Homemade Bow Tie Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce

To prepare the homemade bow tie pasta:

1. Weigh the flour and mound it in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the mound. Crack the eggs in a separate bowl and pour them into the well.
2. Beat the eggs with a fork until smooth. Using the tips of your fingers, mix the eggs with the flour, a little at a time, until everything is combined.
3. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, or until smooth. Form into a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes before rolling it out.
4. Dust 3 (10-by-15-inches) baking sheets with flour and reserve. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface and feed through a pasta machine, adjusting the settings to setting #7, or roll the dough by hand with a rolling pin, making the dough as thin and uniform as possible
5. Using a crinkle-edge pastry wheel or a pizza cutter (if you don't have a crinkle-edge pastry wheel), cut the pasta sheets into 2 ½-inch squares. A ruler can be used for measurement to cut uniform squares if desired. I did use it!
6. To shape the bow ties, pinch each square in the middle with your thumb and index finger. Then, transfer to the floured baking sheets and repeat the above steps with the remaining dough.
7. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for approximately 2 minutes or until al dente (cooked but still slightly firm). Drain pasta in a colander and shake away excess water. Serve immediately tossed with the tomato basil sauce. Enjoy!

To prepare the tomato basil sauce:

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan over low heat. Saute onion for about 2 minutes or until translucent. Add the diced tomatoes and water. Season with salt, cover, and let cook for about 10-15 minutes over low heat.
2. Add basil leaves and stir. Pour sauce over cooked and drained pasta in a pot and mix well while cooking for about 1 minute. Serve immediately, topped with grated cheese (or shaved cheese like I did).