Recipe - Homemade Pasta
Homemade Pasta
A simple, delicious fresh pasta recipe that's become a weekend staple.
Ingredients
For the pasta (serves 4):
- 400g "00" flour (or all-purpose)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
For simple tomato sauce:
- 400g San Marzano tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Fresh basil
- Olive oil
- Salt, pepper, pinch of sugar
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Mound flour on clean surface, create well in center
- Crack eggs into well, add oil and salt
- Using fork, gradually incorporate flour from edges
- Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic
- Wrap in plastic, rest 30 minutes minimum
Rolling & Cutting
- Divide dough into 4 portions
- Working one at a time, flatten with rolling pin
- Pass through pasta machine, reducing thickness each time
- Cut into desired shape (fettuccine, tagliatelle, etc.)
- Dust with semolina to prevent sticking
Cooking
- Boil large pot of well-salted water
- Fresh pasta cooks in 2-3 minutes
- Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining
- Toss with sauce, adding pasta water to emulsify
Tips & Notes
- Resting is crucial - gives gluten time to relax
- Room temperature eggs work better
- Pasta water is liquid gold for sauce
- Can freeze shaped pasta for up to 3 months
Variations
- Spinach pasta: Blend 100g cooked spinach into eggs
- Squid ink: Add 1 tbsp squid ink for black pasta
- Herb pasta: Finely chop herbs into dough
- Whole wheat: Replace 1/3 flour with whole wheat
Serving Suggestions
- Simple butter and parmesan (my favorite)
- Recipe - Bolognese Sauce
- Carbonara (eggs, pecorino, guanciale)
- Cacio e pepe
Related
- Italian Cooking Basics
- Health Dashboard - Meal prep ideas
- Kitchen Equipment Guide