Cracked Pepper Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• Fresh ground pepper
• Pinch of cayenne seasoning (to taste)

Directions

1. Prepare the Flour Nest: Place flour on a clean counter. Make a nest in the center large enough to hold all the eggs and oil.
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, olive oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne seasoning into the nest.
3. Mix: Using a fork, gently break up the eggs, keeping the flour walls intact. Gradually bring the flour inward to incorporate, a little at a time.
4. Form the Dough: Continue working the dough with your hands until it forms a ball.
5. Knead: Knead the dough for about 8–10 minutes until it becomes cohesive and smooth. If the dough seems dry, sprinkle with a little water; if it’s too sticky, sprinkle with a little flour.
6. Rest: Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
7. Roll Out: Slice the dough into four pieces. Flatten one into an oval disk and run it through a pasta roller three times on level 1.
8. Fold: Place the dough piece on the countertop, fold the short ends in to meet the center, then fold in half to form a rectangle.
9. Continue Rolling: Run the dough through the pasta roller three times on level 2, three times on level 3, and once each on levels 4, 5, and 6.
10. Cut & Dry: Run the flattened pasta through your desired cutting tool. Hang from a pasta drying rack to dry completely.
11. Store: Store in an airtight container.