly wrapped, pressed flat in plastic wrap. Rest length 25-35 minutes opens gluten, relaxes dough for easy rolling. Less rest means resistance, more than an hour might make dough gummy. Keep covered to avoid drying, flour hands not dough when handling afterward.
Common questions
Why use olive oil in dough?
Oil slows gluten forming too tight. Makes dough pliable, easier to roll. Skip it and dough resists stretch. Alternative oils like walnut add aroma but change flavor profile.
How to fix sticky dough?
Add flour incrementally, small spoonfuls. Feel dough, should not be gooey just tacky. Sticky means too much moisture or insufficient kneading. Air humidity affects moisture balance.
What if dough cracks when rolling?
Usually too dry, add teaspoons of water gradually. Over-floured surface or insufficient rest tightens dough. Rest longer, cover well, don’t rush rolling phase. Sometimes semolina flour helps hold shape better.
How to store dough if not using immediately?
Wrap well in plastic, refrigerate up to 24 hours. Let sit at room temp before rolling. Dough gets firmer cold, needs gentle warming. Avoid drying by flouring hands, not dough during handling.
