Homemade Fresh Pasta: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step-by-Step Instructions

Creating the Dough

Mound the flour on a clean work surface, creating a volcano-like shape with a well in the center. This traditional method allows you to control how much flour incorporates into the eggs. Crack the eggs directly into the well and add the salt.

Using a fork, begin beating the eggs gently, gradually pulling in flour from the inner walls of the well. Work slowly and deliberately, incorporating flour bit by bit to prevent the eggs from escaping. As the mixture thickens, use your hands to bring the dough together.

Kneading to Perfection

Once the dough forms a shaggy mass, begin kneading with the heel of your hand. Push the dough away from you, fold it back over itself, rotate a quarter turn, and repeat. This rhythmic motion develops the gluten structure that gives pasta its characteristic chew.

Knead for approximately ten minutes until the dough transforms from rough and sticky to smooth and elastic. The surface should feel like the softness of your earlobe. If the dough seems too dry and crumbly, add water one teaspoon at a time. If too sticky, dust with additional flour.

Resting the Dough

Wrap the kneaded dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least thirty minutes. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to roll out and preventing it from shrinking back when shaped. Some pasta makers rest their dough for up to two hours for even better results.

Rolling and Shaping

Cut the rested dough into four equal pieces, keeping unused portions wrapped to prevent drying. Working with one piece at a time, flatten it slightly with your hand. If using a pasta machine, set it to the widest setting and pass the dough through several times, folding it in half between passes to create smooth, even sheets.

Gradually decrease the machine setting, passing the dough through each thickness once until you reach your desired thinness. For fettuccine, you want the dough thin enough to see your hand through it but sturdy enough to handle.

If rolling by hand, use a long rolling pin and plenty of flour for dusting. Roll from the center outward, rotating the dough frequently to maintain an even thickness.

Cutting the Pasta

Once rolled, you can cut the pasta by hand or use the cutting attachment on your pasta machine. For hand-cut noodles, lightly flour the pasta sheet, fold it loosely, and slice to your desired width. Unfold immediately and toss with a bit of flour to prevent sticking.

Fresh pasta can be cooked immediately or dried for later use. To dry, arrange the noodles in loose nests on a floured surface or hang them on a pasta drying rack for several hours.

Cooking Fresh Pasta

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. The water should taste like the sea. Add the fresh pasta and stir gently to prevent sticking. Fresh pasta cooks remarkably quickly, typically in just two to four minutes.

Test for doneness by tasting. The pasta should be tender but still have a slight bite. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water before draining, as this starchy liquid helps sauces cling beautifully to the noodles.