Using a Hand-Crank Pasta Machine
Starting with a lightly floured board, knead dough gently with your palms, folding it over onto itself until it forms a smooth mass. Pat into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or as long as overnight. (The dough may also be frozen for about a month and defrosted in the refrigerator.)

Once again, working on a lightly floured surface and making sure the dough stays lightly dusted with flour at all stages, cut into pieces (usually 3 or 4) that will fit through your pasta machine. Complete each step with all of the pieces before moving onto the next step to allow the dough to relax between each handling.

With the rollers on your machine at the widest setting, pass each piece of dough through. Fold each strip into thirds, turn the dough so an open end faces the rollers, and pass again through the widest setting. Repeat 3 times.

(For Bugia, skip the folding process. Simply run through successively narrower settings until dough is nearly transparent when held up to the light.)

Then, run the pieces through successively narrower roller settings — no longer folding the dough between settings — until it is quite thin, yet thick enough not to tear when shaping, probably the next to last setting for ravioli and the last setting for fettuccini.

Let the sheets dry for 10 minutes before cutting. If you want to cut the dough later, wrap the pasta sheets in floured tea towels, enclose in a large plastic bag, and refrigerate overnight or freeze for up to one month.