Pasta Dough: Egg Or Not?

I'm just curious as to what the group does about homemade pasta dough.

For me, as passed down through the maternal hierarchy of my (southern) Italian-American family, it's always been simply flour, a touch of ice water, salt, and carpal-tunnel-inducing kneading. The flour was whatever was available, ordinarily all purpose, but I frou frou it up a bit and go for the durum wheat flour and semolina.

But no eggs ... uh, uh, no eggs. Those would be egg noodles which, I admit, have their own charm, but I reserve such for my variations on German themes.

What do you all do?

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P.S. Second ex walked off with the pasta machine so I do it all by hand. You know. Mano-a-mano by the man, oh!

I've never made pasta in my life, but am thinking about a pasta attachment for my Kitchenaid stand mixer.

Either. Depends on the dish. Tagliarini, for example, will always have egg because, well, that's what they do in Alba. Spaghetti, nope.

I'm just curious as to what the group does about homemade pasta dough.

For me, as passed down through the maternal hierarchy of my (southern) Italian-American family, it's always been simply flour, a touch of ice water, salt, and carpal-tunnel-inducing kneading. The flour was whatever was available, ordinarily all purpose, but I frou frou it up a bit and go for the durum wheat flour and semolina.

But no eggs ... uh, uh, no eggs. Those would be egg noodles which, I admit, have their own charm, but I reserve such for my variations on German themes.

Coincidentally, I just made pasta tonight with my soon-to-be-4 son, one of the few communal cooking activities that works well for us. Because I was using all-purpose flour, I did indeed use egg (for semolina I don't). Even so, we did make spaghetti as well as fetuccine from it, because that's what Andrew wanted and that's what my ancient Marcato Atlas can make easily. In an ideal world, though, it's egg for ravioli and tortellini and semolina for the rest.

Mark Lipton

I follow the Northern Italian tradition of using egg. The result is not a Germanic egg noodle. It is a correct pasta.

Eggs or not? Yes.

We always use egg. Otherwise, we buy dried pasta. I think most "fresh" pasta here uses egg. I have no idea whether or not that's authentic.

If I were making orechiette, then I wouldn't use egg. But it's just so much easier to buy those, that what's the point?
For luxurious fresh pappardelle, lasagne, fettucine, or ravioli, you must use egg to get it right, IMO.

I've always used egg. Have to try it without someday.

I come down firmly on either way.

[Robin Garr]

I normally use egg, which I believe to be the tradition from Lazio north. The standard procedure of making a well in flour on a flat surface, pouring in beaten egg and stirring until it's dough strikes me as Italian, not American. And referring back to my old books, egg seems absolutely a requirement in Emilia-Romagna (Marcella Hazan), and in Rome (Franco and Margaret Romagnoli).

I'm with you Gary. No eggs. Orecchiete is my fave.

rwj

That's interesting Gary...does the pasta stay together? I didn't even know you could make fresh pasta without egg.

My family always uses eggs. The majority of my ancestry is from Naples. I know my Paternal Grandmother is from Siciliy. I will have to ask my Dad if she ever made egg-less pasta.

I didn't even know you could make fresh pasta without egg.
......... The majority of my ancestry is from Naples. I know my Paternal Grandmother is from Siciliy.

Ah Maria, I should give you one of those smacks to the back of your head. You're supposed to know this stuff.

That's interesting Gary...does the pasta stay together? I didn't even know you could make fresh pasta without egg.
My family always uses eggs. The majority of my ancestry is from Naples. I know my Paternal Grandmother is from Siciliy. I will have to ask my Dad if she ever made egg-less pasta.

My gnarly kneading knuckles attest to it. It's a pretty simple process with very little water, too.