How to make fresh pasta - that’s red!

It uses flour, egg and a little tomato paste to create a glorious fresh red pasta that’s a lovely warm color and goes perfectly with oil, pesto and seafood sauces.

The process of making it is largely the same as that of normal egg pasta - only here we use replace one of the eggs with tomato paste.

The result? An attractive red, super-supple pasta dough that’s ready to chop into any shapes you like (tagliatelle being arguably the easiest).

So what are we waiting for? Let’s learn how to make fresh pasta!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

200g/7oz all-purpose or plain flour (ideally type 'double zero' but not essential)

1 egg

100ml/3.5fl oz blended tomato paste (see right)

Salt

Equipment

Fork

Rolling pin

Small pan/skillet

Clean flat surface

STEP 1 – Pour the tomato paste into the pan and cook on a medium heat hob for 3-4 minutes. (This cooks it slightly to bring out the tomato’s flavour.)

STEP 2 - Pour the flour onto your surface and use your fingers to form it into a bowl shape.

- Crack the egg into the flour bowl using the fork.

- Fill both halves of the empty egg shell with tomato sauce then pour this into the bowl too.

- Add enough salt to cover the egg yolk twice.

STEP 3 – Using a flat fork, carefully but strongly stir the central mixture until the lumps have disappeared.

After a couple of minutes, you should get a nice, smooth orange-cream kind of color/consistency.

STEP 4 – Using your (clean!) hands, remove the very outer centimetre or so of flour from the walls of the bowl.

- Now push the remaining flour walls into the centre mixture. Mix with your fingers until it starts to stick together.

- When the dough begins to form a ball, use your palm to flatten it (press hard). Then fold it in half, turn a little, flatten and repeat. Repeat for 5-10 minutes.

The aim? This flattening and folding process is crucial for putting air bubbles inside the dough (keeping it light). As you progress, the dough’s surface should start to dimple – that means the air is getting in there.

- Lightly flour the final ball of dough and leave to ‘rest’ for 5 minutes.

STEP 5 – Next, grab your rolling pin.

- Roll the dough for 5-10 minutes until 1-2mm thick. Try to keep the shape roughly circular.

Don’t despair, after a few minutes of rolling the dough will lose its elasticity!

STEP 6 –Okay, you’ve made fresh pasta dough!

Now, to turn it into tagliatelle:

- Starting at one side, fold over a 5cm/2-3-inch section of rolled pasta. Then keep folding over itself until it is all folded.

- Use a sharp knife to chop this into 1cm strips – working your way sideways along the folded fresh pasta.

And that… is how to make fresh pasta - that’s red!

How to serve it?

Although tasty, tomato sauce would cover up that glorious red pasta, so instead use a light covering. Seafood and pesto sauces work well.

Just cover your uncooked tagliatelle with kitchen paper while you make the sauce.

How to cook it?

Throw it in a full pan of boiling water, along with a tablespoon or so of salt, and stir continuously. When the pasta rises to the surface – in just 1 or 2 mins – it’s done!

A pasta machine will speed up your pasta rolling, and give you some valuable long pasta options.

Check out my full review - with video - of the excellent Imperia pasta machine.

I use this piece of kit myself - it's great value, built like a rock, and available with a range of accessories for cutting and making all kinds of pasta.

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