The Italian Knead

The Italian Knead is a technique shown to me by Grandmom that is the way that most traditional Italian baked goods and pastas are mixed.  It ensures complete incorporation of your liquid/fat/egg with the flour, without overkneading (which would result in a tough baked good/pasta).  So basically what you do is make a well in your dry ingredients, either in the bowl or on a tabletop, and dump your wet ingredients in there.  (I'm including butter as a wet ingredient.)  Then, stick your (clean, washed) hands in there and squish it like a toddler who isn't sure he's really into eating his food, but likes the way it feels when he squishes it between his fingers.  Seriously.  Squishing it between your clenched fingers is an integral part of this process.  Anyway, squish and squish and squish until your two sets of ingredients now make a homegeous dough that is workable.  At this point use both hands to mush the dough (which should still be a little loose) into a rough ball.  Pick that ball up and, holding it in the palm of one hand, slap it with the palm of your other hand, turning the ball around to present a new surface for slapping every third slap or so.  (It's hard to be a dough no matter which method you use!)  The purpose of this is to force out any air bubbles lurking inside the center of the dough and further blend together the ingredients.  (For anybody who likes to make ceramic pots, this is exactly the same process you use when you are preparing your clay for throwing.)  Now your dough is ready to be shaped and baked!