We’d always assumed that pasta was tricky to make, and that you needed a pasta rolling machine. In fact, this is an incredibly easy recipe that makes great pasta, the only specialist equipment you’ll need are a worktop and a rolling pin! It works well with all sorts of sauces, and also freezes very well, though in a lump, rather than already rolled out.This recipe also works when you do need a pasta machine

200g best quality ‘00’ pasta flour

2 eggs

Fine semolina flour

• Put the '00' pasta flour and egg in a bowl and mix together well until you have a soft smooth dough. It takes about 5 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a semolina dusted work surface and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

• Then knead for 5 minutes until the dough is very smooth, and similar in texture to plasticene. Cover the ball of dough with cling film and allow to rest for a least 2 hours in the fridge

• Lightly dust your worktop with semolina flour. Divide the pasta dough into 6 balls, and roll each one out until it is wafer thin (1mm). At this stage, there are a few different ways you can cut it up; we normally do them as ‘rags’ approximately 7 x 10 cm, trying to keep them roughly the same size so that they cook evenly, but you can also slice them into 2.5cm wide ribbons and use as Pappardelle.

• Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil, adding a little salt, then add the pasta and return to the boil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes depending on the thickness of the pasta, and how you like it cooked. Strain in a sieve or colander, and serve