Chefs' Recipes

Al Dente's egg yolk and semolina pasta dough

The silky staple recipe from the Melbourne eatery.

By Andrea Vignali & Davide Bonadiman
  • 1 hr preparation (plus resting)
  • Serves 4 - 6
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"Our pasta dough is a beautiful yellow due to the durum semolina and rich egg yolks we use. It took a while to perfect," says Al Dente's Davide Bonadiman.

Ingredients

  • 570 gm fine durum wheat semolina flour (see note), plus extra for dusting
  • 220 gm eggs (about 4 eggs)
  • 120 gm egg yolks (about 8 eggs)

Method

  • 1
    For pasta dough, place all ingredients in a food processor with a pinch of salt and pulse until a rough dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (5 minutes). Wrap in plastic wrap and rest in fridge (1 hour). Makes 900gm.
  • 2
    Bring pasta to room temperature (about 1 hour). To laminate pasta, divide dough into 6 equal pieces, then, working with one piece at a time and covering remaining dough with a damp tea towel, flatten it with a rolling pin or the palm of your hand. Dust lightly with semolina and gently feed it through the pasta machine, starting at the widest setting.
  • 3
    Fold the two ends of the dough towards each other, then rotate dough 90 degrees and feed through the pasta machine again (this is called laminating, and creates a strong, structured dough). Laminate once or twice on the widest setting, then continue to feed dough through the machine, reducing settings notch by notch, until the pasta is 1mm thick (for fettuccine bring to 2mm thick). Repeat process with remaining dough, then fold and place in a single layer on a tray dusted with extra semolina. Cover until ready to use.

Notes

Durum wheat semolina, a flour high in protein, is available from select supermarkets and specialty food shops. Woolworths stocks San Remo and Il Molino brand durum wheat semolina. Disclosure: This recipe contains some affiliate links. Gourmet Traveller may receive a small commission from purchases made through select links on this page.