Fresh Pasta

Fresh pasta is a hallmark of Italian cuisine, showcasing a time-honored tradition that highlights the simplicity and elegance of handmade recipes. Made with just a few basic ingredients—typically flour, eggs, and sometimes a touch of olive oil or water—fresh pasta has a delicate texture that sets it apart from its dried counterpart. The dough is kneaded until smooth and rested to allow the gluten to relax, making it easier to roll and shape. Once rolled out, it can be cut into a variety of shapes, such as tagliatelle, fettuccine, or pappardelle, or used to make filled pasta like ravioli or tortellini.

The origins of fresh pasta date back centuries, with regional variations reflecting the diverse culinary traditions of Italy. In northern regions, pasta is often made with soft wheat flour and eggs, while in the south, semolina flour and water are more common due to the abundance of durum wheat. The techniques for making fresh pasta, including rolling it out by hand or using a pasta machine, are passed down through generations, emphasizing the importance of skill and craftsmanship. Fresh pasta’s versatility allows it to pair beautifully with a wide range of sauces, from simple butter and sage to hearty ragùs, embodying the essence of Italian cooking.

PastaMediterraneanItalian

Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 4 min

Total Time: 34 min

Yield: 4 servings

A tray of fresh garganelli pasta.

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs (approx 150g without shells)
  • 65g (6 Tbsp.) semolina flour
  • 185g (1½ cup) all purpose or 00 flour
  • 1½ tsp. olive oil

Instructions

Pasta Dough

  1. 1.
    Crack the eggs into a bowl and weigh. 3 large eggs should weigh approximately 150g.
  2. 2.
    In a separate bowl, weigh out enough flour to be equal to 1.64 times the weight of the eggs (250g) at a ratio of 3 parts white flour (185g) to 1 part semolina (65g).
  3. 3.
    Place the flour in a large bowl and form a volcano shape.
  4. 4.
    Whisk the eggs together and pour into the center of the volcano.
  5. 5.
    Add olive oil to the eggs.
  6. 6.
    With a fork, mix together the flour, eggs, and oil until combined into a shaggy dough.
  7. 7.
    Use one hand and continue combining the dough until all the flour is mixed in.
  8. 8.
    Once the dough ball is solid, remove from the bowl and flatten the ball of dough onto a lightly floured surface.
  9. 9.
    Knead the dough by pressing down three times with the heel of the palm.
  10. 10.
    Rotate the dough 90°, fold the dough back on itself.
  11. 11.
    Repeat the kneading process for about 10 minutes until the ball of dough is solid but stretchy and springs back when lightly pressed with the thumb.
  12. 12.
    Once the kneading is complete, wrap the ball of dough is plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Rolling Pasta

  1. 13.
    Cut the dough into four equal parts.
  2. 14.
    Press out one ball of dough into a flat rectangle. Leave the unused balls of dough covered to stay fresh.
  3. 15.
    Set the pasta machine to its largest setting (0) and feed the dough through.
  4. 16.
    Fold the edges of the pasta sheet into the center to form a rectangular shape and feed through the machine again.
  5. 17.
    Fold any uneven edges over and feed through the machine for a third pass.
  6. 18.
    Reduce the machine setting one size and feed the dough through again.
  7. 19.
    Continue reducing the machine setting and passing the dough through until it reaches the desired thickness.

Tagliolini

  1. 20.
    Line a baking sheet with parchment and dust lightly with flour.
  2. 21.
    Roll out the dough sheets to a thickness of 8 or 9.
  3. 22.
    Cut the sheets to desired length.
  4. 23.
    Feed the cut sheets through the tagliolini cutter on the pasta machine.
  5. 24.
    Lay out the cut tagliolini on the baking sheet and dust the pasta lightly with flour.
  6. 25.
    Allow the tagliolini to dry for an hour or two before portioning. Cook immediately, refrigerate for 2-3 days or freeze for future use.

Fettucine

  1. 26.
    Line a baking sheet with parchment and dust lightly with flour.
  2. 27.
    Roll out the dough sheets to a thickness of 6.
  3. 28.
    Cut the sheets to desired length.
  4. 29.
    Feed the cut sheets through the fettucini cutter on the pasta machine.
  5. 30.
    Lay out the cut fettucini on the baking sheet and dust the pasta lightly with flour.
  6. 31.
    Allow the fettucini to dry for an hour or two before portioning. Cook immediately, refrigerate for 2-3 days or freeze for future use.

Garganelli

  1. 32.
    Line a baking sheet with parchment and dust lightly with flour.
  2. 33.
    Roll out the dough sheets to a thickness of 6.
  3. 34.
    Cut the sheets to into 1½ to 2-inch squares.
  4. 35.
    Position a diamond of pasta dough on a grooved gnocchi board and roll around a small dowel to form a cylinder with grooves on the outside.
  5. 36.
    Lay out the formed garganelli on the baking sheet.
  6. 37.
    Allow the garganelli to dry for an hour or two before portioning. Cook immediately, refrigerate for 2-3 days or freeze for future use.