Build strength and extensibility: In order for your dough to stretch out into long strands of noodles without breaking apart you’ll need to build both strength and extensibility into your pasta by creating a strong network of gluten. There are two ways to build gluten in your dough: resting and kneading. Both are equally important in this process. Kneading ensures your ingredients are thoroughly mixed, and causes gluten strands to become stronger and longer. Allowing your dough to rest will decrease elasticity, allowing it to stretch.

Allow your dough to rest: It may be tempting to rush through this process and attempt to roll out and cook your pasta dough right away; as hard as it may be you must resist the urge! Patience is key here. Allowing your dough to rest for at least 6 hours (preferably 24) relaxes those strong gluten strands you created and will make it easier for you to stretch and roll out your pasta. Not allowing your dough to rest and forcing it down your pasta machine may result in your dough breaking up and instead of nice long strands it will break up as it cooks, and you’ll end up with short, gummy pasta. Plus you lose out on all the benefits of fermentation if you don’t allow your dough to rest and ferment. 

Use semolina to prevent your dough from clumping: There’s nothing more frustrating than your pasta noodles sticking together after the hours you’ve spent creating and rolling out your dough. To prevent your noodles from sticking, place a bowl filled with semolina, cornmeal or another non-gluten flour and cut your noodles directly into the bowl (if using a pasta machine). Wheat flour could be absorbed back into your dough causing them to stick together, so it’s best to use an alternative flour. Toss the pasta in your alternative flour of choice and gather them into nests before cooking them. 

Mix your dough: Place your flour on a clean butcher block or plate. Create a well in the center of the flour; you want to be able to see the surface of your plate or butcher block. Add the sourdough starter, egg, yolk and salt into the middle of the well. Using a fork, beat the eggs and sourdough starter together, begin slowly incorporating the flour from the interior wall of your well little by little until it forms a thick paste. Continue until you’ve formed a very thick paste and a good portion of your flour has been incorporated. 

If you’re using a plate, dump the mixture on your clean work surface. Using a bench knife, fold the flour into your paste. Continue folding until your most of the flour is incorporated, then begin bringing your dough together using your hands with a light kneading motion. 

Create strength and elasticity: Once your dough has formed a cohesive mass, knead it using the palm of your hands until it looks fully incorporated and feels smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Wrap your dough in plastic wrap, pleat the plastic to prevent air pockets and oxidation. 

Rest period: Place your dough into the Brod and Taylor Folding Proofer set at 78 °F / 26 °C and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. This rest period will help build strength and elasticity while minimizing oxidation. 

Knead your dough: Unwrap your dough and place it on a clean work surface. Knead the dough for another 5 minutes. Wrap your dough and place it back into the Brod and Taylor Folding Proofer.

Using a pasta machine: Divide your pasta dough into 2 equal portions and work with 1 piece at a time, make sure you wrap the other one back in plastic wrap so that it doesn’t dry out. Place the dough cut side down on a lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, flatten the piece of dough out until it’s roughly even in thickness. Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll the dough out until it is ¼-inch thick, try to roll it out as closely to a rectangle as possible (measurements don’t matter as much here, we’re shooting more for thickness)

Once you’ve rolled your dough out to the desired thickness, lightly dust it with flour. Pass it through the thickest setting of your pasta machine and roll it out at least 3 times. Getting the right thickness in the beginning is important here, if your pasta dough is too thick it may be too difficult to roll out and break apart.

Rolling out pasta by hand: Divide your pasta dough into 2 equal portions and work with 1 piece at a time, make sure you wrap the other one back in plastic wrap so that it doesn’t dry out. Place the dough cut side down on a lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, flatten the piece of dough out until it’s roughly even in thickness.

Lightly dust your rolling pin with flour, flatten your dough using light and even pressure. Flip your dough 90 degrees and repeat. Continue flipping your dough 90 degrees and rolling it out until it’s 8 inches wide. Once your dough is wide enough, continue rolling your dough and flipping it 180 degrees. Roll your dough out until it’s 24 inches long, you should be able to see the outline of your hand through the sheet of pasta.

Spinach Pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the spinach in the water for 1 minute or until the leaves have wilted and the stems are soft. Drain and squeeze all of the water out of the spinach, you should end up with a tight ball of spinach the size of a golf ball.

Combine the spinach, egg and yolk inside a blender or food processor. Blend your mixture until it’s very smooth (large pieces of spinach will impede gluten development). Place the spinach mixture and sourdough starter into the middle of your flour, mix and cook according to instructions.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Homemade sun-dried tomatoes are a great way to preserve the bounty of the summer. To make sundried tomatoes, set your Sahara Folding Dehydrator to 140 °F / 60 °C and arrange tomatoes sliced in half lengthwise cut-side up on the racks. The tomatoes are done when they feel dry but pliable. Don’t dry them for too long or they will become tough and brittle. Pack dried tomatoes in oil.

Combine the sun dried tomato, egg and yolk inside a blender or food processor. Blend your mixture until it’s very smooth (large pieces of sundried tomatoes will impede gluten development). Place the sun-dried tomato mixture into the middle of your flour, mix and cook according to instructions.