Fresh pasta at home sounds so complicated, but it’s not. Homemade pasta is so easy! Recently, I made a pound of pasta dough and then turned it into spaghetti one night and enough ravioli for another whole meal. The ravioli went into the freezer for one of those nights when I was too tired to cook. Drop ravioli into boiling water and take them out a few minutes later.
Pasta is like bread—a few basic ingredients turn into a luscious dough, then cut and shaped: flour, egg, and water. The dough only requires a bit of time to rest. It must be kept covered to prevent drying out. I have a KitchenAid mixer and the dough roller/cutter attachment. A hand-cranked dough roller is fine, and I have used one for many years. I just invested in a pasta shape maker but haven’t tried it yet. A pasta drying rack is helpful for long pasta, like spaghetti or linguini.
My mother never made pasta by hand. Farmers’ wives don’t usually have that much time, though in reality, the resting takes time, not making the dough. Many more shapes are available with dry pasta, but fresh cooks in about 3 minutes, and has a pleasant taste and texture not found with dried noodles.
My favorite pasta book is The Ultimate Pasta and Noodle Book, now called Pasta: The Ultimate Cookbook. The pizza book Pizza: the Ultimate Cookbook is a close second, but that’s a different column.
Let’s talk flour for a second. Plain white all-purpose flour will work for pasta. However, buy some “OO” flour used in Italy to elevate your pasta to the next level. Other types of pasta can be made with different flours or a mix with semolina. Start with basic dough, get a feel for the process and how the dough handles, then move one. Here’s the Three Eggs Basic Past dough. I included how to mix with a stand mixer, but by hand is not difficult, as illustrated below. Plenty of instructions can be found online. The kneading part takes longer than the actual dough mixing.
Three Eggs Basic Pasta Dough
A standard pasta recipe that is simple and easy
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- water
Instructions
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Put the flour in a stand mixer bowl. Using the dough hook, with the mixer on 1-2, add 2 eggs and 1 tbsp of water. Mix until the eggs and water have been incorporated.
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Add the remaining egg, egg yolk, and 1 tbsp of water. Continue to mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.
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Add 1 tbsp of water at a time if needed. The dough should stick together without being too wet. Turn the mixer to medium-low speed and let it knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. Alternatively, the dough can be kneaded by hand. It should be very smooth and will gently pull back when stretched.
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Rest the dough: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let rest for an hour or longer. At this point, it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
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To roll the dough, cut the ball into four even pieces. Wrap up the pieces not being used. Roll the first piece into a ball and flatten it slightly. Either roll out by hand with a rolling pin or with a pasta machine. Shape as desired.
Follow machine instructions for rolling out the dough. Basically, start at the largest setting, fold the dough a couple of times, and run it through again. Then, begin rolling the dough thinner, one setting smaller at a time. This procedure is the same whether with a hand-cranked pasta machine or a KitchenAid roller. I don’t think I could not use a rolling pin to get it thin enough. Once the dough starts getting long, I cut it in half and continue rolling each half thinner.
Once the dough is thin enough, pasta can be shaped into any desired shape. Most pasta gadgets make spaghetti and linguine. You can also make sheets and cut them by hand for lasagna noodles. You can also put filling on one piece of dough, cover it with another piece, and squeeze out the air around the filling, sealing the pasta halves together to form ravioli. With ravioli, this is the most critical step. Air will cause the dough to separate, losing the filling in the boiling water when cooked. Fill ravioli with a simple cheese filling (ricotta, egg, herbs, and mozzarella), or try something new – pumpkin ravioli, anyone? Cut apart with a sharp knife or a pasta wheel.
I freeze the ravioli spread out on a sheet tray. Once frozen, I remove them from the tray and place them in a ziplock bag or a vacuum-sealed bag.
Fresh pasta with butter and fresh herbs is excellent. You can add your favorite pasta sauce, turn it into a vegetable dish like a primavera, or serve it as a main course.
What’s your favorite pasta? Why?