Egg Dough & Kneading Basics

It's time to start making fresh, delicious pasta! This egg dough recipe is my favorite because it's easy to make, super versatile, and produces rich, tender noodles.

Step 1: What You'll Learn in This Video Lesson:

• How to make a basic egg pasta dough from scratch.
• How to properly knead dough to build strength and elasticity.*

*This is a great opportunity to put on the Italian Mambo playlist I made to go along with this class so you can dance while you get your knead on!

Step 2: ​Egg Dough Recipe

Serving Size: 4-6 (4 as a main dish, 6 as an appetizer)

• 350g (approx. 2 1/2 cups) unbleached all purpose flour
• 3 whole eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp water

*If you need/want to substitute an egg-free dough for the above egg recipe, watch the Lesson 8 video first and then come back to this Lesson and start watching this video at 4:50 minutes to learn proper kneading technique.

NOTE: Click here for my Fresh Gluten-Free Pasta recipe.

Step 3: Key Points to Remember:

• Ingredients should all be brought to room temperature before getting started.
• It's ideal to make the dough the same day you plan to cook it.
• If necessary, dough can be made up to 3 days ahead of time if stored in an airtight container if the fridge.
• General rule of 'amount' thumb: 100 - 110 grams of fresh pasta per person.
• Knead for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Engage your core muscles to help support your back while kneading.
• Allow dough to rest for 30 minutes to 3 hours before rolling out.

Step 4: Quiz Time!

Once you've watched the video lesson, put your knowledge to the test! Take the quizzes below and see how you do.

{
    "id": "quiz-1",
    "question": "Is it best to make the dough the same day you'll be using it?",
    "answers": [
        {
            "title": "Yes",
            "correct": true
        },
        {
            "title": "No",
            "correct": false
        }
    ],
    "correctNotice": "You're right! You CAN make the dough up to 3 days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge, but it will slightly reduce the workability of the dough.",
    "incorrectNotice": "I'm afraid it is best to make the dough the same day you use it. You can make the dough up to 3 days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge, but it will slightly reduce the workability of the dough."
}

{
    "id": "quiz-2",
    "question": "How many grams of fresh pasta makes a meal for one adult person?",
    "answers": [
        {
            "title": "50g - 60g",
            "correct": false
        },
        {
            "title": "100g - 110g",
            "correct": true
        }
    ],
    "correctNotice": "You're right!",
    "incorrectNotice": "I'm afraid not! 50g - 60g would be a good amount for a child. :)"
}

{
    "id": "quiz-3",
    "question": "If your dough is too sticky and you need to add more flour, what's the best way of doing that?",
    "answers": [
        {
            "title": "Roll the dough ball in flour",
            "correct": false
        },
        {
            "title": "Sprinkle flour on the work surface as you knead",
            "correct": true
        }
    ],
    "correctNotice": "That's right! Do this as many times as you need to until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.",
    "incorrectNotice": "I'm afraid that's incorrect. That could introduce more flour than needed."
}

{
    "id": "quiz-4",
    "question": "What's the minimum amount of time you must let the dough rest before rolling it out?",
    "answers": [
        {
            "title": "0 minutes",
            "correct": false
        },
        {
            "title": "10 minutes",
            "correct": false
        },
 	{
            "title": "20 minutes",
            "correct": true
        }
    ],
    "correctNotice": "That's right! Let the dough rest anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours. This rest period allows the gluten in the dough to relax, which will make the dough easier to roll ",
    "incorrectNotice": "I'm afraid that's incorrect. If you don’t allow the dough enough time to rest, it will contract or spring back when rolled and be harder to work with."
}