Feb 10, 2023
The French Laundry Pasta dough
45 minutes
5 servings
MEDIUM
Pasta all’uovo is a classic Italian pasta dough that gets its beautiful golden color from fresh eggs. The name literally means “egg dough,” and it’s the foundation for countless shapes—pappardelle, fettuccine, spaghetti, and more.
This is the same recipe you’ll find in Thomas Keller’s French Laundry Cookbook, and it’s the one I reach for almost every time I make pasta at home. The hydration is spot-on, so as long as you follow the instructions closely, there’s rarely any need to tweak it.
The original recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but I like to use an even split of 00 flour and semolina. The 00 keeps the dough silky and easy to work with, while the semolina adds a bit more texture and a firmer bite.
Ingredients
4 ounces 00 flour
4 ounces semolina flour
6 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon milk
Pinch of salt
** Sub 00 flour and semolina for 1 ¾ cups (8 ounces) of all-purpose flour
Instructions
Form the well
On a clean surface, mound the flour and create a wide well in the center with walls about 1 inch high. Make sure the well is large enough to hold all of the eggs without spilling.Add the wet ingredients
Pour the egg yolks, whole egg, olive oil, and milk and pinch of salt into the well. Use a fork to break up the eggs, then begin stirring them in a circular motion, keeping the mixture contained inside the well. This motion will slowly draw in flour from the edges. Work gradually so the flour incorporates evenly and the dough doesn’t turn lumpy.Bring the dough together
As the mixture thickens and resists stirring, use a bench scraper to fold more flour into the dough, cutting it in until the mixture becomes shaggy. Use your hands to press it together into a rough ball. The dough may look a little flaky but should hold its shape.Knead the dough
Begin kneading by pressing the dough forward with the heels of your hands, not folding it as you would bread dough. Shape it back into a ball and repeat. The dough should feel moist but not sticky. After a few minutes, clean and lightly flour your work surface, then continue kneading until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. This usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. Test it by pressing a finger into the dough; it should spring back.Rest the dough
Even if it looks ready, knead for a few extra minutes—this dough benefits from more work to build the gluten. Once smooth and elastic, double-wrap the dough in plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. Rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour before rolling.
