Homemade Busiate Pasta

Place semolina flour in a bowl or in a mound directly on your work surface.  I prefer starting off my dough in a bowl and once the dough starts to take shape, I transfer it to my counter in order to knead it. Stir salt into the flour.

Bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil. Make a well in the center of the semolina and pour in 1 cup of boiled water.

Use a fork or wooden spoon to begin combining the semolina flour with the water. Use your hands to gather the crumbly bits to shape into a dough.  The dough will be very crumbly and grainy.

Transfer to a work surface and knead until a smooth dough is formed. This will take about 5 minutes. The dough must be neither sticky nor too dry and should feel slightly tacky. If it is too dry, add a spoonful of the remaining water at a time, as needed. Wrap in plastic wrap and set on your counter to rest for 1 hour.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces. It is easier to roll a smaller portion of dough at a time. Keep the remaining dough wrapped in order to prevent it from drying out.

Roll each piece of dough into a long rope of about 1/2 cm thick. Cut into 15 cm (6 inch) pieces.

Place the strip of dough in a vertical postion facing you. Place a skewer at the top end of the dough at a 45 degree angle facing downward. Wrap the tip of the dough around the skewer. Use your left hand (if right handed) to carefully roll the skewer toward you, coiling the dough around it as you roll.

Place the busiate on a parchment paper or dish cloth covered tray dusted with flour. Continue with the remaining dough.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the busiate until al dente, about 5-7 minutes. This may vary according to the thickness of your dough.