Description
This classic Homemade Pasta recipe teaches you how to create fresh, tender pasta from scratch using simple pantry ingredients. The dough comes together with flour, eggs, salt, and olive oil, then rests before rolling out to your desired thickness. Whether you make fettuccine, tagliatelle, or lasagna sheets, cooking it briefly in boiling salted water results in perfect al dente noodles. Serve immediately with your favorite sauce for an authentic Italian meal.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Extra flour for dusting
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: On a clean surface or in a large mixing bowl, mound the flour and create a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well, add salt and olive oil, then use a fork to gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough: Use your hands to knead the dough for about 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic, which develops the gluten for a perfect pasta texture.
- Rest the dough: Wrap the kneaded dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes the dough easier to roll out.
- Roll and cut the pasta: Divide the rested dough into 2 or 4 pieces. Using a pasta machine or a rolling pin, roll each piece out to your preferred thickness. Then cut into shapes such as fettuccine or tagliatelle, or keep as sheets for lasagna.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 2–3 minutes until al dente. Fresh pasta cooks quickly, so keep an eye on it.
- Serve: Drain the pasta and serve immediately with your favorite sauces like marinara, Alfredo, or pesto for a delicious meal.
Notes
- For added flavor and color, incorporate spinach puree or beet juice into the dough.
- Substitute semolina flour for a firmer texture and more bite.
- Leftover fresh pasta can be dried for storage or frozen for future use.
