Tomato Pasta

How to prepare tomato pasta

1. In a wide bowl, beat the eggs well with the tomato paste and salt. Gradually add the flour and mix by hand until the flour is absorbed by the eggs. The dough will be crumbly now, but that's okay.
2. Start kneading the dough until it comes together into a ball (about 3-4 minutes). At this point you can continue kneading the dough by hand (directly on the work surface, about 15 minutes), with a stand mixer (about 5 minutes), or in a bread machine (on the kneading/pasta program). If you choose to knead it with a mixer or machine, at the end knead it by hand for another 2-3 minutes on the work surface, the warmth of your hands helps. The final dough is firm and glossy.
3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
4. When the dough is ready, cut it into 5-6 equal pieces.
5. Prepare the pasta machine with the simple dough roller attachment (or lasagna setting). Ideally when using the pasta machine, it's best to be two people, it's much easier and faster. One turns the crank and the other feeds and holds the dough as it comes out.
   
6. Take each piece of dough and roll it out slightly with a rolling pin or by hand, just to give it a disc shape. Pass the disc through flour, shake off the excess.
8. Set the machine on level 1 (the widest on mine) and feed the dough through twice at this level. Repeat twice at levels 2 and 3 as well. Then continue to the second-to-last level (8 on my machine), this time passing the dough only once through each. At the end you'll have a long, thin sheet through which you can see the towel pattern.
   
9. Spread out clean towels or tablecloths. Place the strips on them.
10. Let the sheets dry. How long depends on the temperature and humidity in your home (in summer it takes only 20-30 minutes, in winter it can take 1-2 hours). When the sheets feel slightly dry on top, turn them over to dry on the other side as well. When they seem dry but still pliable (don't let them dry too much! they will break when cutting) do a test with a small piece and if the pasta sticks when cutting, it means they need a little more drying.
11. Roll the sheets lengthwise and cut slices as wide as you want.
12. Spread the pasta on towels. Let them continue to dry for 1-2 days (until they become brittle). Store in paper bags, in a cool place. Cooking time is about 5 minutes.
14. Serving suggestion (with basil and garlic): weigh 120-140 g pasta for 2 people and cook them in salted water. Meanwhile, crush 10 large basil leaves with a little coarse salt in a mortar. Then add enough olive oil to get a light sauce that flows off the spoon. In a hot pan, sauté 1 small garlic clove cut into slices. Add the drained pasta and basil sauce and sauté together for another 1 minute. Serve immediately.

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