Corzetti / tough and chewy?

I gave corzetti (see Corzetti pasta) a try a few weeks ago. Made the dough by hand and rolled it out with a pasta roller. Used a #3 thickness (see Kitchen Aid pasta roller) which is quite a bit thicker than a fettuccine. The recipe I used was essentially flour / water / egg. Some corzetti recipes call for crushed walnuts; I have yet to try that.

Let the corzetti dry for no more than 45 min before cooking. Boiled the corzetti in salted water and served with sauce.

• The corzetti were toothy; very chewy to the point of being too chewy

Is this:

1. Traditional? The way they should taste? Should they be any different than an al dente pasta?
2. Is it an indication of

• the ingredients?
• drying time?
• cooking time?
• thickness of the pasta before pressing?

I enjoy cooking pasta in sauce rather than just dressing the pasta in sauce. Will this make them tougher?