Lemon Basil Pasta

This recipe makes about 1 pound (5 to 6 servings).

Place the flour on a large floured surface.

Make a well in the center. Break the eggs into the well.

Add the salt, oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Beat the mixture in the well with a fork.

Using a fork, gently start to work the flour into the liquid.

Continue until the dough becomes sticky and difficult to work with the fork. Stir in the basil.

Use your hands to form the rough dough into a ball.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. I like to use a Silpat made for rolling out doughs. My Italian great-grandmother, grandmother and mom all used a cloth-stretched-between-wooden-bars kind of contraption. I don’t have one of those, so I use the Silpat. And I think it is easier to clean and just better in general. Don’t tell them though.

Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

(The steps above can be done in a mixer using the dough hook attachment. Place all the ingredients into the mixer and mix on low until combined into a ball. Knead on medium-low for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Form into a ball and place on a lightly floured surface. Continue with the rest of the recipe. This way is a lot faster. For me anyway. I’m not as good as my great-grandmother.)

Cover with a bowl or towel and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Proceed with rolling and cutting the pasta according to your recipe. I like mine rolled very thin and cut into long 1/4-inch wide strips.

To cook:

Gently place the pasta into a large pot of boiling water. You will want to make sure that it has plenty of space to cook, so the pasta doesn’t stick together. Boil for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta floats to the top.

Drain, rinse and serve as desired. I like to toss this with an additional tablespoon or two of lemon juice, about a tablespoon of butter and some parmesan cheese. With grilled chicken breasts and some roasted asparagus, you have a really flavorful meal.

Hope you enjoy!