Artisan Tagliatelle with Classic Summer Tomato Sauce

In a medium-sized bowl, combine semola flour and fresh eggs. Stir until the dough begins to come together, forming a dense, slightly sticky ball.

Lightly dust your countertop with semola, then transfer the dough. Knead vigorously with the heels of your hands, using your body weight to develop gluten. Continue until the dough feels smooth, elastic, and cohesive—a process that typically takes 8–10 minutes.

Wrap the dough in plastic to prevent it from drying out. Allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This crucial rest period lets the gluten relax, making the dough easier to roll and cut later.

Rinse and dry your ripe tomatoes. With a sharp knife, score a shallow X on both ends of each tomato; this will help you peel them after blanching.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Drop in the tomatoes for 30 seconds to 1 minute—just enough to loosen the skins without cooking the flesh. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking.

Once cooled, delicately peel the skins away. Slice each tomato in half and scoop out the seeds and inner membranes with a small spoon. What remains is pure, juicy tomato pulp.

Coat the bottom of a sauté pan with high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Add a few peeled garlic cloves and sauté until they're fragrant and just turning a pale gold. Stir in the tomato pulp, season with salt, and let the sauce simmer gently over medium-low heat for 30–40 minutes. Add a splash of water if the sauce thickens too much or starts to stick. This slow simmer coaxes out the tomatoes' natural sweetness and intensifies their flavor.

Unwrap your rested dough and dust your work surface with semola. Shape the dough into a rectangle that fits your pasta machine.

Begin passing the dough through the machine, starting at the widest setting. With each pass, dust lightly with semola and reduce the thickness setting incrementally, rolling until the sheet is thin but still manageable—traditionally about 1 mm thick.

Slice the dough in half if it's too long, then sprinkle generously with semola. Run each piece through the tagliatelle cutter attachment or slice by hand into ribbons about 6–8 mm wide.

Twist the cut strands into loose nests and place them on a wooden board dusted with semola. Keep the nests separated to prevent sticking as they dry slightly before cooking.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Gently drop in your nests of tagliatelle and cook for just 2–3 minutes—the fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried.

Drain the pasta thoroughly and immediately add it to your pan of simmering tomato sauce. Toss everything together over low heat for a few seconds, allowing the pasta to absorb the sauce and the flavors to meld.

Tear fresh basil leaves by hand and scatter them over the pasta for a burst of aroma and color. Toss once more to distribute.

Serve the tagliatelle immediately in warmed bowls, letting the vibrant sauce and silky noodles take center stage. Enjoy this authentic Italian experience with your loved ones!