Handmade Spaghetti al Pomodoro e Basilico

On a clean work surface, mound the flour and create a deep well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well.

Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs, slowly incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well until a shaggy dough forms. Use a bench scraper to fold in remaining flour.

Knead the dough vigorously by hand for 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

While dough rests, prepare the tomatoes. Roughly chop them into 2cm chunks. If a smoother sauce is desired, blanch and peel them first.

Heat 40ml of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves and cook until golden and fragrant, then remove the garlic.

Add the chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt to the pan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes break down into a sauce. Mash larger pieces with a spoon.

Cut the rested dough into 4 pieces. Flatten one piece (keep others covered) and roll it through a pasta machine on progressively thinner settings until about 1-2mm thick. Cut into spaghetti strands using the cutter attachment or by hand. Dust with semolina/flour.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fresh spaghetti and boil for 2-3 minutes until al dente (fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried).

Transfer the pasta directly into the tomato sauce using tongs (carrying over some pasta water). Add half the basil. Toss vigorously over medium heat for 1 minute to emulsify the sauce.

Remove from heat. Drizzle with the remaining 20ml olive oil and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.