Last week you made the dough. This week it starts to look like pasta.
The rules are few: roll gradually, don't skip settings, and don't chase the thinnest one. Pasta rolled to tissue goes soggy in the pot. You want to see your hand through the sheet, not read a newspaper through it.
Setting up your pasta machine
A machine that shifts while you crank it tears the dough, so set it up properly first.
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1
Identify the parts
The body with its rollers, the cutting attachment, the clamp and the handle. For now you only need the rollers.
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2
Fit the clamp
Turn the machine over, find the first hole underneath the roller and push the clamp in so it sits securely.
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3
Position it
Place the machine on the edge of a worktop or sturdy table, with the clamp over the edge.
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4
Secure it
Under the worktop, tighten the clamp screw by turning it towards the bench until the machine is firm. Push it side to side; if it moves, tighten again.
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5
Fit the handle
Slide it firmly into the roller hole on the side.
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6
Test it
Turn the handle slowly clockwise - the direction you'll use for rolling. If it turns easily and the machine stays still, you're ready.
Rolling pasta sheets
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1
Prepare for the first roll
Cut the rested dough into manageable portions and work with one at a time, keeping the rest covered so it doesn't dry out. Set the machine to its thickest setting. Flatten your portion with your hands or a rolling pin so it feeds through the rollers smoothly.
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2
First pass
Pass the dough through the rollers once on the thickest setting.
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3
Fold and re-roll
Fold the dough into a neat rectangle and press it flat with a rolling pin. This evens the thickness and stops it tearing. Pass it through again on the same thickest setting.
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4
Thin it gradually
Turn the dial to the next thinner setting and roll twice. Reduce again slightly and roll twice more. Keep going gradually, checking the texture as you go, but avoid the very thinnest setting.
Skipping settings gives you a weaker, rougher sheet.
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5
Check the thickness
Hold the sheet up to natural light with your hand behind it. If you can clearly see the outline of your hand, it's thin enough. Any thinner and it goes soggy once cooked.
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6
Get ready to shape
Dust the sheets lightly with semolina and lay them flat, or stack them so they don't stick together.
Cutting tagliatelle
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1
Fit the cutter
Slot the cutting attachment into the back of the machine and push it in firmly until it sits securely.
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2
Prepare the sheet
Work with one sheet at a time, supporting it with your left hand as you guide it. If it's wider than the cutter, trim the sides with a paring knife so it feeds in cleanly. If it's too long to handle comfortably, cut it in half. Neat sheets give you cleaner strands.
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3
Cut
Feed the end of the sheet straight into the tagliatelle cutter and turn the handle clockwise at a steady pace. There's no need to rush. The strands emerge from the bottom of the cutter; a consistent speed keeps them even.
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4
Dust and nest
Gather the tagliatelle from the centre and dust it generously with semolina straight away. To keep the strands apart, hold the bundle in the middle, give it a gentle twist and lay it flat on your work surface.
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5
Repeat
Work through the remaining sheets the same way. Even pacing gives better pasta.
Cutting spaghetti
Spaghetti is thin and round, made to carry lighter sauces along its length: tomato, olive oil, seafood, simple clean flavours.
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1
Check your setup
Make sure the cutter is firmly fitted and the handle is in the spaghetti cutter hole, not the roller or the tagliatelle hole. Turn it clockwise a few times to get the feel of it.
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2
Prepare the sheet
One sheet at a time. Trim the edges with a paring knife if it's wider than the cutter, and halve it if it's too long to handle.
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3
Cut
Support the sheet with one hand, feed the end gently into the cutter and turn the handle clockwise at a steady pace. Smooth, even movement gives even strands.
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4
Dust
Lift the spaghetti from the centre, dust it generously with semolina, and lay it flat or coil it loosely, keeping the strands separate.
A small, sharp knife and a board that looks after it
You'll trim every sheet you cut, so the knife matters more than you'd think. A small, sharp blade takes a clean line through soft dough without dragging it. Do your trimming on wood, not glass or stone, and the edge stays sharp for the next job. End Grain boards are kindest of all to a knife.
Shop the S4 Paring Knife
Your first proper plate: mushroom tagliatelle in a white wine butter sauce.
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.