Easy Homemade Pasta: Your Guide to Fresh Pasta
Family Cooking at It’s Finest
Making homemade pasta is a rewarding culinary experience that brings fresh flavors and a sense of accomplishment to any meal. Unlike store-bought varieties, homemade pasta has a delicate texture and rich taste that can elevate simple dishes into something extraordinary. The process may seem intimidating at first, but with just a few basic ingredients—flour, eggs, and a touch of olive oil—you can create pasta that rivals any high-end restaurant. Whether you choose to roll it out by hand or use a pasta machine, the effort is well worth it. Homemade pasta is also a really great family cooking project. Our kids love to be involved in the pasta making process.
Flour, Eggs, and Olive Oil
The key to great homemade pasta lies in the dough. While using high-quality ingredients, such as Italian 00 flour or semolina, can make a significant difference in texture and taste all you really need is all-purpose flour, eggs, and a small amount of olive oil for excellent pasta. Kneading the dough properly ensures the right elasticity, which allows it to hold its shape during cooking. After mixing and kneading, the dough should rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax, making it easier to roll out. This step is crucial in achieving that perfect balance of chewiness and tenderness in the final dish. Resting the dough in the fridge is beneficial because it will be easier to work with when we press the pasta.
Many Possibilities
Once the dough is ready, it can be shaped into various pasta styles, from fettuccine and tagliatelle to ravioli and pappardelle. Hand-cutting noodles gives a rustic, artisanal look, while using a pasta machine ensures uniformity. Stuffed pastas like ravioli or tortellini allow for creative fillings, such as ricotta and spinach or butternut squash. Fresh pasta cooks quickly, usually in just a few minutes, making it a convenient option for busy weeknights or special occasions.
Truly Special Culinary Adventure
Pairing homemade pasta with the right sauce enhances its flavors and brings the dish to life. A simple butter and sage sauce highlights the delicate texture of fresh pasta, while a robust Bolognese clings beautifully to wider noodles. For a classic Italian experience, tossing homemade pasta with fresh basil pesto or a rich carbonara sauce can create a dish that is both comforting and elegant. No matter how you serve it, making pasta from scratch transforms an ordinary meal into a truly special culinary adventure.
Here are some great pasta dishes you should try using this easy homemade pasta dough!
- Ricotta Ravioli
- Tagliatelle al Bolognese
- Tagliatelle Seafood Pasta
- Crispy Edge Lasagna
- Tortellini al Brodo
- Lasagna Roll ups
- Parpadelle
- Chitarra (spaghetti)
Here are some nice tools to consider using in your pasta adventures! (we do not earn a commission on these links)
- Pasta press with tagliatelle and chitarra cutters
- Pasta cutter for wider shapes such as lasagna, ravioli, tortellini, and parpadelle
- Kitchenaid pasta press
Easy Homemade Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 300 g all purpose flour
- 1 tsp olive oil
Equipment
- 1 bowl
- 1 small bowl
- 1 large clean service
- saran wrap or plastic bag
- 1 non-stick silicon mat optional
Instructions
- Pour flour into a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, crack open the eggs and whisk to break up the yolks.
- Pour the eggs on top of the flour along with the olive oil.
- Mix all of the ingredients together until you have a dough ball.
- In the bowl or on a large clean surface (or silicon mat) knead the dough ball for at least 5 minutes until the dough has good elasticity and all of the flour is incorporated.
- Wrap the dough in saran wrap or a plastic bag such as a ziplock.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
- When you are ready to make your favorite pasta dish remove the dough from the refrigerator and press the dough for the shape you desire. Cooking times will vary depending on the pasta dish.
