Ingredients Durum-wheat flour, salt, and water, and today also eggs, oil, or lard.
How Made The flour is sifted with a pinch of salt onto a wooden board and kneaded long and vigorously until a firm, smooth dough forms. The dough is left to rest, then divided into little loaves whose size depends on the housewife’s skill and strength. A hole is made in the center of each loaf and, with oiled hands, the loaf is pulled and stretched into a long loop—as long as the length of the maker’s arms permits. The loop is folded over twice to form a sort of skein of four threads, which is folded again and again, with the threads of pasta becoming thinner and thinner. They are dusted with flour from a sieve every so often to keep them from sticking. The skein is then opened and cut at two equally spaced points to make spaghetti, which are separated, dusted with flour, and left to dry. They are boiled in plenty of salted water.
