Heaven Kneads

Why Fresh? (My Stand Against “Enriched”)

One of the biggest reasons I started making my own pasta was to get away from enriched flours. Honestly, pasta is an absolute staple in my diet and is made almost daily in my home in one way or another.

As I was changing my diet through my autoimmune journey, the grocery stores were beyond disappointing. The amount of pasta labeled an “enriched macaroni product” was overwhelming. Almost every single one is made with flour that’s been stripped of its nutrients and “enriched” with synthetic vitamins. In my home and microbakery, we just don’t need that. Whether you’re using organic all-purpose or fresh-milled durum wheat, I find this a significantly better option than store-bought. When you control the flour, you control the nutrition – and I wasn’t giving up pasta. I simply love my “Sunday gravy” too much.

The Recipe: The 2+1 Gold Standard

This isn’t your average water-and-flour dough. We’re using a specific ratio of fats to make this dough silky, strong, and deeply golden. You can use your hands with a fork and bench scraper with this recipe, or a stand mixer with a hook attachment.

• 2 Cups Organic AP Flour (or 250-260g Fresh-Milled Durum)
• 2 Whole Eggs+ 1 Egg Yolk (richness and color)
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 tbsp Beef Tallow (melted) or Avocado Oil

The beef tallow is my “signature” move. It’s something I tried out of curiosity when I wanted to avoid seed oils. It gives the pasta a nice savory depth, but avocado oil works well if you prefer a more mild taste.

Making the Dough

1. The Volcano: Mound your flour and salt on a clean counter. Use a bowl or your hand to make a wide, deep well in the center. You want high walls so your eggs don’t breach the “dam.”
2. The Center: Drop your 2 eggs, the extra yolk, and your tallow/oil into the well.
3. The Whisk: Use a fork to beat the eggs and fat in the center. Slowly—very slowly—start whisking in flour from the inner walls of your volcano. Once it turns into a thick, custard-like paste, use a bench scraper or your hands to fold the rest of the flour in.
   • Aly’s Tip: Some days, I have arthritis issues in my hands and the “well” method is a bit much. I’ve used a standard mixer with a dough hook before. I just whisk the eggs first and add them slowly to the flour “well” I’ve made around the hook. It works just as well!
4. The Knead: This is the most important part. You need to knead this for 8-10 minutes. It will start out shaggy and maybe a bit dry, but keep going. You’re looking for a dough that is smooth, elastic, and doesn’t stick to your hands. If you’re using fresh-milled durum, it’s thirstier than store-bought flour; if it’s too crumbly to stay together, add a tiny spritz of water.
5. The Rest: Wrap it tight in plastic or a damp cloth and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. If you try to roll it now, the gluten will be too tight and it’ll just shrink back.
6. Roll, Cut, Boil: Using a pasta machine, roll out your pasta as desired and cut as needed. Boil in salted water 2-4 minutes or until pasta floats to top.

---

Hand-Cut Creativity: No Machine Required

You don’t need equipment to make world-class pasta. In fact, doing it by hand gives it a rustic texture that holds sauce better.

• The Roll: Use a heavy rolling pin to roll the dough out until it’s translucent. You should be able to see the shadow of your hand through it.
• The Fold & Cut: Generously dust your sheet of dough with flour so it doesn’t stick. Fold it over itself loosely a few times to create a flat “log.”
• The Knife: Use a sharp knife to slice the log into strips. Cut them thin for linguine, wider for fettuccine, or thick for pappardelle. Shake the nests out immediately so they don’t stick together.
• Be Creative: You don’t have to make long pasta like fettucine. You can cut the dough into squares for hand-pinched farfalle (bowties) or even use a crinkle cutter for something different. There are no rules here.

Saving it for Later

The best part about this dough? You can prep it ahead of time.

• To Freeze: Toss your cut noodle “nests” in a little extra flour, lay them on a baking sheet to flash-freeze for an hour, then toss them into a freezer bag.
• Don’t Thaw: When you’re ready to eat, drop them straight from the freezer into the boiling water. They’ll taste just as fresh as the day you made them.

The Cook

Fresh pasta is lightning fast. Drop it into heavily salted boiling water. It usually takes 2 to 4 minutes max. In my experience, as soon as they float to the top, they are ready to be tossed in your favorite sauce.