Authentic Italian Tagliatelle All'Uovo

1. Fit your KitchenAid with the dough hook attachment. Add the flour and salt to the bowl and give it a quick mix by hand to combine.

2. Make a small well in the flour and crack in both eggs. Start the KitchenAid on speed 2 and let it bring the dough together. It will look shaggy at first — this is normal. After 2–3 minutes it should come together into a rough ball.

3. Increase to speed 4 and knead for 5–6 minutes until the dough is smooth, firm, and not sticky. It should feel like stiff Play-Doh. If it's too dry and crumbly, add a teaspoon of water. If it's tacky, add a small dusting of flour.

4. Remove the dough, shape it into a ball, wrap tightly in cling film, and rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This is non-negotiable — it relaxes the gluten and makes rolling much easier.

5. After resting, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Keep the pieces you're not working with wrapped so they don't dry out.

6. Attach the pasta roller to your KitchenAid. Set it to the widest setting (usually 1). Flatten a piece of dough with your hand and feed it through. Fold it in thirds like a letter, then pass it through again. Repeat this fold-and-roll step 3–4 times on setting 1 — this further develops the texture.

7. Now begin working through the settings, going from 1 up to 5 or 6 (depending on how thick you like your tagliatelle — 5 gives a nice silky sheet with a little body, 6 is thinner and more delicate). Pass the sheet through each setting once.

8. Switch to the tagliatelle cutter attachment and feed each pasta sheet through. The ribbons will come out the other side — dust them lightly with flour as they come out to prevent sticking.

9. Gather the tagliatelle into loose nests and place on a lightly floured tray. Leave uncovered for 10–15 minutes to dry slightly before cooking, or cook immediately.

10. To cook, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt it generously — it should taste pleasantly salty, like light seawater. Add the tagliatelle and cook for just 2–3 minutes. Fresh pasta cooks very quickly. Taste as you go — it should be tender but with a very slight bite.

11. Drain, reserving a small cup of the pasta water, and toss immediately with your chosen sauce. The pasta water is liquid gold — a splash helps any sauce cling beautifully.