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How to Make Fresh Pasta from Scratch

NO FANCY EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

Article by Kate Baxendale

Photography by Stock Images + Provided

A common misconception is that homemade pasta requires expert-level culinary skills, fancy pasta-making equipment and lots of hands-on time. NOPE! In the article Easy Homemade Pasta from Scratch—No Machine Needed, Garden Betty demonstrates how to make beautiful fresh pasta using pantry staples and your hands.

While some small appliances can save you time—like a mixer to knead the dough or a pasta machine to roll it out—you really only need a few tools: a smooth surface, a rolling pin, a sharp knife and about 30 minutes.

You're welcome to use specialty flour, like 00 flour from Italy or semolina flour, but all-purpose flour makes a perfectly lovely pasta dough.

Garden Betty uses the same method to make all of her pasta, including egg pasta, herb pasta, veggie pasta and squid ink pasta. Below are the ingredients needed for each type.

Fresh Homemade Egg Pasta

Makes 1 pound

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling and dusting
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Fresh Homemade Herb Pasta

Makes 1 pound

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling and dusting
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (try basil or parsley)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Fresh Homemade Veggie Pasta

Makes 1 pound

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling and dusting
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup vegetable juice (try beet, spinach, or carrot juice, or even tomato paste or pumpkin puree to add color)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Fresh Homemade Squid Ink Pasta

Makes 1 pound

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling and dusting
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 grams (or 2 x 4g packets) squid ink

Method

  • Make a mound out of the flour on a flat surface. Create a deep well in the center using your measuring cup.
  • Crack the eggs into the center, then add the remaining ingredients.
  • Use a fork to whisk the eggs and other ingredients until combined.
  • Slowly start to incorporate the flour into the center until it is all combined.
  • Keep whisking the dough with the fork until you can form a loose ball.
  • Using your hands, knead the dough. It will feel soft at this stage. Keep kneading it until it firms up, about 10 minutes.
  • When the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, shape it into a ball and cover it with a kitchen towel to keep it moist.
  • Let dough rest for at least 30 minutes.
  • Cut dough into quarters. Cover the rest of the dough with the towel while you work each quarter.
  • On a floured surface, roll out the quarter of dough as thin as possible. Keep adding flour to prevent sticking.
  • Fold the dough onto itself a few times and cut it to your desired width:

Spaghetti: 1/16 inch

Linguine: 1/8 inch

Tagliatelle: 3/16 inch

Fettucine: 1/4 inch

Pappardelle: 1 inch


  • Shake the pasta out, dust them with flour, and let them rest in loose mounds on a kitchen towel while you repeat the process with the other quarters of dough.
  • Drop cut pasta into a pot of salted boiling water. Cook for 2-5 minutes.

If you're making a large batch of pasta to freeze and use later, follow Garden Betty's instructions.

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