I love making homemade pasta. I usually enlist the help of my favorite sous chefs, my daughters. They are more than happy to help especially when they know fresh pasta is coming! It may seem daunting but it is far easier than you think!
Pasta dough recipes vary quite a bit, but this is how I make mine. By adding more liquid/ eggs the dough is softer and easier to work with. I find it is much easier to start with less flour and gradually add more to desired tackiness. This makes a dough much easier to roll out as well.
I use plain all purpose flour. If you want to use whole grain flours I suggest just subbing out a quarter to a half of the flour.
Pasta Dough
Makes approx 19 oz
2 Cups flour (plus more as needed)
4 eggs (and water or other puree/ juice to make 1 cups)
2 tsp salt
Measure your flour onto your clean working surface. Make a well in the center.
Add water if needed to your eggs to measure 1 cup. (Or another flavoring, such as vegetable puree or juice)
Add to the center of the well and add your salt.
Use a fork to whisk eggs. Start incorporating the flour from the outer walls.
When you’ve added most the flour start using a bench knife to scrape it together. Add more flour as needed so it isn’t sticky.
When done your dough should be smooth but not sticky. You may have to add a couple more cups of flour even.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest at least 30 minutes before using. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and relaxes the gluten to be able to roll out thinly.
I like to make it earlier in the day or even a couple days ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.
Here is a dough made with basil pesto used for 1/4 cup of the water:
To roll out by hand: Divide dough into 2 or 4 pieces (whatever is manageable for you) and roll out on a lightly floured surface as thin as possible.
Cut into desired shapes.
To roll out using a pasta roller: See steps here.
After you have your pasta cut dry on racks or cook immediately.
It cooks very quickly so if serving with a sauce have that ready before you cook the pasta. Usually 1 to 2 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 Cups flour (plus more as needed)
- 4 eggs (and water or other puree/ juice to make 1 cup)
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Measure your flour onto your clean working surface. Make a well in the center.
- Add water if needed to your eggs to measure 1 cup. (Or another flavoring, such as vegetable puree or juice)
- Add to the center of the well and add your salt.
- Use a fork to whisk eggs. Start incorporating the flour from the outer walls.
- When you've added most the flour start using a bench knife to scrape it together. Add more flour as needed so it isn't sticky.
- When done your dough should be smooth but not sticky. You may have to add a couple more cups of flour even.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and rest at least 30 minutes before using. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and relaxes the gluten to be able to roll out thinly.
- I like to make it earlier in the day or even a couple days ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.
To roll out by hand:
- Divide dough into 2 or 4 pieces (whatever is manageable for you) and roll out on a lightly floured surface as thin as possible.
- Cut into desired shapes.
To roll out using a pasta roller:
- See steps here.
- After you have your pasta cut dry on racks or cook immediately. It cooks very quickly so if serving with a sauce have that ready before you cook the pasta. Usually 1 to 2 minutes.
