There is nothing better than homemade pasta. You will be ruined forever for all subsequent boxed pasta.
Homemade pasta, just like Nonna’s…
Fresh home made pasta has a wonderful airy bite and luxuriousness that betrays this simple recipe. This particular recipe was handed down to me from my Italian mother-in-law, who is from a small mountain town in the Abruzzi region of Italy. They have pasta in their blood; her uncle owns the fabulous Giuseppe Cocco pasta, whose world class pasta gets part of its signature flavor from the waterfall in Fara San Martino. This is an egg pasta that is versatile enough to make manicotti, spaghetti, linguini, or ravioli. It is so light it is like biting into clouds.
Ingredients for pasta
Some secrets to homemade pasta…
One of the secrets to this pasta is in the kneading process. You need patience and an acknowledgment that this will be your arm workout for the day. When making large batches, I often enlist the help of my family when it comes time for the kneading.
Another tip is using Italian Tipo “00” flour. This makes a huge difference and can be found at most supermarkets these days. If all you have on hand is regular, all-purpose flour, that is totally fine too.
I like to knead directly onto my granite countertop because it is a nice no-slip surface and helps to “grip” the pasta when kneading. At first, your pasta dough will look really “shaggy” and may seem too dry but continue to knead it this way for about 10 minutes. Slowly add water about a teaspoon at a time until you have a consistent but firm ball of dough. The “shag” should be gone. This can take up to 30 minutes in total. If you don’t have the time or the arm strength, just start adding water to the mixture at the beginning of the kneading process.
To crank or not to crank…
A typical pasta machine cranking out linguini
I use a basic hand crank pasta machine that has an addition for spaghetti and linguini. The main part of your pasta machine will flatten the pasta dough into noodles. Start at a thicker setting (1-2) and repeat process increasing the number, thus making the pasta dough thinner. I like to go to 6 for linguini and spaghetti but will go to 7 for manicotti or ravioli. If you like a thicker pasta stay in the 5 range. Once you flatten the pasta, you will sprinkle flour on it to keep from sticking and run it through the pasta attachment meant to cut the pasta into strips (linguini or spaghetti).
You’ve made your pasta dough, now what…
Fresh pasta
Once you have made the pasta, it is ready to throw into the water for a quick boil. Be sure to heavily salt the water and add some olive oil before adding the pasta. Once you have cooked the pasta, you can add any sort of sauce, veggies or proteins to make this a world class dish.
*Special note: when I make my manicotti, I cook the pasta, fill with ricotta mixture and freeze up to a month to cook later in the oven.
Pasta with fresh tomatoes, broccoli, garlic, and olive oil
Homemade Pasta
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 3/4 cups of Tipo 00 flour (all purpose can be a substitute)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- salt
Instructions
Spoon flour onto clean and solidly stable surface like a kitchen counter. Sprinkle with salt.
Make a well in the middle of flour. Fill well with lightly beaten eggs.
Using a fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the eggs, working from the inner ring to the outer edges.
Once the eggs have been fully incorporated, use hands to knead flour and egg mixture into a ball. The dough will appear to be very dry and "shaggy". Continue this kneading process for about 10 minutes. If the dough is still too dry, begin to add water at about 1 tsp at a time until the dough is fully incorporated and no longer dry.
Allow the dough to rest for about 15 minutes.
Prepare pasta machine.
Bring a stock pot filled with water to a boil. Heavily salt the water. Add about 1-2 tbsp of olive oil.
Begin to cook ingredients for the sauce of your choice.
Cut the dough ball into quarters and press down with hand until about an inch thick. Cut strips and press down until about 1/2 inch.
Use the flattening press of the pasta machine, set to 1 or 2, to crank your pasta dough strips through so you have a nice uniform sheet. Increase the number to 3-4 and repeat process. Increase number to 5-6 and repeat process. Stop at 5 or 6 for spaghetti or linguini. Continue to setting 7 for manicotti or other sheet pastas. * Feel free to cut down any sheets that get too wide to fit through machine.
Sprinkle each pasta sheet with a light layer of flour before stacking on top of each one.
Using attachment, chose to cut out the pasta she of your choice.
Add pasta to boiling water in small batches trying to separate pasta as you drop into the pot.
Stir once all the pasta is added and cook for approximately 3 minutes or until it meets your satisfaction.
Add to sauce of your choice and serve with condiments of your choice (Usually fresh basil or parsley, or parmesan cheese).
Notes
Some fun ingredients are shrimp and tomatoes/ sausage, broccoli, pine nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes/ all veggies with a garlic and olive oil base/ roasted tomatoes with chicken and mushrooms. The possibilities are endless.
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