Although more involved than tossing a handful of dried pasta into a pot of boiling water, you don't need fancy equipment or hours of free time to make fresh pasta.
Step 1:
Start Your Dough:
Egg pasta is super simple ingredient wise: flour, salt, eggs and olive
oil. Begin by whisking together 2 cups of flour and ½ teaspoon of salt
in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and add three
large eggs and one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Step 2:
Whisk & Knead the Dough:
Whisk the eggs and oil with a fork while slowly incorporating some of
the flour from around the edges as you go. Once the dough becomes too
thick to whisk with a fork, turn the dough out onto a clean work
surface, along with any leftover flour from the bowl. Knead the dough
and remaining flour until you’ve got a smooth, stiff ball of dough.
Step 3:
Let the Dough Rest:
Wrap the dough loosely with plastic and let it rest at room temperature
for 30 minutes. The wrapped dough can also be stored in the refrigerator
for up to a day if necessary.
Step 4:
Divide the Dough:
When you're ready to make your pasta, divide the dough into four smaller
portions. Work with one portion at a time, leaving the remaining three
covered with plastic to prevent them from drying out.
Step 5:
Roll the Dough:
Dust the dough liberally with flour, then flatten it into a rectangular
shape with your hands. Once flattened, begin to roll the dough into a
long, thin sheet, dusting liberally with flour on both sides as you go.
Step 6:
Keep Rolling:
Roll the pasta as thin as possible, keeping in mind that it will plump considerably when cooked.
Step 7:
Slice Noodles:
Dust the pasta liberally with flour once again, then fold it into a
wide, flat roll. Folding the pasta into a flat roll instead of simply
rolling the pasta up into a tube will help prevent the pasta from being
squashed as it's cut. Use a sharp knife to cut the pasta into strips.
Step 8:
Loosen the Noodles:
Shake the cut pasta strands out into a loose pile and dust with flour.
At this point, the pasta can be dropped into boiling water to cook or
can be piled onto a baking sheet in single portions and frozen.
If freezing, transfer the individual frozen pasta nests to an air-tight freezer bag for storage. To dry the frozen pasta, hang the strands through a hanger over a clothes drying rack, or over the back of a chair in a cool, dry place. Once the pasta is dry and brittle, it can be stored in an air-tight container.
If freezing, transfer the individual frozen pasta nests to an air-tight freezer bag for storage. To dry the frozen pasta, hang the strands through a hanger over a clothes drying rack, or over the back of a chair in a cool, dry place. Once the pasta is dry and brittle, it can be stored in an air-tight container.
Step 9:
Cook the Pasta:
Keep in mind that fresh or fresh-frozen pasta cooks much faster than
dried pasta. A quick three- to four-minute boil in lightly salted water
is all you need for a plateful of springy, flavorful homemade pasta. The
sky's the limit with shapes and flavors, so take this base recipe and
make it your own.
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