Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Fresh Pasta Dough
- 400 g 00 flour
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 g fine sea salt
Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 g red chili flakes
- 800 g canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
- g fine sea salt
- 10 g fresh basil, torn
Finishing
- 40 g vegetarian parmesan-style cheese, freshly grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Mound the flour and salt in the center of a large mixing bowl or a clean work surface. Create a deep well in the middle. Crack the eggs into the well and add the olive oil.
Using a fork, gently beat the eggs and oil, gradually incorporating the surrounding flour until a shaggy dough forms. Use your hands to bring the dough together.
Knead the dough vigorously on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and uniform in color. If it feels too dry, wet your hands slightly; if too wet, dust with a pinch of flour.
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
While the dough rests, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and red chili flakes. Cook gently until the garlic is fragrant and pale golden, being careful not to brown it.
Carefully add the hand-crushed tomatoes and their juices to the skillet. Season with salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes until the sauce thickens and the oil separates slightly.
Unwrap the rested dough and cut it into four manageable pieces. Keep the unused pieces wrapped. Flatten one piece and pass it through the widest setting of your pasta machine. Fold it in thirds like a letter, then pass it through again. Continue rolling, decreasing the thickness setting one notch at a time, until the dough is about 1.5mm thick.
Cut the rolled dough sheets into tagliatelle ribbons using the corresponding pasta machine attachment, or by dusting heavily with flour, rolling loosely into a cylinder, and cutting into 6mm wide strips with a chef's knife. Toss the cut pasta with semolina or flour to prevent sticking.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F. Drop in the fresh tagliatelle and stir immediately. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pasta floats and is al dente.
Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta directly from the boiling water into the simmering arrabbiata sauce. Add 60ml of the starchy pasta cooking water. Toss vigorously over medium heat for 1 minute until the sauce clings perfectly to the noodles.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Fold in the torn fresh basil and plate immediately. Top with grated vegetarian parmesan-style cheese if desired.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to a glossy, clinging sauce is the pasta water. The starches released by the fresh pasta act as a binder, emulsifying the olive oil and tomato juices into a cohesive coating rather than a watery puddle.
- Do not skip resting the dough. The 30-minute hydration period allows the flour to absorb the egg moisture evenly while relaxing the gluten matrix, making the dough infinitely easier to roll without tearing.
- When cooking the arrabbiata, blooming the chili flakes in the oil alongside the garlic is crucial. Capsaicin is oil-soluble, meaning the heat will distribute evenly throughout the entire dish.
- Crushing whole canned tomatoes by hand provides a superior rustic texture compared to buying pre-crushed tomatoes, which often contain calcium chloride that prevents them from breaking down properly during cooking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store pasta and sauce separately if possible to prevent the pasta from becoming overly soft.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze uncooked pasta nests on a baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container. Freeze sauce separately.
Reheating: Warm sauce in a skillet over medium heat, add a splash of water, then gently toss in leftover pasta until heated through.
