Description
This homemade pasta recipe is simple to make and uses just 2 ingredients — Italian 00 Flour and eggs. Depending on the size of your eggs, this pasta yields around 1 pound (or just about 500g) of pasta.
If you’ve ever wanted to try making your own noodles, this pasta recipe makes great lasagna, ravioli, tortellini, tagliatelle, fettuccine, or cut a little wider to make chewy ribbons of pappardelle to twirl in your favorite sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 300g 00 Italian flour
- 3 large pasta gialla eggs (150g) (*sub regular eggs)
- a splash of water if needed
Instructions
- Make the dough. Add the flour to a countertop or large bread bowl and make a “well” in the middle. Add the cracked eggs to the center and begin agitating the eggs to combine them with the flour being sure to keep them in the center of the “well”. Work in a circular motion incorporating more flour into the center until the mixture is combined and forms a shaggy, stiff dough. *Alternatively, you may place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and knead them on medium speed for 5 minutes using the dough hook or into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade and pulse until the mixture is combined.
- Knead the dough. Form the dough into a ball and remove it to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough by turning it clockwise a quarter turn and repeating until the dough becomes soft and pliable, or about 15 minutes. It should be much smoother and somewhat elastic at this point.
- Rest the dough. Cover the dough with sustainable plastic wrap, or simply cover it with a small bowl turned upside down and allow the dough to rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 30 minutes. This step is essential for the dough (specifically the gluten network formed during the kneading process) to have time to relax making it easier to roll out and help create that springy “bite” we love about a good pasta.
- Roll out the dough. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and work with one piece at a time covering the other pieces so they don’t dry out. Press down to form a disc just thin enough to be fed through the pasta machine’s widest setting (0 or 1 depending on your pasta machine). Feed the dough through the rollers while turning the crank. Lightly dust both sides of the pasta sheet with flour and fold it like a letter (bringing in the two ends to the middle) to form a more even rectangle. Feed the pasta sheet back through the rollers on (0 or 1) until it is long and rectangular in shape. Cut the pasta sheet in half and dust each piece lightly with flour. Set the adjustment knob to 1 and pass the pasta sheet through one time. Set the adjustment knob to 2 and pass the pasta sheet through one time. Set the adjustment knob to 3, pass the pasta sheet through one time, and continue on adjusting the knob setting and passing the dough through until you’ve reached the desired thickness (the recommended thickness setting is typically number 6 for fettuccine, tagliatelle, ravioli, lasagna, etc.
- Cut the desired pasta shapes. Attach the pasta cutter attachment and run the sheets of pasta through them, sprinkle them with semolina (or other flour) and shape them into a bird’s nest, or hang them on a pasta drying rack. Alternatively, you may roll up the rectangular sheets of pasta and cut them into the desired thickness for fettuccine or pappardelle, etc. If making lasagna, leave the sheets just as they are or trim them to the desired length. If using immediately, allow the noodles to dry for at least 10 minutes before boiling (or layering uncooked into lasagna). You may store the pasta in an airtight freezer-safe container but try to use them up within a month or so for best results. You may also allow the pasta to dry at room temperature loosely covered with a tea towel and then store in a jar at room temperature, but make sure they are completely dried out before using this method. If making filled pasta like ravioli, etc. follow the instructions according to the recipe you’re using and Enjoy!
Notes
- Do not use cold eggs straight out of the refrigerator. Let them warm up to room temperature first.
- Do not add salt to the dough if you’re using it to make a filled pasta like tortelli, ravioli, or tortellini because it can cause the dough to break open while cooking if the salt crystals haven’t properly dissolved.
- If you’re adding just a pinch of salt to the dough, add it to the eggs first to allow it time to dissolve a little before adding it to the flour.
- You can store homemade dried pasta for up to 1 month in an air-tight sealed container (after the noodles have been air-dried thoroughly first. You may also freeze fresh pasta (my preferred method) in an airtight container, but try to use it within 1 month.
- Cook homemade fresh pasta in a fairly large amount of water.
- Never wash your pasta machine with water because when flour and water mix it acts like glue and can clog up the rollers.
How to Store Homemade Fresh Egg Pasta
If you’re wondering how to store fresh egg semolina pasta, it can safely be stored by freezing it (my preferred method). You can also dry it completely on a kitchen towel in a single layer (without overlapping the pasta) covered by a linen tea towel for 2 to 3 days in a dry environment. Then add it to an airtight container and use it within 3 or 4 days. Be careful if you live in a humid environment because if the pasta doesn’t dry properly or thoroughly, the fresh eggs in the dough can harbor bacteria. This makes freezing homemade egg pasta the best and easiest way to preserve all your hard (delicious) work. Frozen fresh egg pasta can be stored with great results for up to 3 months under the right conditions (although I suggest using it up within 1 month for the tastiest results).
- To Freeze Homemade Egg Pasta like spaghetti, tagliatelle, pappardelle, chitarra, fettuccine, etc.: Portion pasta into 3 or 4-ounce portions, dust them with a little flour, twist them into a “nest”, and place them onto a parchment-lined (or flour dusted) baking pan without letting them touch. Place them into the freezer until completely frozen (about 30 minutes give or take) and then add the “nests” to a freezer bag or other airtight container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to cook the pasta, do not thaw the noodles first, simply add them to boiling salted water and cook until al dente doneness (or about 4 minutes).
- To Freeze Homemade Egg Pasta lasagna sheets: Lay a sheet of flour-dusted lasagna onto a parchment-lined baking tray or platter, add a sheet of parchment paper to fully cover, then add another sheet of lasagna and continue alternating with parchment paper. Cover the tray with sustainable cling film and freeze for up to 3 months until ready to use. Allow the lasagna to rest for 15 minutes or so at room temperature before layering into the lasagna or other pasta al forno dish. Bake as instructed.
- To Dry Homemade Egg Pasta like spaghetti, tagliatelle, pappardelle, chitarra, fettuccine, etc.): While I have dried out egg pasta at room temperature and then sealed it in glass jars or bags, it takes days depending on what time of year it is and how humid the environment is for the noodles to completely dry out and you have to agitate and turn them over periodically to allow for even drying. Or you need a huge pasta drying rack which for me and the amount of pasta I make, isn’t practical.
- To Dry Homemade Egg Pasta lasagna sheets: I do not recommend drying out lasagna sheets which will take forever because the surface area is large. Also, there are fresh eggs in this pasta which makes this scenario a no-no as far as food safety is concerned in the home kitchen.
- Can I refrigerate Homemade Egg Pasta? It’s not recommended to refrigerate homemade egg noodles (especially filled pasta like ravioli, tortellini, etc.) because the humidity can ruin the pasta and also the flavor can change. If you really need to refrigerate homemade egg pasta do it for not longer than 24 hours and it’s even better if you can use it within 18 hours.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Rest Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Mix, Stir & Roll
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 ounce serving
