The evenings are drawing in and pasta is back on the table. Over the next seven weeks we're sharing our whole pasta course, one lesson a week, from the dough to a slow-cooked ragù. Nothing to sign up for and nothing to pay.

We built this course ourselves, working with Francesca, our specialist pasta tutor, who has dedicated her life to the subject. Everything in it is how we think fresh pasta should be made at home.

Fresh pasta has a reputation for being fussy. It isn't. It's flour, eggs and a little attention, and once you've made it twice you won't need the recipe. This week is the foundation everything else sits on.

Understanding pasta dough

There are several types of fresh pasta dough, each with a different texture and purpose:

We're making whole egg pasta dough. It's the most versatile style and the one to learn rolling, sheeting and shaping with.

Before you begin

Pasta dough comes together quickly, so weigh everything before you start. Chefs call it mise en place: everything in its place before you begin.

Method

1. 1

   Combine the flours

   Add the 00 flour, semola and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix gently with your hands until the flour and salt are evenly distributed.

2. 2

   Make a well

   Press the bottom of a mixing bowl gently into the centre of the flour, give it a small twist, and lift it away. You'll have a neat, round well that keeps the eggs where you want them.

3. 3

   Add the eggs

   Crack the eggs into the well. Beat them gently with a fork, starting in the middle, then slowly draw in flour from the inner edges. Keep working outward until the mixture is thick and shaggy. Go slowly - rush this and the well collapses.

   It will come together as a rough dough. Every flour behaves slightly differently and eggs vary in size, so you may need to adjust. You're aiming for something just slightly crumbly to begin with. If it sticks to your fingers, it's too wet: work in a pinch of flour at a time. If it won't hold together when pressed, add a few drops of water at a time until it binds.

4. 4

   Knead

   Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead firmly with the heel of your hand: fold, press, rotate, repeat. It will feel stiff and rough at first. That's normal. Keep going for several minutes, until the dough is smooth, the surface is even and there are no dry patches.

5. 5

   Rest it (this matters)

   Shape the dough into a smooth ball, wrap it tightly in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Resting lets the gluten relax and the flour fully hydrate. Skip it and the dough resists rolling, springs back and tears.

Created by Season with Francesca, our specialist pasta tutor. The cooking you see is real; the presenter is an AI avatar we used to stitch the lessons together.