Home Grown: The art of making pasta with Mateo Zielonka

Mateo Zielonka, aka The Pasta Man, makes the most amazing pasta. Striped, spotted, red, purple, green, black, and every shape imaginable, it’s prettier than a picture.

In this episode, Zielonka shows us how to make a rich egg yolk pasta dough.


Ingredients
280g/ 2 ¼ cups Italian 00 flour
2 eggs, plus 4 egg yolks

Method
1. Place the flour on a clean work surface or board and shape it into a mound. Make a well in the centre and crack the eggs into the middle.

2. Using a fork, break the egg yolks and start to gently whisk them. Draw in the flour a little at a time and continue to combine with the fork.

3. When everything starts to come together, use your hands to knead the dough for eight to 10 minutes until smooth. Use the heel of one hand to push the dough away from you, and use your other hand to turn it 90 degrees after each knead – you’ll soon develop a lovely rhythm. 

4. When the dough is smooth, form it into a flat disc (this will be much easier to roll out later). Wrap it tightly in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight. Resting makes the structure of the dough smoother and more pliable, so it’s much easier to roll out and shape.