Homemade pasta (sheets and shapes)

Name: Homemade pasta (sheets and shapes)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 3 ¼ cups; Eggs (at least 70 g each) preferably organic 4; Fine salt to taste

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Lactose Free
Vegetarian
Light

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: Very low
Note + resting time in the fridge (30 min.)

PRESENTATION

Making homemade fresh egg pasta is an ancient and fascinating tradition. With the dough rolled by hand or with a pasta machine, you can create different pasta shapes: from classic tagliolini and tagliatelle, to filled types like ravioli and tortellini, up to the beloved lasagna. In recent years, homemade fresh pasta has made a comeback in many kitchens, appreciated for its genuineness and the pleasure of being made by hand. You can choose the traditional fresh egg pasta (as explained in this recipe), or try eggless variants like handmade strozzapreti or eggless tagliatelle. In reality, making good fresh pasta is easier and faster than you might think: it takes only 15-20 minutes to achieve a smooth and elastic dough, 30 minutes to rest, and about 15 minutes to roll out the dough, using either a pasta machine or a rolling pin, as you prefer. In an hour, you will have fresh pasta ready to be shaped. The basic proportion is simple: 100 g of flour per egg. However, the amount can vary slightly depending on the type of pasta you want to prepare, and a good tip is to add flour or liquid as needed to get the perfect consistency. If you dream of feeling like a real pasta maker, even for just one day, follow this recipe step by step and make your own fresh egg pasta. It pairs perfectly with a variety of sauces, from the classic Bolognese ragu to more delicate fish sauces. And if you want to impress your guests with a creative touch, try coloring the pasta with squid ink: you'll get black tagliolini, perfect for our bewitched tagliolini in pepper sauce, ideal for Halloween or a scenic dinner.

Have fun experimenting with the different sheets and pasta shapes you can make with this basic dough:

Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli
Ricotta Ravioli
Farfalle
Beetroot Fresh Pasta
Green Spinach Pasta

INGREDIENTS: Type 00 flour 3 ¼ cups (400 g); Eggs 4 - (at least 70 g each) preferably organic; Fine salt to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Homemade pasta (sheets and shapes)

To prepare fresh egg pasta, pour the flour onto the work surface 1 and make a well in the center with the bottom of a bowl 2 3.

In the same bowl, beat the whole eggs with a fork 4 and pour them into the center of the flour 5, then add a pinch of salt 6.

Start mixing with the fork 7 to incorporate all the flour 8, then continue using a dough scraper to gather the flour on the work surface 9.

Once the eggs are well blended 10, continue kneading by hand 11, bringing the dough towards the center and stretching it with your palm without tearing it. If it shows cracks, moisten your hands with water and knead until it becomes compact and homogeneous. At this point, form a dough ball 12.

Wrap it with plastic wrap 13 and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. After the resting time, retrieve the dough ball from the fridge, cut off a piece with the dough scraper 14, and cover the rest with a bowl or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out 15.

Slightly flatten the dough ball with your hands 16, then roll it out with a rolling pin 17 and fold the ends towards the center 18 so you can pass it through the rollers of the pasta machine.

Pass the dough through the widest roller 3 or 4 times, folding the dough each time to strengthen it. Then gradually reduce the roller thickness 19 until reaching the thinnest setting. Your fresh egg pasta sheets are ready, and you can cut them to your desired shape 21!

Storage

The raw dough can be stored in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 or at most 2 days.

You can freeze the fresh pasta uncooked, in the chosen shapes: place the pasta shapes on a tray with some distance between them and then freeze to harden for a couple of hours. Once they are well-hardened, transfer them to freezer bags and put them back in the freezer. When you're ready to use them, cook them directly from frozen in boiling water and proceed with your recipe.

Tip

If you prefer the traditional method, you can roll out the fresh pasta with a long rolling pin: it will require more patience and... elbow grease!

Decalogue for perfect fresh pasta

1_ Use the work surface: the roughness of wood is more suitable than a simple smooth surface

2_ Beat the eggs with a fork when adding them to the flour well to prevent overflow.

3_ Salt or not? According to Emilia-Romagna traditions, it shouldn't be added to the dough; others say a pinch of salt won't hurt.

4_ Avoid drafts: they can dry out the pasta

5_ Flour-to-egg ratio: the classic ratio is 100 g of flour per each egg. But it mainly depends on what you are preparing.

6_ The kneading: the dough should be kneaded for at least 10 minutes, vigorously and with the palm of your hand, slapping it occasionally on the work surface to make it more elastic

7_ Keep the dough you're not working on covered to prevent it from drying out.

8_ Flour the work surface: this way, the pasta shapes won't stick to the surface.

9_ If you're making lasagna, tagliatelle, tagliolini, pappardelle, or small squares, it's best to let the rolled sheets dry slightly with semolina sprinkled on them for a few minutes on each side before folding them into a flat roll.

10_ Eggs or yolks? If making filled fresh pasta like ravioli or tortellini, you can skew the proportions towards the liquid part. So, for about 140 g of flour, add one egg + one yolk. For other dry shapes, it's better to use only whole eggs.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.