Making homemade pasta is simpler than it seems. Often seen by home cooks as a time-consuming, fiddly challenge, we’re here to prove it’s anything but. With a few tips and tricks and a basic homemade pasta recipe, you’ll have fresh, flavourful pasta that puts store-bought to shame. We’ll walk you through everything from which ingredients to use and why, and tips for kneading and shaping. Whether you have a pasta machine or just a rolling pin and your bare hands, the process is just as simple. For more authentic Italian recipes and pasta tips and tricks, check out Isabella’s Pantry.
Why make pasta at home?
There are some things that are just better homemade, and pasta is one of them. Not only is it fresher, healthier and quicker to boil, it also allows for the customisation that you simply can’t get with store bought pasta. Garlic infused penne? Blue spaghetti for the kids? The only limit is your imagination when you make pasta at home. It can be a great activity to do with friends or family, and paired with a delicious sauce from Isabella’s Pantry, you can turn an average pasta dinner into a rewarding experience of floury hands, belly laughs, and a satiated appetite.
Ingredients for Homemade Pasta Dough
Almost every pasta recipe you find will differ in some shape or form. Pasta from the store is often made with just two ingredients, durum wheat semolina and water. But most recipes you’ll find for fresh pasta will use eggs instead of water. We find that egg pasta is the tastiest, and most foolproof for homemade pasta dough, and gives the pasta a beautiful yellow hue.
The basic ingredients for homemade egg pasta are:
- Flour
- Eggs
- Semolina (optional)
- Olive oil
Even egg ratios are a point of debate among pasta lovers. Some recipes call for whole eggs, others use only the yolks, and some will use a mixture of whole eggs and extra yolks. It comes down to the chemical structure of eggs, but we won’t bore you with the science. All you have to know is that more yolks equals richer, luxurious homemade pasta, while more whites yields a more balanced, elastic pasta. We tend to prefer a happy medium, using a few whole eggs, plus an extra egg yolk for richness and colour.
Choosing the Right Flour
The other point of contention for homemade pasta is the type of flour. There are a surprising number of different flour variations, from durum, to 00, to semolina, to good old AP. So how do you know which one to use? Just like the eggs, you’ll see a variety of recipes calling for different flours, but there are 2 that are widely agreed to be the best for homemade pasta.
00 Flour
00 Flour is an Italian flour, the ‘00’ referring to the milling process that gives it an ultra-fine texture. It’s commonly used for pasta because it yields a silky, workable dough that holds its shape well throughout the entire cooking process.
Semolina
While you can certainly get away with just 00 flour, semolina works great in conjunction with 00 for dusting your bench while you work. It absorbs less moisture than other flours and prevents any stickage.
Step-by-Step Recipe
For this basic homemade pasta recipe, you’ll need
Ingredients
Equipment
- 2 ½ cups ‘00’ flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Semolina (for dusting)
- 2 baking sheets, lined with baking paper
- Pasta machine (completely optional!)
Instructions
- Place the flour on a clean work surface and make a large well in the centre
- Carefully crack the eggs into the well, along with the olive oil, and using a fork, mix the eggs together until lightly scrambled
- Using a fork, slowly start to incorporate the flour into the egg, taking care to keep the well intact. Continue until a dough starts to form and the eggs are no longer liquid.
- Using your hands, form the dough into a ball, and knead for 9-10 minutes, or until it is smooth, firm and slightly elastic, and no flour is visible. Liberally dust your bench with semolina to prevent sticking. If the dough is too dry, add a touch of olive oil or water, and work it in.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes
Rolling and Shaping the Dough
If using a pasta machine
- Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces, roll each piece into a rough rectangle.
- Run the dough through the pasta machine, starting at level 1, the widest setting.
- Repeat this 2-3 times before switching to level 2. Repeat this until at the thinnest setting, usually 8 or 9.
- Dust the dough liberally with semolina, and run the pasta through your chosen shape attachment, and lay carefully on a lined baking sheet
If doing it by hand
You can make homemade pasta shapes like cavatelli, orecchiette and tagliatelle by hand, but we’ll focus on fettuccine here. It;s simple, reliable and great for beginners.
- To start, cut the rested dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece out until 1/2cm thick.
- Fold the short ends into the middle until it resembles a rectangle, flip over and roll out again. Continue this process until you have a fairly rectangular piece that is about 1mm thick.
- Now liberally dust with semolina and roll up the dough into a tube shape.
- Lastly, cut even slices about 5-6mm thick and carefully transfer to a lined baking sheet, spacing each pile apart to avoid sticking
You can cook it straight away, but it’s best practice to let it sit for 20-30 minutes to allow the dough to firm up slightly, which prevents the noodles from sticking when cooking
Homemade Pasta Recipes to Try Next
Now that you’ve got your basic homemade pasta recipe down pat, the possibilities are quite literally endless. Freshly rolled pasta dough opens the door to all kinds of delicious dishes, whether you’re after something rich and indulgent, or light and healthy. Try your hand at our incredible Truffle Fettuccine, a decadent twist on an Italian classic. Or, if you’re in the mood for something fresher, our Prawn Bucatini delivers a delicious oceanic dinner with a touch of heat.
Bringing It All Together: The Joy of Pasta Made at Home
Homemade pasta dough is simple, rewarding, and endlessly versatile. WIth ingredients that are guaranteed to always be on hand, it’s a great way to spend an afternoon with kids or a lazy Friday night. The more you practice, the better your results will be. At Italian Street Kitchen, we’re focused on authentic Italian food, done brilliantly. Explore our extensive range of guides, tips and recipes in Isabella’s Pantry, and take your pasta game to the next level.
