Semolina flour is a coarse, yellow flour, made from durum wheat. Durum wheat has hard wheat berries that are high in protein and gluten, making it a widely used flour for pasta. The high gluten content creates strong, chewy pasta noodles that are flavorful and hearty. The most traditional recipes for pasta dough call for semolina, water, oil and nothing else. This produces a dough that is difficult to knead and work with at home. More commonly today, semolina pasta dough recipes include eggs and white flour, making a soft and malleable dough.
Instructions
Make the dough
1. Combine the semolina, all-purpose flour and salt in the mixing bowl. Shape the flour mixture into a mound. Scoop out a hole in the middle of the mound to make a well.
2. Lightly beat the eggs with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the well in the flour mixture.
3. With your hands, draw the flour into the egg mixture using a circular motion to gradually combine the flour mixture with the eggs. Mix until the dough forms a ball.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead and fold the dough for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Brush the dough with the remaining oil and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
6. Set up your pasta machine by turning the dial to the widest setting. Separate the dough into golf ball size pieces. Flatten one piece of dough into a rectangular shape while keeping the other pieces covered with plastic wrap. Feed the rectangle through the roller by turning the crank with one hand and catching the pasta with the other.
7. Fold the piece of dough into thirds, like a business letter, and press down. Feed the dough through the machine again on the widest setting. Repeat this process of folding and rolling, using the widest setting, five times.
8. Turn the dial to the next setting and roll the dough through the machine again. Do not fold the dough this time. Continue to run the dough through the machine, turning the dial to decrease the thickness each time. When you have reached the third to last setting on the dial, run the dough through the machine one last time. The lasagna noodles will be now the correct thickness.
9. Carefully drape the rolled lasagna noodle on a drying sheet. Repeat this process with the other pieces of dough until they are all rolled out. Cut the long noodles into smaller lasagna sized pieces, about 9 to 12 inches, depending on the size of your baking dish.
10. Toss the noodles into a large pot of salted, boiling water for 3 minutes until the noodles begin to float. Drain the noodles in a colander and drizzle them with olive oil. Assemble your lasagna and bake according to your recipe.
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