Fresh pasta is one of those things that sounds harder than it is. If you’ve got a pasta roller, you’re already ahead of the game in making this foolproof fresh pasta. Four ingredients, a little kneading, and a bit of patience, that’s all it takes to turn a pile of flour into silky, restaurant level noodles. Pair with some meatballs and you have dinner in no time.
Foolproof Fresh Pasta
Foolproof Fresh Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour or “00” flour, plus extra for dusting
- 3 large eggs
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Dump the flour onto a clean surface and shape it into a mound. Use your hands to make a well in the center, wide enough to hold the eggs. Crack the eggs into the well, then add the salt and olive oil.
- Using a fork, whisk the eggs, gradually pulling in a little flour from the edges. Keep whisking and incorporating flour until it starts forming a shaggy dough.
- Use your hands to bring the dough together and start kneading. Press it forward with the heel of your hand, fold it over, rotate, and repeat. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. If it’s too sticky, dust with a little more flour; if too dry, wet your hands slightly and keep kneading.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This lets the gluten relax so the dough rolls out smoothly.
- After resting, cut the dough into four equal pieces. Lightly flour your work surface and flatten one piece into a rough rectangle. Set your pasta roller to the widest setting and run the dough through once. Fold it in half, turn it 90 degrees, and roll again. Repeat this process 3-4 times until the dough feels smooth and more elastic.
- Now, start rolling it thinner. Reduce the roller setting one notch at a time and run the dough through once per setting until you reach your desired thickness usually the second-to-last or last setting for fettuccine or lasagna sheets, slightly thicker for pappardelle. Lightly flour each sheet as you go to prevent sticking as needed.
- Once rolled out, cut into your preferred pasta shape. For fettuccine or pappardelle, fold the sheet into thirds and slice into strips with a sharp knife. For lasagna, leave as is. (Feel free to use a cutter attachment on your pasta roller, if you are so equipped).
- Dust the cut pasta with a little flour and let it rest in small nests while you roll and cut the rest.
- Once ready to eat, set a large saucepot on high and filler with salted water. Boil in salted water for 1-3 minutes, depending on thickness. Fresh pasta cooks fast, so don’t walk away. Toss with your favorite sauce and eat immediately.
- If you somehow don’t eat it all, fresh pasta can be refrigerated for a day or frozen for later.
