Homemade Pasta
If you think making homemade pasta is a thing only Italian grandmas and Michelin star chefs know how to do, think again! That’s because it’s very easy. A basic pasta uses only 3 ingredients (4, if you count water), and you don’t need any special equipment–not even a pasta roller! You can even make all kinds of fun pasta shapes, like orecchiette and farfalle (ears and bowties, respectively) with nothing but a knife and a rolling pin.
Not only can you make your own pasta to enjoy within minutes, but you can easily dry it to cook for meals far into the future. Just think, you could have a pantry stocked with dried noodles of every size and shape–all made from scratch by you! So every Fettuccini Alfredo or Spaghetti Bolognese you prepare can now be extra top tier!
What Ingredients do I Need for Homemade Pasta Dough?
There are only 4 basic ingredients you’ll need to make your own homemade pasta dough. They are:
- All purpose or “00” flour
- Eggs
- Salt
- Water
What Equipment do I Need for Making Homemade Pasta?
You don’t need any special equipment to make your own pasta dough. A fork, a board, a rolling pin and a knife are really the only tools you’ll need. From there you can make nearly any size noodle or pasta shape you want. Of course there are a few affordable gadgets that can help pasta making much easier (like a pasta roller), but in the old days people accomplished a lot even without these.
What is “00” Flour and do I Really Need it?
You may have heard of a flour labelled as “00” that is considered ideal for pasta and bread making. This is a type of very finely milled flour that has a very powdery texture, making your doughs extra silky and smooth. It’s made form a very soft wheat, so the protein level is more delicate. While it is superior to regular bread or all purpose flour, it is more pricey but certainly not necessary to have it. You can still use all purpose flour for all your breads and pastas and get excellent results.
If you want to know more about “00” flour before investing in some to try, you can read this excellent article here from Pizza University & Culinary Arts Centre.
How do I Dry Homemade Pasta?
There are a few ways you can easily dry your homemade pasta without using a food dehydrator or other equipment. For noodles, the most effective way is to hang them. You can use a very handy, inexpensive gadget called a pasta dryer, which is nothing more than a wooden pole on a stand that holds some dowels. You hang the noodles from these dowels and time does the rest of the work. Alternately, you can hang the noodles from coat hangers or any dowels or sticks propped horizontally to allow for hanging. Just be sure these makeshift tools are well cleaned before using them.
Instead of hanging your noodles, or to dry pasta shapes, you can also dust them generously with flour and lay them out on a large tablecloth. Every so often, toss them around to rotate them for full air exposure. Soon they will be completely dried for storage.
How do I Store Homemade Pasta Once It’s Dried?
As soon as your homemade pasta is fully dried–that is they snap when you break them rather than bend–the best way to store it is in a glass jar. You can also keep it in any plastic container with a tight fitting lid. If you know you are going to enjoy your dried noodles in the very near future, like within a couple of weeks, a paper bag works very well. Simply fold the opening of the bag so it’s protected. Just be sure to use it quickly if storing like this as the loose opening can invite unwanted critters to infest it with time!
Is it Safe to Dry Pasta Made with Eggs?
Yes, you can safely dry your homemade pasta even though it contains eggs. That is because it dries long before the eggs have a chance to spoil, making it completely harmless for consumption. You do want to be sure your pasta has dried completely, however. That means it should snap perfectly when you break it and not bend. If it is the least bit chewy at all, it has the potential to mold or grow organisms that would make it unsafe to eat. Therefore, always allow at least 12-24 hours (depending on the size of your noodles/shapes) to dry your pasta throroughly.
I really hope you’ll try making your own homemade pasta really soon! See for yourself how rewarding and fun it is to do and how much better it tastes than store bought. I love using homemade noodles for making Haluski, which is fried cabbage and noodles. In fact, I am making it tonight! And if you do make your own pasta, don’t forget to rate this recipe and your experience, and let us know in the comments how it turned out for you!
As an affiliate with Amazon, I earn a commission from products purchased through links on this page at no extra cost to you. I appreciate your support!
Homemade Pasta
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Fork
- Rolling Pin
- Cutting board
- Pasta roller optional
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour or "00" flour
- Pinch salt
- 4 eggs
- Water as necessary
Instructions
- In a large, wide bottomed bowl or on the countertop, pile flour. Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt on top and make a deep well in the center.
- Crack the eggs into the well. Using a fork, scramble the eggs and gradually incorporate the flour into them. Soon you will have a very dry, crumbly mixture.
- Slowly add enough water to form a soft, kneadable dough that isn't sticky. If you accidentally add too much water, sprinkle in a little more flour to adjust the consistency.
- Once the dough comes together, knead for 10 minutes or until it feels very smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic and rest for 30-60 minutes.
- Once the dough has rested, roll or shape any way you like. If you plan to cook your pasta right away, dust in flour and allow to dry about 15 minutes. If you plan to dry it for storage, hang noodles for 12-24 hours or until they snap. For shapes, lay out onto a floured tablecloth and leave them to dry also for 12-24 hours. Be sure to rotate them often so they can dry thoroughly.
- Once completely dried, store pasta in a large glass jar or any tightly covered container. You can also store your dried pasta in a loose paper bag if you plan to cook it in the near future.