Pasta is an extremely versatile meal option. From the classic spaghetti and meatballs to the veggie-packed primavera, there are various options for both meat lovers and vegetarians. Aside from it being a hearty choice, it can easily be made at home by either hand or with a machine.

Use this basic dough recipe and tips to make fresh pasta that is sure to beat any store-bought version!

Ingredients

 Instructions:

  1. On a floured surface, use your hands to form a mound with the flour and salt. Make a hole in the center of the mound, and add the eggs into it. Still using your hands, gently mix the eggs into the flour until a sticky dough has formed. Add water as needed, up to 4 tablespoons.
  2. Continue kneading the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes. It should be smooth and elastic.
  3. Form the dough into a ball, place in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to rest for 15–30 minutes. Place unused dough (wrapped in plastic wrap) in freezer, and freeze for up to three months.
  4. Dust countertop with flour, and separate the dough into 3 equal pieces. Flatten each piece, and continuously roll with a rolling pin until it’s 1/16-inch-thick. If you’re using a machine, run flattened dough through machine until it’s 1/16-inch thick.
  5. Using a pasta cutter, cut into desired shapes, and let air-dry for 30 minutes.
  6. Bring a large pot of salted water (a teaspoon of salt for each quart of water), to a boil, and drop in pasta. Cook for 3–5 minutes, but test pasta frequently for doneness.
  7. Drain pasta, but never rinse it. Add drained sauce, and serve immediately.
homemade-linguine-noodles

Noodles (fettuccine and linguine)

  • Start with the end closest to you, and fold a 2- to 3-inch strip of pasta up away from you. Continue to fold until the entire pasta sheet is folded into a flattened roll.
  • Cut across the roll with a sharp knife to form the width of desired type of pasta noodle. To make fettuccine, cut 1/6 to 1/5 inch, and for linguine, cut 1/8 inch.
  • Unroll folded noodles, and allow them to dry for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking.
homemade-farfale-noodles

Farfalle (bow-tie)

  • Cut the desired sized squares from the sheet of pasta using a pasta cutter. Aim for 1½- to 2½-inch squares.
  • Cut across strips at 2-inch intervals to form 2-inch squares.
  • Cut the squares in half to form 1” x 2” rectangles.
  • Using your thumb and forefinger, pinch rectangles together in the middle of the long side to form a bow-tie shape.
  • Spread pasta out on floured surface, and allow it to dry for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking.
homemade-orecchiette-noodles

Orecchiette (shaped roughly like small ears)

  • Once the dough has been kneaded, pull a portion off and roll it in your hands.
  • On a lightly floured surface, start to roll the dough back and forth using the palm of your hands. Dough should form a tube approximately 3/8-inch wide.
  • At one end of the rolled pasta, use a sharp knife to cut off pieces slightly less than 3/8-inch thick.
  • Place one of the pieces in the center of your palm, and with the thumb of your other hand, press in the center of the pieces to form a disk-shaped pasta.
  • Spread pasta out on floured surface, and allow it to dry for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking.

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