Making your own pasta, what do you need? 🍝
We can tell you right away that gathering the ingredients won't take hours. The base consists of egg and flour. For some extra flavour and a better dough structure, you can choose to add a pinch of salt and a dash of olive oil.
there's one thing we can't hide...
At first glance, it all seems very simple, but there's one thing we can't hide. Opinions differ widely on what the best flour is for making fresh pasta. Do you go for durum wheat, 00-flour, semolina, or just plain wheat flour? We prefer 00-flour, but actually, any of them work, so feel free to experiment and find out what you like best.
Ingredients per person:
- 100 grams of flour
- 1 egg
- dash of olive oil
- pinch of salt
A taste of your own medicine (or pasta)
- Pour your chosen flour into a pile on your kitchen counter. Make a well in the middle and crack your eggs into it. Add a pinch of salt and a dash of olive oil, then start mixing the eggs and flour from the center outwards. Are you a messy cook? Then be smart and choose to make your pasta dough in a bowl.
- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is soft and pliable. When you pull it apart, it should stretch a little. If your dough is very sticky, you can add some more flour, and if your dough is a bit dry, you can add some more oil or water.
- Now comes the easiest step. Wrap your dough in cling film and let it rest for half an hour in the refrigerator. During this time, you can walk the dog, make the pasta sauce, or uncork the wine.
Start up that pasta machine
- Install your pasta machine > and divide the dough with a dough scraper > into small portions. It's best to place the dough you're not working with under a tea towel so it doesn't dry out. Roll your first piece of dough flatter with a rolling pin and then dust it with flour.
- Set your pasta machine to the widest setting and run the dough through it several times. Set your roller one notch lower and then repeat until your dough has the desired thickness. For lasagna or fettuccine, leave the pasta a bit thicker, and for ravioli, go all the way to the lowest setting.
- For lasagna, ravioli, and tortellini, you can use the pasta dough directly and cut or stamp it into the desired shape. For tagliatelle or fettuccine, first choose the correct attachment for your pasta machine, through which you then run your dough. Sprinkle some flour over your fresh pasta so it doesn't stick too much.
Cooking fresh pasta
Making fresh pasta might take a little longer than buying dried pasta from the supermarket, but cooking fresh pasta, on the other hand, takes a lot less time. Fresh pasta only needs to cook for a few minutes! Bring a generous amount of water to a boil in a large pot and add a good pinch of salt. When your pasta floats to the surface, it's ready. Serve your fresh pasta with a delicious bolognese sauce or go for a homemade pesto sauce with extra cheese. Buon appetito! 👨🍳
Want to make fresh pasta more often?
Then it's important to take good care of your pasta machine. After making fresh pasta, run a paper towel through your pasta machine and then wipe it clean with a dry cloth or soft brush. Do not use water or a damp cloth because this metal fellow likes to keep it dry. If all goes well, your pasta machine is now sparkling clean and completely ready for your next Italian evening.
